Divorce Resources

Experience, Empathy and Professionalism

Divorce is the separation of what was once a whole. Its is the dividing of parts; its messy, overwhelming, stressful and emotional.

In the middle of all the emotion, mess and chaos come decisions, negotiations, and stress. One of the biggest sources of the stress can be the house. How should the house be managed, whom should remain, whom should go, should it be sold, do we need to refinance?

An experienced, unbiased, neutral Real Estate agent who is Certified in handling the sensitive nature of a Divorce, can listen and chart a course that helps both the divorcing parties and the family law professionals assisting the parties through the process of Divorce. The ability to navigate a delicate situation with tact, grace and professionalism is the cornerstone of a Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert.

Why Neutrality Matters

There are always two sides to a story and somewhere in the middle is where the resolution is reached.  The challenge an untrained agent faces in the Divorce landscape is twofold: choosing sides and trying to set first impressions. The Divorce transaction is far different then a traditional sale where the sellers come to the agent as a team with a united position. In the divorce that is not always the case and a skilled Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert who has training in neutrality is able to keep that transaction on course without delays, ensuring that the goal of the parties is reached with regards to the house.

The Role of a Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert

Like Lawyers who advocate for their clients within the bounds of their ethics, a trained CDRE also advocates for their clients within their Code of Ethics. CDRE's work alongside the lawyers, paralegal's and judicial staff to move the transaction forward. By focusing on their role and staying in their lane, a trained CDRE gets the job done and the home sold. These trained experts become the guide on the process, not the therapist. The moment they become the sounding board for one or more of the parties, they have broken neutrality. This is not to say that they don't show empathy, on the contrary, they do indeed show empathy.  The key that sets the CDRE apart from the agent is their ability to remain neutral, and not step into a friend role as it commonly happens in a normal transaction.

Choosing the Right Agent for You

Speaking of friends and family, during such a critical time in the lives of the divorcing parties, those of us in this profession strongly recommend hiring a trained expert. While many parties will know a trusted friend, family member or colleague, this is not the time to hire an untrained professional, who may easily break neutrality because of their prior relationship. When making the final choice, rely on expertise, much the same as you would when interviewing a surgeon to perform surgery on yourself. You likely are looking for an expert in that arena and we recommend the same in your Divorce.

For Further reading, we recommend these resources for both our Attorney Colleagues and those parties divorcing who have come here for resources.