Do You Know How to Choose Your Realtor When Divorcing?
No one gets married expecting a divorce – yet it happens to many people all the same. Your relationship with your spouse has ended, and you need to move on.
When you own a house together, this can create some real difficulties. It would be best if you sold your home so you can split the money and end that part of your life.
When this situation arises, you need a divorce real estate agent who is sensitive to the circumstances you find yourself in and can efficiently move your home, no matter the current market.
It would help if you had a teammate that could sell your house now. Hiring a divorce Realtor when divorcing is crucial, especially when the marital home is one of your most considerable assets.
How to pick a divorce real estate agent while divorcing is probably something most people don’t think about.
There are too many other important things to deal with during this emotional and complicated life event.
How to choose a Realtor when getting a divorce, however, is critical.
Let’s examine all the essential considerations of hiring a divorce real estate agent near you.
Get a Realtor That Understands Divorce
Not every real estate agent is well-equipped to handle your divorce-related home sale. Some are not good at selling houses, while others don’t quite grasp the severity of your situation.
Considering the stress you are already under, the last thing you need is a Realtor who fails to meet your criteria.
When selling a home during a divorce, you need someone who can work with you now—a Realtor who knows how to move a house no matter how difficult the situation.
The last thing you want is a “drama queen.” You want someone calm, cool, and collected. A Real Estate agent who is fair, level-headed, and frankly not afraid to be involved in a challenging situation.
Consider the following criteria while picking the real estate agent that will sell your home during the divorce:
Does The Real Estate Agent Have Experience?
There are a lot of real estate agents out there to choose from. This means many options have probably never sold for someone in your situation. You don’t need a Realtor specializing in divorce, as very few do this and nothing more.
However, you want a divorce listing agent who has been down this road many times.
Some Realtors may even avoid divorce home sales because they are too much trouble.
A Realtor who avoids controversy is not the individual you want selling your house. Find an agent that is familiar with divorce home sales. They may have been in a divorce personally or may have experienced moving houses while folks are going through a divorce.
If the experience is there, your agent will know how to be sensitive to your needs and the volatility of your current circumstances. The agent will also understand how important it is to sell the house fast while still getting a good offer for the home.
Understanding the Role of a Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert
A Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert (CDRE) brings specialized knowledge to the table, ensuring that both parties in a divorce are treated fairly and that the property is sold in a manner that maximizes financial returns for both parties.
This expertise is crucial, as the CDRE understands the legal nuances and emotional dynamics involved in divorces, which can significantly impact the outcome of the property sale.
Collaborating with Family Law Professionals
Effective collaboration with family law professionals is essential for divorce real estate agents. I have always enjoyed creating lasting relationships with divorce attorneys.
This partnership ensures that all legal aspects of the property sale are handled correctly, providing peace of mind for both clients and agents.
By understanding the intersections of real estate and family law, agents can more effectively navigate the complexities of divorce, leading to smoother transactions and satisfied clients.
For example, having some general knowledge about splitting assets can be helpful.
What’s The Agents List Price to Sale Price Ratio?
This is a significant factor that should go into your decision-making. You want someone who understands the market well enough to price a home accurately the first time. No, it is not possible to get it just right every time.
However, some Realtors are way better at this than others. When you want to sell your home fast, your listing price must appeal to buyers without being too low – something a good agent will know how to help you.
Look for an agent with an excellent track record of getting a price close to their clients’ asking. In real estate, we call this the “list price to sale price ratio.”
Finding out the list price to sale price ratio is one of the interview questions for a real estate agent I highly recommend. You will also find many other great questions to help you pick the best candidate to work with.
The agent you work with should be able to provide advice on staging and preparing the house for sale.
A Divorce Real Estate Agent Knows How to Deal With Two Conflicting People
One of the big problems you may be running into is that you and your spouse own the house.
When joint ownership exists, both must be involved in the selling process, yet you do not want to speak to the other person.
A good divorce Realtor will know how to communicate with both of you without creating waves.
They will have the courage to pursue what is best in the face of emotional challenges but also know how to avoid rocking the boat and creating more headaches.
