I’m in the middle of a divorce – How can I find the right Realtor?

Divorce is a painful chapter if you have to sell your cherished home, even if you are using mediation or a collaborative process. Find a Realtor who understands this process and has compassion to help you have peace of mind. Here are three major considerations:

1) Experience/Knowledge is Key:

* Does the person have his/her pulse on current Market Conditions?

What is happening now after the Sonoma County Wildfires of October 2017? With so much heartache in our community, especially Santa Rosa’s Fountaingrove and Coffey Park area, what will be like for you if you are looking for a new home? What if you have lost your home and you decide to sell your cleared lot instead of rebuilding? What is an appropriate listing price for your home that survived the fire but is near the devastated area? Will my agent schedule a open house, or home tour with other agents? How will all the paperwork be handled? These are questions to ask.

It is a distinctive PLUS when a Real Estate Agent also has experience in the mortgage industry because you may want information about how to buy out your spouse’s community property interest and keep your home.

* Questions to address: What is our equity interest? Do I have a timely payment history? Will my income be sufficient to take over the loan or refinance the current mortgages? Are their any other liens against the property and how can I resolve them? What is my work and credit history and how do they effect my ability to accomplish a buy-out?

2) Trust is Important.

* Does the Realtor focus on his/her own Commission… or on a Commitment to you?

Take time to meet with your prospective Realtor before deciding to list with him or her. You need a Realtor who cares about your bottom line needs and goals more than his/her own. Ask a lot of questions, and be cautious about the “know-it-all” types. No one Realtor KNOWS all the answers, and if you meet with one who admits they do not, but they are willing to help you find expert advice and resources on that issue, that is a very good sign! Trust is earned.

* Questions to ask:
How long have they been in the business? Do you primarily work Sonoma County? Will you be honest with me during negotiations, such as whether the roof damage credit is reasonable or not? How quickly do you return calls?

If you are buying a replacement home after your divorce, choose a Realtor who is willing to review local Sonoma County school districts and neighborhood’s public records where the home is located. Whether you are looking in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Sonoma, Sebastopol, or even Windsor, each location has its own benefits and drawbacks when finding a new home, especially if you have children and their schools and after-school care locations are effected.

2) Trust is Important.

* Does the Realtor focus on his/her own Commission… or on a Commitment to you?

Take time to meet with your prospective Realtor before deciding to list with him or her. You need a Realtor who cares about your bottom line needs and goals more than his/her own. Ask a lot of questions, and be cautious about the “know-it-all” types. No one Realtor KNOWS all the answers, and if you meet with one who admits they do not, but they are willing to help you find expert advice and resources on that issue, that is a very good sign! Trust is earned.

* Questions to ask:
How long have they been in the business? Do you primarily work Sonoma County? Will you be honest with me during negotiations, such as whether the roof damage credit is reasonable or not? How quickly do you return calls?

If you are buying a replacement home after your divorce, choose a Realtor who is willing to review local Sonoma County school districts and neighborhood’s public records where the home is located. Whether you are looking in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Sonoma, Sebastopol, or even Windsor, each location has its own benefits and drawbacks when finding a new home, especially if you have children and their schools and after-school care locations are effected.

3) Cooperative, Not Cut-Throat!

* Is your Realtor Willing to Go the Extra Mile for You?

If you are a seller, you will want a Realtor to give you advice about how best to prepare your home to impress a prospective buyer. Some Realtors hire professional staging companies to give the best impression to receive the best price. Many agents I know have done extra to extended extra care. One helped advertise and attended her seller’s garage sale, yet another helped coordinate the last-minute moving of a refrigerator! Another guy fixed a front lawn sprinkler system for an elderly lady. Certainly these are not the Realtor’s job, but occasionally when we see human kindness in action, that is amazing and noteworthy.

Good Realtors usually have a list of trusted and qualified professionals such as painters, contractors, cleaning services, plumbers, electricians, pool service companies, and landscaping experts. You can trust the ones who have shown up and got the job done before, as their reputation is at stake!

I have worked with a number of different professional Realtors and can give you a referral any time. You will get through this, and you certainly don’t want to do it alone! For more information contact me today.