Divorcing - do you tell Estate Agent?

[sleepymum50]

Do you tell estate agent you are divorcing when selling marital home?

And if not, do you tell house viewers and the ultimate buyers?

Im torn on this but don’t know why as I’m usually one for absolute truth.

I guess mostly I think it’s private business. But are buyers put off by a divorcing couple?

I think our house is very desirable and should sell easily. My ex has another property to move into. I’m planning on moving closer to my DD, and I could move in with her and put stuff into storage.

How does it work out for most people? Any advice welcome.

It would make me nervous as a buyer. You hear scare stories about buying from divorcing couples on Mumsnet from time to time. I can’t see any positives from telling people. If you really don’t anticipate any issues being caused due to you being a divorcing couple then I don’t think it’s sketchy to withhold the information.

Thanks for that, yes I think it will be straightforward.

Hopefully you will get some replies from some EAs. Maybe they would definitely require that information.

Yes tell the estate agent, you want to ensure you are both updated, so you are both aware of offers and the sales progression.

We are both living in the same house, and are both CC’d on the estate agents we have seen for valuation.

But I take your point about keeping up to date.

I told estate agents, but said it was confidential. But there again my ex and I agreed I would manage the house sale alone so it didn’t cause issues

imwas more concerned that buyers would be put off buying a home that had not been “ happy”.

The buyer never knew. No viewer ever knew.

You need to be upfront with buyers if it will complicate the chain. We bought off a divorcing couple but the husband had already moved out into a property of his own so he wasn't relevant to the chain, it was just the wife that was using the purchase funds to make a linked onwards purchase. So that was fine. If they'd both tried to link onward purchases into the chain I think we'd have pulled out.

If it was a divorce I would not make an offer too many complications

I went through this process last year. I didn't tell the estate agent or anyone at all in the process, until very late on. I highly recommend this! We got a very decent price and I don't think we would have done so otherwise.

When the estate agent asked for details of our onward purchase/address, at that point I said that I was going to X and Mr Crapbucket was going to Y, and the EA was visibly pleased for me to be shot of of the arsehole 🤣

Good luck OP

I wouldn't, we told ours who then went and told prospective buyers we were open to offers as we wanted a quick sale as we were desperate basically. The offers we were getting were ridiculously cheeky and low. I may have been splitting up but I wasn't prepared to lose 30k on the house.

We went to a different agent, didn't say anything and got just below what we had it on for.

Agree. Happened to a friend of mine and estate agent told perspective buyers and basically incited lower bids.

I have such a hatred of estate agents after the things I've experienced over the years. An occupation that seems to lack any ethics

Absolutely not. As per the replies above it can turn into a fire sale. I’ve viewed houses twice where the EA has made it clear that the sellers are desperate

An acquaintance knew he was buying from a divorcing couple, deliberately went slowly on the purchase and then at the last minute demanded a significant price reduction cos he thought that by then they’d be desperate to just be able to move on and sort out their finances etc. I think you’re better off not telling them - just say you’re moving closer to family.