Divorcing my husband and my house!

The power and strength in women nowadays is exhilarating to witness. Women have certainly come a long way from being just a, “damsel in distress.” We’ve paved our own way in this path called life; we don’t know everything and we’ll still get lost, but one thing’s for sure, WE’RE NOT AFRAID TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS!

CLIENT: “I’M DIVORCING MY HUSBAND AND MY HOUSE!”
[March 2011]

I received two calls over the Spring Break Holiday. Both women were leaving their houses and their soon-to-be ex-husbands. They knew what they wanted to do and had just enough courage to call out for help. One woman was strong, independent and knew exactly how to move forward. The other one was full of worry, fear and uncertainty.

Receiving these types of calls is difficult for me, as a REALTOR®. I want to root for marriages and encourage reconciliation, but I’m not a marriage counselor. Instead, I have to listen to my clients and help them do what they think is best for themselves.

The female client who was confident and independent, followed my listing advice and together we sold her house for a great price. She kept a civil relationship with the ex so as to make a clean break from him and the house. It was a common law marriage and she kept everything.

My other client, who was legally married and had no control over how her soon-to-be ex-husband would handle his side of the real estate matters, ended up losing the house to foreclosure. I don’t know the whole inside story, but I do know that their “strike first, strike hard” mentality was a key factor in losing the house. She wanted to sell and he did not. While he’s thinking that he has the last laugh, he’ll feel the slap in the face when he tries to obtain new credit and/or buy another house. He’s going to realize that his actions will haunt him long after they sign divorce papers.

If you own a home and divorce is an option, it’s important to remember that you can’t “divorce” your mortgage. If your marriage ends up with irreconcilable differences, do what you have to do, but don’t let a bad divorce be the material you build your new foundation with. I realize there are some cases that involve tough circumstances, and the best thing to do is get as far away as fast as possible. For those cases, all I can say is God’s speed and consult an Attorney. You may have a long road ahead of you, but there’s still light at the end of the tunnel. When your Attorney and the Judge determine who gets the house and how it’ll be divided, a REALTOR® can assist you with the sale.

For the other soon-to-be divorced cases, where things can still be ironed out, don’t forget about your future. So what if he gets half of the proceeds, you’ll walk away with 100% of your dignity and self-respect.

TEXAS IS A COMMUNITY STATE

In Texas, a home purchased by a married couple becomes community property with 50%-50% ownership. This also goes for “common law marriages,” especially when both parties are on the mortgage. Whoever is on the mortgage is held responsible for the Mortgage payment and any late fees, sometimes even after a divorce.

In a common law marriage where only one party is on the mortgage, the other party may have legal rights to 50% interest in the property. While a Real Estate Agent can assist with real estate advice, it’s best to seek legal counsel regarding divorce and property rights.

A WOMAN’S BUYING POWER

According to About.com [“Single Women Buy Homes, Too!“], twice as many single women are buying homes than single men. A 2003 Study by the National Association of Realtors found that single women were much more likely to own their own homes by a margin of 56 percent to 47 percent over single men.

As of October 2010, 19.2 % of home owners were single women and 10.6% were single men. Of the 19.2% of women, about 58% were first time home buyers.

FALL IN LOVE AGAIN

The day will come when you’re standing on your balcony, and that right “someone” will pull up in a limo, stand through the sun roof, hold up a bouquet of flowers and yell out your name (because Julia Roberts can’t be the ONLY lucky one)! And until that day, take care of yourself, take care of your needs and cater to your desires.

When you decide to re-build your dreams and buy your next home, I’d love to be the match-maker! I’ll help find that gorgeous property with dreamy windows, sexy kitchen, strong features, passionate whirlpool tub and super attractive price! For those of you looking for a sense of humor, too… I’ll just have to tell you a couple of jokes while we’re hunting for that hunky home. 🙂