Selling While Separating: Part 2 of 3 – How To Prepare To Sell Your Home While Separating
If there’s anything I’ve learned in my years of being a real estate agent, it’s that every single transaction is personal! To some it may seem like simply buying or selling a house, but from my point of view, it’s soooo much more than that.
Many people are buying their first home together as a couples, others are moving to make room for new babies, some are downsizing as empty nesters, and then you have those who are going through some of life’s more emotional moments, like divorce or widows.
This is why I always step into each client relationship very intentionally so I can meet people where they are and guide them appropriately! And that intention is really how this blog series came about.
I recently had the pleasure of working with a client who was going through one of the more emotional scenarios I described above and throughout the entire process, they kept asking me reallyyyy good, valid questions and it made me think…
More people are probably wondering these same things.
Even though selling while separating isn't the most fun thing to talk about, the reality is that it’s something that a LOT of people go through and need to know about.
And as someone who has actually gone through the process myself and is now years on the other side of it, I decided it was time to create a resource for people like me and my client.
INSERT: The Selling While Separating Series here on the blog.
Throughout this 3 part blog series, we’ll be diving into:
The First Steps To Take When Selling Your Home During a Divorce (read here!)
How To Prepare To Sell Your Home While Separating (you’re here!)
Finalizing the Sale During a Divorce and How to Move Forward with Confidence (coming soon!)
My hope throughout this series is that you can ease some of the stress you might be experiencing and be able to make a decision that you feel good about and move throughout the process with ease – so let’s dive in!
How To Prepare To Sell Your Home While Going Through A Divorce
The very first step to take when you’re selling your home during a divorce is to make sure that it’s the RIGHT decision. For many people, it is! But if you’re not sure, you'll want to read here to help you better determine that answer.
Once you’ve decided that selling your home IS the best option during a separation, the next step is to prepare the property for sale. This involves both practical steps to enhance the home’s marketability and strategic planning to ensure a smooth process.
The tricky part with selling while separating, however, is that you’re often also looking to buy at the same time and for a lot of people that feels stressful!
Lucky for you, however, I’ve got the whole buying and selling at the same time thing down to a science. So here’s how I would suggest going about it:
1️⃣ Step 1 – schedule a consult with a local, trusted real estate agent (bonus points if they have experience working in these types of scenarios!)
Through this consultation, your agent will ask you specific questions about your NEW home needs, as well as offer guidance on pricing, marketing, and negotiating offers for the sale of your current home.
Additionally, your agent can consult with your lawyer to ensure all legal aspects are covered.
2️⃣ Step 2 – establish a timeline for the sale
Typically when buying or selling a home, there’s only two parties that have to be involved – the buyer and the seller. But when it comes to selling while separating, there’s another party thrown into the mix – your ex-spouse.
Since both of your names are likely on the current mortgage, you both have to be in agreement throughout the entire process. (this is where working with a lawyer is SUPER important!)
For things to run smoothly, it’s important to coordinate with your ex-spouse to determine the best time to list the property and agree on key milestones throughout the selling process.
Your agent can help you navigate this, so don’t worry! You won’t be in this alone.
3️⃣ Step 3 – declutter and depersonalize
Similar to those who are downsizing, selling while separating typically involves a lot of decluttering and clearing out personal items to make the home more appealing to potential buyers.
And I’ll be honest, this step is what usually gets people feeling super stressed out!
How in the world are you supposed to declutter belongings that you’ve had for decades?! How are you supposed to make decisions on what to keep and what to get rid of?!
It can definitely be a challenge, but with the following tips my goal is to help you knock this part of the process out of the park and avoid feeling overwhelmed along the way.
First things first, start EARLY! If you know that you’re going to be selling your home during your divorce, don’t wait until your house is listed for sale to start the purging process… start NOW.
The best way to do it is to begin with one room at a time so that it feels manageable and allows you to see progress to keep you motivated.
If you’re not sure how to navigate the purge process, I suggest following a simple method that involves 4 sorting piles:
Keep: Items that are essential, hold significant sentimental value, or are frequently used
Donate: Gently used items that you no longer need. When it comes to donating, thrift stores can be a good option, but you can also donate to local shelters or charities so you know your items are going to a good cause!
Sell: Valuable items that you no longer need. You can use online marketplaces, garage sales, or consignment shops to earn some cash for larger things that still hold value.
Discard: Items that are broken, worn out, or no longer useful.
Use this method for every single room and most importantly, DON’T rush yourself.
There’s a good chance that along the way you’ll come across lots of memories – whether it be through photos or significant items that take you back – and you’ll want to allow yourself to cope appropriately.
A few pro tips to consider when decluttering and organizing your belongings:
Follow the One Year Rule – if you have trouble deciding whether to keep an item or not, think about if you’ve used it within the last year. If you haven’t, you probably won’t within the next one either, so go ahead and get rid of it.
Use a Labeling System – as you clean out each room and decide what to keep, make sure you label each moving box by room and the contents inside. This will eliminate any confusion as you move the boxes into your new space.
Digitize Memories – it’s easy to want to hold onto photos, cards, letters, and other memorabilia, but these are often the items that become hard to store. To save space, consider scanning and digitizing your most beloved photos and old letters so you can easily look back on them at any time.
