Divorce House Sale: Don't Even Think About Starting Until You Read This

Getting divorced and need to sell the house? Here's how to prepare for where the friction usually shows up, and how to keep it to a minimum.

Hi, I'm Tanja Odzak, Realtor with eXp Realty, a certified real estate divorce specialist, helping people sell and buy homes right here in the East Bay for the last 10 years. Real estate here in the East Bay also works a bit differently than what you might read from other parts of the country, worth keeping in mind as you plan.

First, you don't have to sit in the same room to discuss the sale. I can meet with each of you individually, or over a video call, in your own space, and anything discussed privately stays private.

List price is the first real decision point, and there are actually two numbers to understand: the list price (what shows publicly when the home goes live) and the comped price (what the home is genuinely worth today based on real sales data). They are not the same thing, and if it's been a while since you sold a home, or this is your first time, it's worth taking a moment to really understand that distinction before moving forward. A market trends report with real comps can help it click.

Budget for repairs, upgrades, and prep comes next. Every home needs some freshening up after being lived in, and if you want a faster sale for more money, it's close to essential. Setting the budget upfront, with contractor estimates before finalizing the plan, keeps this part from dragging out.

I'm Tanja Odzak, and I've sold over $100 million worth of homes with a decade of experience in the East Bay. Divorce sales are a specialty of mine. Whatever you need to discuss privately, I'm your advocate, and that privacy is always respected.