How to Navigate the Minefield of Divorcing Clients

Studies show that divorces typically spike in the month of January when couples go their separate ways and start anew. That fresh start often means a change in real estate. Of course, working with a couple who is going through a divorce can happen to any real estate agent. So understanding some of the pressures of this emotional transition and some tips for how to handle a sale between couples getting a divorce can be helpful.

These tips come from a January 2012 article by Katherine Tarbox in Realtor Magazine.

 1. Get It in Writing: Communicate to both parties through e-mail as much as possible, so there’s always a written record. For verbal and face-to-face meetings, keep a log and write down everything exactly as you remember it. This is a highly emotional situation, and you may be called to prove what you said or did not say.

 2. Patience Is a Necessity: Realtors are used to assessing the situation, getting the home ready, and starting the process of selling in quick order. But in a divorce situation, getting approval on almost anything requires that you exercise extreme patience with two often-disagreeable people.

3. Be Prepared to Listen: Allow clients to talk for as long as they need to talk. Then, repeat what they said and add, “This is what I heard. Is that correct?” Quite often, when they hear their own words, the entire situation calms down, and you can then proceed.

4. Follow Up, and Then Follow Up Again: The more people know about what's happening, the calmer they remain. For highly charged divorce situations, multiply this feeling by 10. Keep the couple updated on everything that happens as it’s happening, right up to the point they tell you to slow down. Make that their decision.

5. Don’t Become Emotionally Involved: You cannot take their relationship problems on yourself. Make sure you focus solely on getting all the parties to the closing table. If you feel like you can’t resist getting personally involved, consider referring the work to another sales associate.