4️⃣ Step 4 – prep for market
Once you’ve decluttered the home, it’s time to really prep the home for market. I always suggest using a proven 3 step process to help you prepare your home for the market in order to achieve the best outcome!
The really cool part? This process alone has given our clients here at The Real Estate Collective a 47% return on investment, so if you’re looking to maximize the money in your pocket when selling, trust me on this…
Prep
This of course involves cleaning the home inside and out, but also can involve upgrading or renovations if needed. And no, this doesn’t mean you have to spend a ton of time or money.
We’re talking small things that make a BIG impact. Things like fresh coats of paint, new flooring, and small updates or upgrades (like kitchen appliances, for example). 🎨🧹🛠️
For a closer look at some strategic ways to prep your home for market, CLICK HERE!
Essentially anything that’s going to shine up the property to give it a wow factor that buyers are looking for!
When thinking about what upgrades or renos to do during the prep stage, consider: what are they getting that the property down the street doesn't have? What are the things that are going to make YOUR property stand out?
And don’t worry – you don’t have to figure this out alone! As your realtor, I, along with my team of experts, can provide guidance on what will make the biggest difference.
Perfect
Once your home is prepped, it’s time to PERFECT! ✨
This is where my staging expert will come in and get your home looking picture-perfect for listing photos and showings, so you can really sell those potential buyers.
This is what allows buyers to visualize the space as their own. They can come in and imagine what their life would look like in the home.
What I love about my stager? Strategy is the name of her game and she has the big picture in mind always. THESE are the kind of people you want on your side!
Present
You’ve prepped and you’ve perfected, now it’s time to PRESENT. 📸
During this phase of the process, our exclusive photographer will come in to make sure every corner of your house is looking its absolute best and captured effectively, so you can feel confident knowing quality offers will be coming in.
If you’ve ever browsed Zillow or any other platforms showcasing homes for sale, you know that the pictures can really make or break a property.
That’s why professional photography is a non-negotiable because let’s be real… professional photos are WAYYYY more exciting to look at than Sharon’s iphone 5 photos, ya feel me? 🤣
We want your property to be show stopping. When people are browsing homes online, we want your property to stop them in their tracks and say, “THAT ONE! I’ve got to see that one.”
That’s the goal and with the right people on your side, that is exactly what you can expect! 👏🏼
5️⃣ Step 5 – showings and selling
Once your home is prepped for market, it’s time to list it for showings!
During this phase of the process, your agent will work with you to create a specific marketing plan that strategically promotes your home to potential buyers, which often includes advertising online, hosting open houses, and using social media to reach potential buyers.
Every agent utilizes different marketing strategies, which is why it’s important to ask questions and understand their specific process up front before you move forward with working with them!
You ultimately want an agent who has experience marketing properties and getting your listing in front of ideal buyers through various avenues.
As for me at the Real Estate Collective, I navigate each listing differently because there’s not one real estate transaction that’s the same.
What worked for one person may not work for you, which is why I strategically navigate and plan the different marketing avenues, so that we use our time and energy wisely.
For example, some homes can hit the market and never even need an open house. There are times where individual showings get the job done and get it done quickly.
Others need more foot traffic in order to attract the right buyer, so we plan accordingly for that.
And others require a little more online presence, so in that case we would utilize ads and heavily lean on social media to gain traction.
At the end of the day, it’s my job as your real estate agent to ensure that your property gets the attention it deserves so that we can get you to the closing table as soon as possible!
How To Buy and Sell At The Same Time
Okayyyy, so we’ve talked about the selling of your current home while separating, but what about your next move?!
In my experience, when working with clients who are buying and selling at the same time, I typically advise clients that we DON’T list your current home for sale until you find the new home you want to buy.
This gives us the ability to buy and sell contingently – meaning there’s a set of conditions that must be met for the transaction to proceed. Contingencies provide a way for either party to back out of the deal without facing legal consequences if the specified conditions are not satisfied.
In this case, the contingency for buying your new home will be based on your current home selling and the contingency for selling your current home will typically include your offer on the new home being accepted AND a game plan for occupancy.
Essentially what we’re doing here is viewing the two transactions as ONE, because you aren’t willing to do one without the other.
However, this strategy might not be the most feasible in a divorce scenario since multiple parties are involved. This is why working closely with an agent to help you navigate the buying and selling process every step of the way is so key.
When you’re going through a divorce, you may actually find that buying a new home right away isn’t what you want to do and that’s perfectly okay! If that’s the case, your agent can help you find a perfect rental property that better fits your needs.
Need an agent to help you sell your home while separating?
Overall, you ultimately want to have someone on your side that can help you get the best outcome possible and make sure that you’re confident in moving into a new living situation with ease.
This is why you always want to partner with a trusted, local realtor to help you do it right. Your real estate agent is the person that works with you from start to finish to make this process feel way less overwhelming and get you to the ultimate outcome that you truly want!
So, if you’ve found yourself in a scenario where you know you need a trusted agent on your side in Billings, MT, CLICK HERE to get started on the right foot.
I’ve personally navigated this journey before and I know how it can feel, which is why I’m dedicated to helping you go through it with ease!
P.S. Not local to Billings, MT? Good news for you – I know people!
Connect here and I’ll get you in touch with a trusted agent in your area that can help you navigate your scenario with ease.