Selling a Home During a Divorce | Jeff & Lane Morrell
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Divorce & Real Estate

Selling a Home
During a Divorce.

If you're divorcing,and the house you own together is sitting between you,you're dealing with two hard things at once,the end of a marriage,and one of the biggest financial decisions you'll ever share. This page is meant to make the second one simpler:what your options are,how the sale works,and what to expect,with no pressure,and no cheerleading.

We're Jeff and Lane Morrell,a Colorado Springs real estate team with 24+ years in real estate,and 2,000+ homes sold,working with eXp Realty. We've sold homes for divorcing couples,and we know the job isn't to take sides. It's to keep the process fair,and predictable,and based on numbers both of you can see.

24+
Years in Real Estate
2,000+
Homes Sold
5-Star
Client Reputation
Your Options,Plainly

The Two Paths Most Couples Face

Sell Now and Split the Proceeds

The house gets listed,staged,and sold;the mortgage,and closing costs get paid from the proceeds,and what's left is divided per your agreement. It's a clean break:no shared mortgage,no shared maintenance,no reason for the house to keep connecting you after the divorce is final.

One Keeps the Home,One Gets Bought Out

One spouse keeps the home,and the other receives their share of the equity. That usually involves refinancing the mortgage into one name,and qualifying on one income. It keeps the house in the family,so to speak,but it's only a good idea if the numbers,and the emotions,actually work.

Neither option is right or wrong in the abstract. The answer depends on your finances,your timelines,your children's needs if you have them,and what your attorneys,and the court,determine is fair. Our role is to make either path as clear,and as fair,as it can be,and we're not going to push you toward one or the other.

The Process

How the Sale Works When You're Divorcing

Both Sides,Both Attorneys

We work with both spouses,and both attorneys,at every step. Every offer,every decision,and every number gets shared with both sides,and nobody gets an off-the-record deal. It keeps the process fair,and it keeps it from adding more conflict than it has to.

Objective Pricing and Prep

We price the home from the market data,not from either spouse's feelings about it,and we stage it neutrally,so buyers see a home,not a battleground. A price both sides can see is fair is far easier to agree on than one that starts a fight.

Splitting the Proceeds,Plainly

Once the mortgage,closing costs,commissions,and any agreed liens or debts are settled,the remaining equity is divided exactly as your agreement or court order specifies. We show you the expected numbers early,and the title company handles the actual money movement at closing.

Lending and Buyout Realities

If one spouse keeps the home,the mortgage typically needs to be refinanced into that spouse's name,and they have to qualify on their own income,and credit. That timeline matters,and lenders have their own requirements. We walk you through what the buyout actually requires,so nobody agrees to a path that won't close.

A staged dining room in a Colorado Springs home,facing a bright window,calm and neutral
What to Expect

A Calmer,More Predictable Path

The less either spouse has to guess about,the smoother the process. Here's how a sale typically moves,when both sides agree on the plan:

1

Decide on a Direction

With your attorneys,determine whether the home will be sold,or one spouse will keep it. That single decision shapes everything that follows,and nobody should make it without seeingthe numbers first.

2

Agree on a Listing Plan

Price,prep,marketing,how offers get reviewed,and how decisions get made mid-contract. Getting both sides to agree on the plan up front saves every fight later.

3

Price Objectively,and Prep Lightly

We set the price off comparable sales,and we handle neutral staging,and repairs,so neither spouse carries the whole burden of getting the house ready.

4

Review Offers Together,With Counsel

Every offer comes to both spouses,and both attorneys,with our read on the terms. When both sides understand what a given offer actually means,agreement gets easier.

5

Close and Split Per Your Agreement

The title company pays the mortgage,and costs,and distributes the remaining equity exactly as your agreement specifies. We make sure both spouses see the final accounting,and that the closing table adds no new surprises.

FAQ

Divorce,and Real Estate Questions,Answered

Can I sell my house during a divorce?
Yes,and in many cases it's the cleanest option. If you both agree on the sale,or the court orders it,the house gets listed,staged,and sold;the proceeds pay off the mortgage,and closing costs,and whatever is left is divided per your agreement. Selling during a divorce differs from a normal sale mainly in that decisions are shared: we keep both spouses,and both attorneys,in the loop at every step,so nobody is surprised.

Who gets the house in a divorce?
That's decided by you,your attorneys,and ultimately the court,not by us. Some couples agree one spouse keeps the home,usually by refinancing into their own name,and buying out the other's equity;others sell,and split the proceeds. There's no single right answer. What we can do is give you both honest numbers,so whatever decision gets made rests on what's actually true about the house,and the market.

How much does it cost to sell a house during a divorce?
The mechanical costs are the same as any sale: closing costs,commissions,and any agreed repairs or buyer concessions. What's different is that those costs come out of the proceeds before anything gets split,so knowing the full picture up front matters when you're negotiating division. We'll put together a plain-English breakdown of expected costs early,so there are no surprises at the closing table.

Should I keep the house or sell it in a divorce?
That depends on things only you two,and your attorneys,can weigh: whether either of you can afford the home alone after refinancing,how much equity there is,what it would cost to buy out the other spouse's share,and what you each need going forward. Our job isn't to pick for you. It's to give you both a straight,numbers-based picture of what each choice actually costs,so the decision is informed instead of emotional.

How do we split the money from selling the house?
After the sale closes,the mortgage gets paid off,closing costs,and commissions come out,and any liens or agreed debts are settled. Whatever equity remains is divided the way your divorce agreement or court order specifies. The title company handles the money mechanics,and we make sure you both see exactly how every dollar was accounted for.

Whenever You're Ready,We're Here.

Text us at 719-321-0335 or book a free consultation and we'll help you both see the numbers,then the path,clearly enough to make a decision you can live with.

Text Us at 719-321-0335 Book a Free Consultation