If decisions about what to do with the family home are causing headaches for you and your soon-to-be former partner, it may help to realize that you do have options.
We’ll talk about it in this issue.
What options do divorcing couples have about their house?
The writer for a recent article in U.S. News & World Report did a fairly good job of pointing out available options for divorcing couples who already have enough on their plate.
Here are just a few options available to you are.
Waiting to make a decision.
This is a popular option for parents with children in the house. You and your partner can agree for one of you to stay in the house and even put an agreement in place beforehand about how to eventually divide the equity once the house is sold.
Again, divorce can bring its own stressors, and you’ll have a much better feel for whether or not the house should be sold long after you’ve both adjusted to your post-divorce life.
Have your turn with “nesting.”
We talked about nesting in a previous blog entry. Simply put, both parents take turns with staying in the family home while the children remain there. This gives your children a feeling of permanence, which is obviously important, and they also see both parents cooperating.
Selling the house.
There are a host of possibilities to thoroughly consider before deciding to sell the house. For example, you need to be sure about how taxes will be handled; how repairs to the house before it goes in the market will be addressed; will both of you be responsible to approve all offers and counter-offers.
One potential roadblock to selling the house during the divorce are the Automatic Temporary Restraining Orders that go into effect as soon as your divorce petition is filed. These orders specifically prohibit the sale of the marital home if there is no written agreement or court order.
Are you a man facing divorce in San Diego? Call a law firm specializing in men’s rights.
Decisions that can affect your life for years to come should only be made after you know all of your options.
Here at the Men’s Legal Center in San Diego, we believe that husbands, fathers and non-custodial parents deserve effective representation.
Call us at (619) 234-3838. You can also reach us through email.