Do You Know How to Choose Your Realtor When Divorcing?

Not only must I market your property to potential buyers, but it must be done in such a way as to not divulge that you’re getting divorced.

We don’t want potential buyers to know the reason that you were selling.

Not just “staging” it to sell for top dollar, but “staging” in such a way as to NOT divulge that you’re getting a divorce, so that buyers don’t know your reason for selling.

As a Divorce Real Estate Specialist I have trained many professional “stagers” on the various unique “staging” strategies for “staging” the sale of a matrimonial home in divorce.

I’m not a divorce lawyer, but I’ve obtained extensive legal knowledge that must apply in every real estate transaction when selling a matrimonial home in divorce, as it differs from a typical real estate sale.

From properly understanding the need where and when “spousal consent” signatures are required or not, to understanding many other legal obstacles and related legal remedies to getting a divorce and selling a matrimonial property, such as “Right of Possession”, or responding to and/or obtaining certain Court Orders to help with the sale if or when a spouse is uncooperative.

I must give my office staff and my team different instructions and guidelines to follow for clients going through a divorce. 

We must be prepared for unique circumstances, such as dealing with two spouses who might not be able to get along with each other or can’t agree.

I have explicit instructions and processes in place when you work with me to ensure that these things don’t happen and that both spouses are protected and receive a smooth, safe, and successful real estate experience while working with me.

For example, what would your Realtor say when a buyer asks why you are selling? They always ask!

Your Realtor can’t admit that you are getting a divorce or that it makes you vulnerable to a low-ball offer.

As a “Certified Negotiator,"  I not only know how to hide the reason my sellers are selling but I’m also trained to strategically uncover the buyer's motivation.

This helps when negotiating their “offer to purchase” up to a higher purchase price for you.

As a Certified Negotiator, it helps me deal with the many emotional variables that can arise from either spouse, which might interfere with the negotiations or the real estate sales process.

All of my documents could be required as evidence in future court proceedings.

I must securely back up all typical real estate documentation along with more detailed & meticulous notes on every interaction I have with both of my sellers.

As a divorce real estate specialist, I’ve often had to sign affidavits, testify in court, or provide detailed accounts of all things that transpired/occurred during my dealings with one or both spouses.

An ordinary real estate transaction does not require this type of note-taking or additional services.

So if the realtor isn’t trained on what is important when getting a divorce and selling a matrimonial property and how to organize notes for review and transfer to divorce Lawyers it can be detrimental to the client.

Various court orders might exist.

I must know what to ask for and how court orders might apply to the listing when specifically getting a divorce or selling a matrimonial home.

After many years and countless transactions where I have worked hand-in-hand with divorce lawyers, I’ve had the opportunity to learn so much from them.

This qualifies me to help my clients in ways that general Realtors [who do not specialize in divorce real estate] simply wouldn’t have the opportunity to learn and provide specialist service.

The result could be costly mistakes or even deals falling apart at the last minute, which happens more often than you hear about, because the paperwork & protocols weren’t followed properly.

I have different protocols regarding:

• For sale signs on the lawn, or
• Neighborhood marketing initiatives, or
• Open houses, or
• Lockboxes on the front door.

When a couple is trying to keep their divorce a secret from the neighbors, or children have extreme anxiety when they see a sign on the lawn, or a lockbox on the door, I must go above and beyond (the typical real estate process) to provide customized services for my clients, to ensure their experience selling their matrimonial home is as stress-free as possible.

Often, when two spouses are getting divorced and selling a matrimonial home, they don’t completely trust each other.

Often, my clients want me to attend all showings for potential buyers in their homes.

Ordinarily, it is just the buyer's agent who accompanies them.

But for my clients getting a divorce & selling a matrimonial home, they want me there as well to look out for both of their best interests.

The most recent increasing specialty that I’ve obtained as a divorce real estate specialist is knowing how to deal successfully with a soon-to-be ex who might be a narcissist or have narcissistic personality disorder.

A spouse with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) can often try to sabotage the sale of the matrimonial home.

It’s happening more & more often when couples hire a realtor and one spouse has no intention of cooperating with the sale.

I’ve had several clients where we listed the matrimonial home for sale, and then one of the spouses interfered with showings to potential Buyers or interfered with many other details.

This can happen for many reasons.

If a spouse wants to delay the sale of the matrimonial home for their own personal use of the property or their own agenda, which may even be as simple as acting out of spite towards the other spouse, I’ve seen firsthand how some spouses try to manipulate the sale.

Unlike a general Realtor who doesn’t specialize in these circumstances, I have tremendous success in dealing with divorce lawyers and my clients, so the spouse who is not cooperative (or who is interfering without justification) can no longer succeed in their attempts to sabotage the sale.

Many realtors forget that both sellers are clients.

As a real estate divorce specialist, if you’re getting a divorce & selling a matrimonial home, I must communicate equally & fairly with both sellers.

Even though you might not live together anymore, or in some cases, one spouse might be more difficult to deal with than the other person.

Sometimes a general realtor would not intend to “choose sides,” but they do so simply because of human nature.

If they’re not trained in the complications that can arise in an acrimonious divorce, a general realtor might gradually start communicating more with one spouse and less with the other spouse, who is more difficult to deal with.

This, of course, is not fair to the clients and is, in fact, unethical for the realtor to do.

As a divorce real estate specialist and a certified negotiator, I’ve learned the skills to deal equally fairly, and openly with both sellers.

Regardless of their situation or their divorce, they are both my clients and I must know how to deal equally and fairly with both of them.

If you want more information about getting a divorce in Ontario, check out my full divorce page.

Also, be sure to visit www.DivorceSpecialistsGroup.com. They have the best divorce lawyers and divorce professionals I’ve met & worked with.