Separation and divorce are among the most common reasons people sell outside of their original plans. Selling the family home is the last big process many couples who are separating go through. Quite often, it’s not a simple process.
For a start, there are heavy emotions involved with every step of the process. This can stretch timelines out and make straightforward decisions complicated. The longer everything takes, the more stressful it gets.
Having the right real estate agent on your side will simplify it all. Someone who understands that this isn’t a standard cookie-cutter real estate transaction, and has the experience to handle it with care, respect and professionalism. Both parties get fair results, and everybody can enjoy a clean start. The Henry Wong Team® has helped out many couples going through this process, and in this article, we want to take a closer look at what’s involved.
The Challenges of Selling in a Divorce
There are many decisions to make when selling a home:
- Pricing
- Presentation
- Marketing
- Open home schedules
- Offers
- Final negotiations
In a standard sale, communication is good, emotions are no higher than expected and all of the above can be worked through without too much friction. That kind of alignment is harder to achieve when there has been a relationship breakdown.
Communications can be difficult, and everybody isn’t necessarily on the same page. Genuine disagreements arise – it’s understandable, this is a big transaction and both parties will have different opinions on how to get the best outcome for themselves. Adding to it may be legal proceedings underway, which add another layer to navigate with every decision.
These circumstances require a different approach than that a standard local real estate agent is able to provide. Most of them simply don’t have the experience in dealing with people to handle it correctly.
Common Mistakes in Separation Sales
We often get sellers coming to us to sell their property after the transaction fell to pieces under a different agent. Here are some of the common mistakes we see happening:
- They don’t get the pricing right. The sellers may be set on a value that’s above what the home is worth, or they list it too low just to get everything over and done with. This can lead to outcomes neither party is happy with, and the deal stalls.
- The real estate agent appears to favour one side. This is a surefire path to a breakdown of trust.
- The sale keeps getting put on ice for a variety of reasons. Delaying in this way costs money, which keeping the two parties tied to each other when they really want to go their separate ways.
- Not being discreet about the circumstances. Buyers are perceptive, and if they see visible signs of urgency or conflict, they’re going to use that in their negotiations.
The Real Estate Agent’s Role
Neutrality is key, but an experienced real estate agent brings so much more to the table. They need to be a calm and impartial professional who wants the best outcome possible, which equates to the best outcome for both divorcing parties.
That looks like this:
- clear, consistent communication with both parties
- providing neutral advice
- keeping the process moving efficiently at all times.
- Being discreet about the circumstances of the sale with buyers and other parties.
Both parties want fairness – if they feel they are getting this, the entire process becomes less stressful. Decisions are easier to make, disputes easier to resolve.
At The Henry Wong Team®, we feel discretion is core to this approach. The public doesn’t need to know anything other than that the house is on the market. The circumstances are private, and should be kept that way.
Leveraging our Network for a Fast Sale
The best win an agent can deliver for a couple getting divorced is a quick sale that gets the right price. Local real estate agents struggle to get that for a simple reason: they rely purely on the main real estate portals.
At The Henry Wong Team®, we’ve built a large network of buyers, investors and other real estate stakeholders over the years. It includes well-established connections to affluent Asian communities looking to invest in Brisbane.
When we list a house, our network hears about it first. Early traction is the result – traction that very often ends up in a sale before we even list the property publicly. That’s an ideal situation for a sale where there is a relationship breakdown between the two sellers.
Our network doesn’t end there – it’s backed by an online community of over 21,000 followers across Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Our engaged followers help us get our listings in front of more buyers – they share, like and recommend our content and listings, creating exponential reach for your home.
A Process Both Parties Can Trust
The circumstances don’t matter to us – The Henry Wong Team® believes both parties in a separation sale deserve an agent who will handle the process professionally, fairly, and with discretion.
We’re not cookie-cutter real estate agents – we deal with non-standard transactions all the time. From structurally unsound homes to mortgagee-in-possession sales and selling the home of a couple going through a divorce, we’ve assisted with them all.
If you’re facing the sale of a shared property, we’re here to help. You both deserve a good outcome from the sale – get in touch and let’s make that happen.
