Selling your Seattle home after a divorce or separation is one of the most challenging experiences a person can have. Although the divorce rate is decreasing, almost 50% of marriages in the US (41% in Washington) still end in divorce. And more often than not, a divorcing spouse wants to know who gets the house. Unfortunately, it isn’t that straightforward. Whatever the statistics show, divorce is still a terrible and difficult experience for any family. When children are involved, selling a family home becomes much more critical. As we completely understand how stressful and tense all of this might be, we’ve prepared tips to help you go through this process as smoothly and as painfully as possible. That is, of course, if you don’t want to sell your Seattle home as-is, because it can’t get simpler or quicker than that!
Make selling your Seattle home after a divorce easy and smooth with our tips
If neither you nor your spouse wants to stay in your Seattle home, or if neither one can afford to buy out the other, you can put your property out for sale. One disadvantage of selling is selling costs (if you decide to sell on the open market). Plus, your children must be uprooted at a time when they are already dealing with a significant life change. But on the other hand, both of you might receive money to start fresh, which can help you have an easier split.
However, you’ll still face a lengthy and comprehensive process that entails a variety of initiatives once you’ve decided to sell. Even under the best of circumstances, each endeavor requires a lot of effort. Plus, the emotional turmoil that comes with divorce doesn’t make things any easier. So to help you, here are our six simple yet very effective tips.
#1 Keep your emotions in check
Selling a home is always an emotional experience, regardless of the reason. However, when it comes to selling your Seattle home after a divorce, the entire experience can even be heart-rending. Therefore, one of the most important things to do is keep your emotions in check. But how when you’re about to sell a home filled with so many precious memories?
First, consider your home as a product instead of a sentimental asset. While you’re getting your home ready for sale, say goodbye to it correctly and stage it in a way so that it begins to feel a lot less like home to you. Or, consult your ex-spouse and consider selling your home to a cash buyer. This will save money for both of you and spare you a lot of stress as it can be done in a matter of days – think of it like taking a bandaid off.
#2 Always be prepared
It would be best to be thoroughly prepared because selling your home isn’t an easy task. By this, we mean doing extensive research on all aspects regarding selling your Seattle home. For example, if you’re still living in your spousal home, you will need to move out after it’s sold. Why not do the research in advance to avoid having to chase decent movers days before you’re due to leave? You’ll have enough time to check every detail and recognize you’re not dealing with fake moving reviews and scam companies. You should try to spot the red flags as that’s the last thing you need now
#3 Decide how you want to sell
When it comes to selling your home, the first thing that comes to your mind is probably getting in touch with a real estate agent and listing your home for sale. However, divorce is expensive already, and selling your home on an open market will drill an even deeper hole into your budget. You should thoroughly consider selling your Seattle home on an open market vs. selling it as-is.
If you decide to sell your home to a cash buyer, you’ll avoid a lot of the hassle. You won’t have to spend hours interviewing real estate agents with your ex-spouse or having to handle home staging with them. Plus, selling your home as-is means that you get to choose how soo the sale happens.
#4 Be mindful of your finances
You already know how expensive getting a divorce is. Even though you will (hopefully) earn profit from selling your home, you still need to keep in mind that you’ll have to pay down the mortgage, any equity line or second mortgage, and the closing costs before the funds can be shared. You’ll also have to pay any applicable capital gains tax. Even if you’re now the sole owner of the property, these expenses will significantly reduce the amount you get.
Therefore, it’s imperative to think about all financial implications before making final decisions. After all, your end goal is to get as much as possible from your sale. The good news is that most of these costs can be avoided by selling your Seattle home as-is. There will be no need to pay expensive broker fees, and you get a chance to avoid capital gains tax.
#5 Get your home ready for sale
If you decide to list your home on the market, keep in mind that you’ll have to get it in top-notch condition before showing it to potential buyers. Depending on the state of your Seattle home, this can take some time and delay the final step of leaving your old marriage behind. Home staging can entail anything from decluttering to making upgrades to boost the resale price.
This is not just a long but also an expensive process that will cause a lot of inconveniences. For example, if you decide to upgrade the flooring or paint, you’ll have to move furniture and other items out of your home to protect them from damage. Of course, you’ll first have to figure out where to move it. The team from Teddy Moving and Storage suggests renting a storage unit as it’s both convenient and budget-friendly. But if you decide to sell your home as-is, this is something you won’t have to think about.
#6 Be patient
Lastly, arm yourself with tons of patience, especially if you’re selling your home the old-fashioned way. It could be weeks or even months until you find the right buyer, depending on the market conditions. Even if you have the best agent on your side, no one can predict how the market will behave. So take a deep breath and keep your fingers crossed that a suitable buyer shows up soon. Or, get in touch with a Seattle cash buyer and avoid potential post-divorce hassle and drama.
Good luck selling your Seattle home after a divorce!
We won’t lie – selling your Seattle home after a divorce will be an emotional, sometimes even overwhelming, experience. But remember, the hardest part is already behind you, and you can rely on our tips and advice to make the rest of your journey more manageable and less stressful. And in case you decide to take the fastest way, you can pretty much skip most of these tips, get a cash offer and sell your home in a matter of days! Easy-peasy, right?