Selling a home during a divorce
Calm, neutral handling, with the same information going to both of you at the same time.
What selling a house during a divorce means
Selling a house during a divorce in Santa Maria or Orcutt is different from any other sale. Two people have to agree on every decision, often while they're not agreeing on much else. And the house is usually the biggest thing you own together.
What you need is someone calm in the middle. Someone who gives you both the same information at the same time, keeps the sale moving, and doesn't take sides.
I understand this one personally. I went through a divorce myself and bought a home on my own afterward. I know how heavy it feels, and I know it gets better once there's a plan.
How I handle a divorce sale
I'm Lisa Bognuda, a REALTOR® with eXp Realty of California and a licensed general contractor.
Both of you hear everything. Updates, offers, and recommendations go to both owners, in writing, at the same time. Nobody gets a different version.
Decisions come from facts, not feelings. If you're open to it, my contractor's walkthrough gives you a Fix/Skip list, and my EPIC Report gives you three prices with the tradeoffs written out. When the numbers are on paper, there's less to argue about.
I work alongside your attorneys or mediator. If a court order or agreement says how the sale has to happen, I follow it. I'm not your legal advisor, and I'll always point you back to your attorney on legal questions.
Disclosure is done right. Both owners sign the disclosures, and everything known about the house is put in writing, so nothing comes back on either of you later.
What you get, step by step
- A separate, private first conversation with each of you if that's easier.
- The contractor's walkthrough and a Fix/Skip list, so you don't fight over repairs that don't matter.
- An EPIC Report with three prices, shared with both of you.
- A written plan for showings, who stays in the house, and how decisions get made.
- Full marketing, including professional photos, video, and drone. See the marketing plan.
- Offers presented to both of you, with every buyer and their lender checked first.
- Weekly updates to both owners, all the way to closing.
Nothing here is legal or tax advice. Talk with your attorney about how the sale and the money are divided, and with a CPA about taxes.
Divorce sales across the towns I serve
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we both have to agree to sell?
Usually both owners on title sign the listing and the sale, unless a court order says otherwise. Your attorney can tell you what applies to you. I make sure both of you get the same information.
Who do you work for if we disagree?
I represent the sellers, which means both of you. I don't take sides. I give you the same facts at the same time and let the numbers guide the decisions.
Can we sell while one of us still lives there?
Yes. We'll write a plan for showings and upkeep that works for whoever is living in the house.
How are the proceeds split?
That's set by your agreement, your attorneys, or the court, not by me. Escrow pays out according to those instructions.
Divorce Sale by neighborhood
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Ready to make your move with Lisa Bognuda?