A guide to selling due to divorce or separation
Since 1998, we’ve been serving the people of Leicester and in that time we’ve helped hundreds of clients who are selling due to a divorce or separation. Our experience means we know just how emotional, stressful and draining this can be for people.
Divorce or separation, especially when it involves selling a home, is a difficult thing to go through. However, there are specific steps you can take to help you embark on this fresh chapter of your life.
We aim to help and guide you during a difficult time and to become your support partner for the property’s sale. We’re here to help you get through what can be a very challenging period. In this guide, we cover many aspects of selling due to divorce or separation. We’re extremely experienced in giving people sensitive and expert support when they are moving for this reason.
In This Guide
Preparing Properly for a New Start
There are many things to consider during a divorce. Whether it’s family finances, property or even pets, it pays to prepare properly. Addressing the points below will make the experience easier to navigate.
First Steps
When getting a divorce, it’s wise to contact a solicitor to seek legal advice. They should be able to advise you on any legal implications you need to consider. A good solicitor will also give you guidance on the financial aspect of any settlements.
If you have a mortgage, it’s worth making your provider aware of the situation to see if they can offer help and advice. For example, if you need to reduce the mortgage payments for a short period while the property is being sold.
Agreement
Once you have instructed a solicitor, it’s time to contact an estate agent. Every agency is different and even though legally we only need one signatory on our sales agreement, we always insist on having two. This helps to ensure a successful sale and is far less stressful for both parties.
A good estate agent understands there needs to be a high level of agreement and transparency in this process.
Communication
The easiest way to pour fuel on an already highly emotional situation is to allow a breakdown in communication to happen. It’s so important to involve both parties once a property is up for sale, even if that is through mediators. By keeping both sides fully updated on viewings, feedback, offers and progress, we reduce the risk of a sale falling through and making a sometimes stressful situation even more fraught.
We will often set up a WhatsApp group to ensure updates are shared with everyone involved in the sale. Having these foundations in place will help enormously when it comes to selling and moving on.
Six Tips on Moving on due to a Divorce
The 5 Dos & Donts To Move On Successfully
1. Do seek advice and help
We often see people who are dealing with selling a home for the first time. This may be because their ex-partner had dealt with it all in the past. The paperwork, processes and preparations can seem daunting to the uninitiated, so don’t try to do it on your own We’re always happy to sit down, go through and help with any issues or questions you have. Moving home is an emotional experience at the best of times, and we understand and empathise with what you’re going through.
2. Don’t sell to quick home buying companies
Many companies offer a quick buy service, where they will under offer on your property but do the deal quickly. This is the last resort rather than a first choice.
You’ll get considerably less than if a good estate agency properly markets your property.
3. Do your research
When putting your home up for sale, invite three estate agents to value it. You’ll be able to gauge who you have a rapport with and who you feel you can trust.
The last thing you want when selling due to a divorce is an agent you don’t trust implicitly. Check out their reviews, their standard of marketing, and ask for testimonials.
4. Don’t be swayed by high numbers or cheap fees
Something we often see is people who are going through a divorce ending up instructing an agency which has overvalued their home to win their instruction. Usually, this leads to the property sticking on the market at a time when people want/need a swifter sale.
It’s worth considering why some agencies’ fees are a lot cheaper than others. Often, personal service and care, the very things you’ll need most during this chapter of your life, are sacrificed with the cheap agent.
5. Do relationships
Look for an agent who values the relationship with you over the transaction your property offers.
We’ve built our business on establishing long-term relationships with our clients. This is because of our focus on service, listening, empathising, and simply being there for our clients.
Things To Think About
If this is the case, it would be worth exploring your financial options. We can put you in contact with an independent mortgage broker.
This is often necessary, as there needs to be mutual agreement around the price and marketing strategy applied to the property’s sale.
If the answer is yes, your estate agent would need to discuss the presentation of your property when it comes to viewings (who will do the tidying up?). We undertake accompanied viewings as standard, meaning no one needs to be home when a potential buyer views.
Again, this is to do with viewings. It’s often a good idea to take them out whilst a viewing is taking place.
We are always happy to use the method of communication preferred by our clients, be that by phone, text messaging, emails, in-person or WhatsApp.
You may not feel comfortable meeting at your current property, so we can meet you and discuss anything regarding the sale away from it, if that suits you better.
Our advice and recommendation is to be honest and open with any potential buyer should that question be asked. It is not likely to affect someone’s buying decision about your home and there will be plenty of other positive points to highlight about the home.
Usually the solicitor handling the divorce is skilled in that area of law and wouldn’t be as experienced handling the conveyancing. Our advice is to appoint a conveyancing solicitor who has experience in handling property sales, as they are likely to be able to get the sale through quicker and with less stress. Compare prices, but also question how long on average it is taking solicitors to handle a property sale from start to finish – you should be looking for an answer of between 60–90 days.
As with all the tips and pointers in this guide, the above doesn’t constitute legal advice. If you have any questions or things you’d like to discuss with us, please do not hesitate to get in touch.