It is vital for both owners to be on the same page to maximize the most significant return on selling the marital property.
Recently, while selling a home in Framingham, MA, the parties were in complete conflict. One of the owners was initially making my job a lot harder.
It became apparent that this was being done to hurt the spouse. What needed to be pointed out was that, in the long run, preventing me from doing my job was also going to reduce the overall return that would be realized from the sale.
Being Calm, Cool, and Collected is Vital
Of course, this was not smart but expected when emotions get in the way of sound business decisions. Is the Realtor a good listener? While the last person you want to confide in is your real estate agent, it is essential to realize that you may wind up doing so even if you don’t want to.
You will already be going through a high-stress transaction – anyone who has sold a house can tell you how taxing it can be. But you will also be going through or have just finished a divorce.
When you are talking with your Realtor about the situation with the house, things can boil over. Do you feel comfortable having this person as an outlet in this challenging time? If they rub you the wrong way, choosing someone more compatible with your needs may be better.
Does The Realtor Know Your Area?
With the internet, finding an excellent real estate agent is much easier. However, sometimes the Realtors you find through random searches are unfamiliar with your area and are not the best qualified to sell your home.
Their ads may look appealing, and they may be willing to work anywhere in the state to sell a house—this is how they make money.
The problem is that only a real estate agent who understands your area can sell your house efficiently. Why? If the agent is not from the area, they will not understand the nuances of pricing your home correctly, which is the most critical factor in selling a home.
How does one neighborhood compare to the next? A Realtor 50 miles outside your area will not understand this well enough.
Your real estate agent must know many things to make a fast, productive sale. The neighborhoods, the state statistics, the average home prices in your area, similar home sales in your community, and more.
They should also have an established network to get your house out there to potential buyers, which requires more than just an online listing to accomplish efficiently.
The divorce specialist should prepare a sensible comparative market analysis, as the price is the most vital factor in a quick sale.
Does The Real Estate Agent Have Good Negotiation Skills?
The divorce Realtor you choose should not only be able to handle the complexity of two people who are more than likely at odds with one another but also deal with contract negotiations with home buyers.
Remember that the Realtor you choose should look out for your best interests by keeping your situation confidential.
The last thing you want during contract negotiations is for the buyer’s agent to know you are getting divorced.
This puts you in a position of weakness when negotiating the offer on your home.
The buyer’s home inspection is another big hurdle that needs to be cleared in a home sale.
Besides the contract to purchase, most negotiations are done during a real estate transaction.
You will want someone in your corner who can negotiate after the home inspection. Plenty of demanding buyers will be very unreasonable regarding the home inspection.
Many people lose sight of the fact that the purpose of a home inspection is to determine whether the house is structurally sound, not to make it perfect.
When the buyer asks for ticky-tack repairs, it will be essential to have a Realtor in your corner who can negotiate on your behalf. Unreasonable home inspection requests are pretty common in real estate.
Does The Realtor Have References?
In a high-stakes situation like divorce, you want someone with a proven track record of selling homes. This is not a time to be selecting your aunt Mildred’s cousin Sally, who sells a few homes a year.
Choosing someone who knows their stuff and stands out in a crowd is crucial! Get the person that everyone else wants to hire. The Realtor you see has sold signs all over the place.
It would be best if you also asked for recent references from satisfied sellers with an experience they are happy to discuss.
Do not hire without talking to at least a few real-life references who can tell you how satisfied they were with this Realtor’s work.
If the real estate agent is smart enough to give you some names without you even asking, that is even better. Keep all these things in mind, and you will probably be hiring an agent who will be excellent to work with while you are going through a divorce!
Pick a Divorce Specialist Both Spouses Can Trust
Enlisting the services of an agent who does not demonstrate empathy or support magnifies the feeling of isolation and aloneness that accompanies selling your house during a divorce.
If you hire someone whose expertise you trust, yet your ex-spouse is unwilling to cooperate, the entire process can become a protracted ordeal with constant stress.
A home sale during a divorce can differ from traditional sales, given the type of communication necessary with both parties.
A divorce listing agent often communicates with the husband and wife separately. However, there are times when both parties need to be present to make decisions during a trying time. So, it becomes crucial for both parties to have trust.
