A fresh start, at home
Keep it, sell it, or start over somewhere new. Plain answers for Southwest Florida homeowners, and a calm, private conversation whenever you're ready.
Run your numbers Talk privatelyNo pressure. No mailing list. Just a conversation.
Why I do this
Right when you have the least energy for them. Who stays, who goes, what it's worth, and what you can afford on your own. I help people in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Naples sort those out one step at a time, with real numbers and no judgment.
I'm a REALTOR, not an attorney or a lender. Where the answer belongs to one of them, I'll say so, and I'll help you find the right one.
The three paths
Usually one of you buys the other out and takes over the mortgage alone. The real question is whether the payment, taxes and Florida insurance work on one income.
Often the cleanest split. Timing, price and who signs what usually follow your agreement, so the sale plan and the legal plan need to match.
Buying your own place, sometimes for the first time in your own name. In Florida, part of your property tax savings may be able to come with you.
The questions I hear most
Maybe. It comes down to two things: whether you can qualify for the mortgage on your own, and how the equity gets divided. If your spouse keeps a share of the equity, you'll usually need cash or a refinance to pay it out.
Before you fight for the house, price it on one income: the payment, property taxes, insurance, flood coverage if you need it, and upkeep. I can tell you what it would sell for today, so you know what you're actually deciding about.
Often, yes. In Florida, a transfer between spouses as part of a divorce generally doesn't reset the home's assessed value, so the spouse who stays can usually keep the Save Our Homes protection. You'll likely need to update the exemption in your own name.
Rules have details and deadlines. Confirm with the Lee County Property Appraiser before anything is final.
Not necessarily. Florida's portability rule can let you move some of your Save Our Homes savings to your next homestead, if you buy within about three years. When a couple divorces, that savings can be divided between them.
It's worth asking about before you sell, because it can change how much house you can comfortably afford next.
No. A quitclaim deed takes a name off the title. It doesn't take a name off the mortgage. Whoever signed the loan stays responsible until it's refinanced, paid off, or the lender formally releases them. Ask your attorney how your agreement handles it.
Often, yes. If both names are on the title, both of you will usually need to sign. Many couples agree to sell during the process and split the proceeds the way their agreement says. Your attorneys should agree on the plan before the sign goes in the yard.
No. A conversation with me stays between us. I won't add you to a mailing list, and I won't reach out to anyone else involved.
Run your own numbers
Rough numbers, on your screen only. Nothing you type here is saved or sent anywhere.
Your agreement decides this. 50% is only a starting point.
Car, student loans, minimum card payments. Not utilities or groceries.
If you're just starting
Know where you stand before a lender looks. Free at annualcreditreport.com.
The balance, the rate and whose names are on the loan. You'll need it for every conversation.
Your homeowners and flood premiums, in writing. In Florida, they can decide "keep or sell" on their own.
A real number, not a guess from a website. Ask me for one. It's free and it stays private.
Even if you're months away. Knowing what you can qualify for changes what you ask for.
We'll lay out keep, sell or start fresh side by side, with real numbers, before anything is decided.
A private conversation
Your name and the best way to reach you is enough. Everything else is optional. It comes straight to me, and nowhere else.