If you are currently divorcing in Georgia and need to sell you shared home, there are some things you will need to keep in mind. Selling a home in this market is not impossible, but it certainly isn’t easy.

One of the main reasons why Georgia residents sell their homes during divorce is because neither spouse can afford to maintain the costs associated with the home on one income. If this is the case in your divorce situation, it is to your advantage to get the shared residence on the market as soon as possible. The sale of your home can take some time, so take that into account.

Dealing with the divorce is stressful enough. Having to sell your home during the divorce process is even more stressful and challenging. Get as much help as you can with this process. Though it is important to manage the sale of your home, your real focus should remain on the divorce process and ensuring your interests are protected. Work with qualified professionals such as real estate agents and lawyers who can manage the day-to-day procedural requirements of selling your home. Don’t try to manage your home sale alone during a divorce. You may be working with clouded, emotionally-strained judgement during this time.

If at all possible, discuss the sale of your home and your soon-to-be-ex’s expectations of the sale. Try to work together to get the home sold (if you can). Do not make any agreements with your spouse prior to discussing the situation with your attorney. If having any discussions regarding the sale of your home with your spouse is not possible, you should contact your lawyer and try to reach an agreement regarding the sale of your home as soon as you possibly can. Again, the process is going to take time, so get the ball rolling as soon as possible. Your lawyer will have the experience and guidance you need to sell your home.

Georgia divorce law will generally view your home as a shared asset (or obligation). Unless there was a per-arranged agreement in place, chances are that the proceeds of the home sale, no matter how much you paid in personally, will be distributed equally between both parties. Alternative arrangements can be made as to how the sale proceeds are distributed, but be sure to make that arrangement a formal agreement with the assistance of your lawyer.

In today’s real estate market, it is not uncommon to have a divorced couple cohabiting a home post-divorce, as they wait for the home to sell.  It really depends on your particular circumstances to determine if this is a possibility.  If your divorce process is a somewhat amiable one, this may be a necessary option that you have to employ.  No, it isn’t the best situation in the world, but it is far less expensive than having to maintain two separate (or possibly more) residences and their corresponding mortgage payments.  Be sure to work out the terms of such a living situation prior to going this route.  Obviously, if your divorce has been a highly-charged, contemptuous one, this type of living arrangement is not going to work for you.

You may have to come to terms with the fact that you may have to drastically discount the sale price of your home just to get it sold fast.  No one likes to lose money on the sale of their home, but you have to consider your circumstances and determine what you value more.  Do you want to get your divorce over and done with?  The divorce process can drag on for a very long time waiting for the sale of your home.  It may be well worth your sanity to take the loss on the sale of the home and move on with your life.

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