FAQ: Orenda Home Group

FAQ

Orenda Home Group

How do I know if working with a Realtor® is right for me?

Consulting with a Realtor®, specifically one who has specialized divorce training and experience such as a Certified Divorce Specialist™, is a must if you: have a marital home involved in your divorce (whether you want to keep it or sell it), if you have equity buyout to potentially negotiate and navigate, if you are wanting to set yourself up to purchase a home post-separation/divorce.

While there are hundreds of Realtors® to choose from, selecting one who understands the nuances of the divorce process will prove to be of extreme value in the long run, and not a job that you want to entrust with someone just because they are a friend or family member. You want someone who has training in how to not only communicate with and between your soon-to-be-ex but also your entire divorce team. You want someone who has a professional network they can connect you with to provide as much ease as possible throughout this turbulent time.

In what step of the divorce process is best for me to meet with a Realtor® and why?

As soon as you decide you want to separate, is when you want to engage a consultation with a real estate professional. In fact, oftentimes when you’re in the debating stages of deciding if you want to separate, you find yourself worried and overwhelmed about all of the “what-ifs” and the “I don’t even know...” scenarios running through your mind. Even this stage is an ideal time because it can help you start to navigate what options are out there. Just because the option exists, doesn’t mean it is necessarily available under your circumstances. The right divorce-trained Realtor® will aim to understand your goals, outline the different options, and help you strategize a plan to confirm which of those are available to you.

Too often times we find that clients who weren’t properly educated in advance (whether after doing a DIY divorce, going through simple mediation, or working with an attorney that didn’t have a full professional network involved) find themselves in a situation that works against them and the goals they had for after divorce. In some instances it cost them greatly - losing out on money, giving up overestimated amounts of equity, tax implications, poor guidance on refinancing or qualification expectations, additional attorney fees having to amend an agreement to avoid being in contempt, and more.

Whether I'm a breadwinner or a stay-at-home mom, what value will I get out of working with you?

A proactive consultation with me can help you understand what steps may be necessary to maximize your proceeds if you’re going to sell, which allows you to have better expectations of a timeline, prioritize tasks that need to be done to attract the most amount of buyers for the highest sales price and the potential equity amount available for distribution. With a detailed plan or checklist, you’re able to remove the “what-ifs” and the “I don’t even knows” from your mind and onto paper, which provides a sense of relief and a step forward.

If you want to keep your home, this consultation can help you identify what steps would be necessary to confirm if that is a financial possibility and even help you navigate ways to structure your agreement to support that desire. We’ll look at the current market trends to hypothesize the amount of equity in the home that your soon-to-be-ex would be entitled to so you have real figures to provide to your attorney, financial team and mortgage advisor as we navigate which solutions are available and which may be best for you.

If you intend to leave the marital home and need to navigate housing options for the transition, I can work with you to show you what the current market is offering in size, location and availability and help set realistic pricing expectations. These expectations may help you in your financial planning even if you’re in the very beginning stages of a potential separation. Sometimes knowing what you can expect provides a level of relief that allows you to focus on other matters. It’s also key to mentally preparing for a change in your living situation (downsize, relocation, etc).

Additionally, if you will be relocating out of the area, I have a national network of real estate professionals I can connect you with to help maintain the best continued transition.

I know the nuances of divorce. I also know these decisions are long-lasting and sometimes life-changing for you. I approach each consultation to learn what you’d ideally like and what you feel would be best for you, offer you factors to consider, outline the next and help you understand what’s most realistic expectations may be. I partner with you to help you strategize the right plan for you.

How do I afford this if I am a stay-at-home mom or don't have access to the finances?

My consultations have no fee. The aspects of your marital home that we cover in a consultation will often provide you with information and figures that you can utilize with your legal team, that you wouldn’t otherwise have. You may ask your attorney, but they’ll only be able to guide you on the legal rights and how they may apply to you rather than provide the actual options available, market trends, possible sales price figures or best strategy available based on your timeline and needs. They may recommend to order a formal appraisal, but an appraisal will cost you an additional $400-600 and has time limitations applied to them. That appraisal cannot be used for anything other than potential equity buyout guidance. If you’re looking to sell the home or refinance the home, the lender servicing the buyer or your refinance will require a new appraisal to be ordered (costing you more money if you’re aiming to keep the home). If an appraisal is ordered, it’s worth having an experienced listing agent review it for accuracy.

When you’ve decided to hire me, my listing service fees are paid at closing, out of the proceeds from the sale of the property. If you opt to hire me to assist you in the purchase of another property, we do our best to collect payment from the seller’s listing brokerage representing the property of interest. Whether paid by the seller or by the buyer, those fees are also collected at closing. If you are refinancing, I have no fees tied to that service and the consultation remains complimentary.

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DISCLAIMER: The information provided is for educational purposes only and does not act as legal, financial or psychological advice. While the insights may have wide applicability, readers should consult with an attorney, CPA, financial advisor, therapist or coach in your state to obtain advice with respect to your particular issue and/or case.