When both parties are not on the same page when picking a divorce real estate agent, it can lead to further problems.
Divorce Real Estate Agent Near Me
You may be wondering how to find a divorce specialist nearby. There aren’t many great methods. It will be worthwhile to ask family and friends if they have had an excellent experience with a local agent.
If you know a particular agent has handled divorces successfully, that is even better. You can try a Google search if you don’t know many people.
Searching for divorce real estate agents near me might yield beneficial results. Just be sure to vet anyone you’re considering.
Buying a House After Marital Separation
Once your marital home is sold, you may want to consider buying another property. Buying a house after a divorce is a crucial topic worth considering, but it is usually worth taking your time.
You may want to consider renting before moving forward with a purchase. If the sale of your home went smoothly, you might want to consider using the same agent.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right Realtor is always a critical exercise, even more so during a divorce. Take your time and do plenty of due diligence before making your choice.
Do you need a divorce real estate agent in the Metrowest, Massachusetts area? Let my thirty-eight years of experience as a top-producing agent help you out. Reach out – I would love to help!
Other Helpful Divorce Resources
- How to find a divorce attorney – see some excellent tips on hiring a divorce attorney via Wiki How.
- Seven costly divorce settlement blunders should be avoided at all costs. Check out this helpful reference by Divorce Net.
Use these additional divorce resources to make a terrible situation go as smoothly as possible. Part of the divorce process is knowing about the process and issues that can arise.
If you are going through a divorce and need to sell your home in one of the communities below, please feel free to contact us for a private consultation.
About the Author: Bill Gassett, a nationally recognized leader in his field, provided the above real estate information on a divorce real estate agent. Bill has expertise in mortgages, financing, moving, home improvement, and general real estate.
Learn more about Bill Gassett and the publications in which he has been featured. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-625-0191. For the past 38+ years, Bill has helped people move in and out of Metrowest towns.
Are you thinking of selling your home? I am passionate about real estate and love sharing my marketing expertise!
I service Real Estate Sales in the following Metrowest MA towns: Ashland, Bellingham, Douglas, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hopedale, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Natick, Northborough, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sutton, Wayland, Westborough, Whitinsville, Worcester, Upton, and Uxbridge Massachusetts.
I think this is a good article and I would like to use it to give
to persons who are divorcing and need to sell property or
to buy or rent one or two other properties. I enjoy resolving
complex situations by staying calm in a crisis through
patience and fortitude. My parents divorced when I was 10 and
I am divorced from my first wife, so I know the problems that
arise in divorce. However, I have 35 happy years with my second
wife (who was divorced from her first husband). I have been a
real estate agent for 15 years and in 2012 I was awarded First Prize
for Deal of the Year by the Real Estate Board of New York.
Thanks William. Given you background it sounds like you are well equipped to handle a divorce sale for your clients!
My ex and I put our condo on the market the week our divorce was final, and then the condo didn’t sell for another 6 months. Thank goodness we had a patient, discreet Realtor during a very difficult and awkward time.
I will share these tips on my blog!
Kat it is always super important to have a great real estate agent, especially when getting a divorce!
Hey Bill!
Great article, I particularly like the part “an agent must be fair, level headed and not afraid to be in a tough situation.”
I feel a close connection with clients in this particular situation, my parents divorced back in 2000 and I saw first hand how hard it was on the both of them emotionally, physically, and financially.
They never totally recovered from it because they separated from each other so late in life, my father was getting ready to retire when it all took place. I want to help families in these tough and uncertain times but not sure how to approach these particular clients.
What are some of the better ways to source this kind of business? Attorneys or possibly Tax Records? I know I can see on the tax records if the owner is divorced but I can’t seem to find the “attribute” in the search criteria on the “MLS Realist” Tax Records to find divorced home owners to farm to. I appreciate the insight and any help on this sensitive topic.
Hope you have a great day! From my family to yours, God bless!
-Richard
Richard thanks for the compliments on the article. You are right getting a divorce is never easy and especially at such a late time in life.
In regards to your question about farming for divorce clients I do not do any of that so I don’t have much to offer there for you.