How Do We Agree on a Price for Our House During a Divorce in Erie or Boulder County?

How do you agree on a price for your house during a divorce in Erie or Boulder County? You stop arguing about opinions and start looking at the same facts, at the same time, with someone who explains where each number comes from. When the price comes from the market and not from either of you, it gets much easier to agree on.

If you're reading this, you may each have a different number in your head. One of you saw an online estimate. The other remembers what the neighbors got. Or one of you wants to sell fast and the other wants to wait for more. That gap is common, and it doesn't mean either of you is wrong.

I'm Carol, and Homes by Carol is my real estate practice here in Erie. Carol Vanlandingham is a REALTOR® with eXp Realty in Erie, Colorado, helping people through life transitions, downsizing, first homes and relocation across Erie, Boulder County and Northern Colorado. I've lived in this area for over 31 years and I've been licensed for 10. In a divorce sale I work for the sale of the home. I don't take sides, and the decisions stay with the two of you.

Because the house is carrying more than a number. It may be the biggest thing you own together, and the price shapes where each of you lands next. So a small difference in opinion can feel like a big one.

A few things usually sit under the disagreement:

• Different starting points. One of you may be thinking about what you paid. The other is thinking about what a friend's house sold for.
• Online estimates. These are built by a computer from public records. The computer has never been inside your home, so it can miss a finished basement, a new roof or a lot that backs to open space.
• Trust. When communication is strained, any number from the other person can sound like a move in a negotiation.
• Timing. One of you may need the money soon. The other may want to stay put longer.

None of these is a reason to panic. Each one gets smaller when you both see the same information.

It's a price range built from real comparable homes, where you can see why each home was chosen. It isn't a single magic number, because where a home sells inside the range depends on condition, presentation and timing.

When I build it, I start with your goals. When do each of you need to move? What do you need from the sale to make your next step work? Then I look at the homes your house will compete with today, what's under contract and how fast, what recently sold, and how buyers in your price range are behaving this month. I walk you through the comparable homes one by one, so the number makes sense to you and isn't just something I hand you.

Here's the order I suggest. You can move through it at your own pace.

Step 1: Decide how you want to communicate

Some couples are comfortable on one email thread or in one meeting. Others prefer separate conversations. Either works. What matters is that you both get the same information at the same time, in writing, so no one hears anything secondhand.

Step 2: Write down what each of you needs

Not what you think the house is worth. What you need from the sale. A date to move by. A certain amount toward your next home. Fewer months of carrying two places. These are your goals, and they shape the plan.

Step 3: Ask for a free home value report

I send it by email with a short video that explains it. You'll see which homes I compared yours with and why. You can each watch it on your own time. It's free, and asking for one doesn't obligate you to anything. You can start with the free home value report.

Step 4: Look at the comparable homes together

Go through them one at a time. Which are most like yours? What's different? Where does your home sit in the range, and why? Most of the disagreement fades when you can see the reasons.

Step 5: See what the sale would likely net

I put together an estimate of what you'd walk away with at different prices, after commissions and typical closing costs. Seeing the proceeds at a few different prices often shows that the gap between two numbers matters less than it felt like it did. How that amount gets divided is between the two of you and your attorneys.

Step 6: Add a formal appraisal only if you need one

My report is a market analysis from a real estate agent. A formal appraisal is a separate step done by a licensed appraiser, usually for a lender or a legal matter. If your attorneys or the court need one, they'll tell you. I can explain how the two differ.

Step 7: Agree on a starting price and a check-in date

You don't have to guess forever. Pick a starting price and a date to look at the numbers again together. After the home goes on the market, I track views, showings and feedback, and you both get updates. If the numbers say something needs to change, we talk about it early. You can read how that works in how I set the price and what happens after launch.

These are the ones I see most often.

• Using an online estimate as the final word. It's a starting point, not an answer.
• Choosing a price to win an argument. A price meant to prove a point can leave a house sitting.
• Each person getting different information. Mixed messages turn small differences into big ones.
• Skipping the proceeds. Without the numbers, fear fills in the blanks.
• Asking the agent to settle legal questions. Who gets what and who pays for what belong to your attorneys or your mediator.
• Waiting for the other person to move first. Someone has to ask for the facts. It can be either of you.

That depends on how the home is owned and on any court orders in your case, so it's a question for your attorney. Once you have an agreement or an order, I follow it. The same goes for whether to sell before or after the divorce is final. Timing can affect taxes and your settlement, so that belongs with your attorney and your accountant. I can tell you what the market looks like and what your home would likely sell for at either point.

How do we agree on a price for our house during a divorce?

Look at the same facts together. A price range built from comparable homes, with the reasons shown one by one, gives you both something you can check. When the price comes from the market and not from either person, it's easier to agree on.

Can you work with both of us if we aren't speaking?

Yes. I can talk with each of you separately and send the same written updates to both of you, so you each have the same facts without needing to talk to each other.

Is a home value report the same as an appraisal?

No. A home value report is a market analysis from a real estate agent. A formal appraisal is done by a licensed appraiser, usually for a lender or a legal matter.

What if we still can't agree on a price?

Then it helps to look at what each number would mean for your proceeds and your timing. Your attorneys can also tell you what options your agreement allows. I'll share the market facts with both of you, and the decisions stay with you.

Does asking for a home value report mean we've decided to sell?

No. It's a way to see where you stand. Many people ask for one to plan ahead, and there's no obligation.

If you're trying to find a number you can both live with, you don't have to do it alone. You can read more about selling a home during a divorce, or my post on how to sell a house during a divorce in Erie. When you're ready to talk, either of you can send me a note or call me at (303) 522-3130. The first conversation is only that, a conversation.