Divorce & Your Home: Understanding Your Options and Avoiding Costly Mistakes
Mon Jan 12 2026
What happens to the house in a divorce?
For many homeowners, divorce and real estate collide in painful and expensive ways. The home is often the biggest asset, the biggest debt, and the most emotionally charged part of the divorce process — and it's where people make the most costly mistakes.
In this episode of State 48 Homeowner, host Scott Kooiman of Klaus Team Real Estate Solutions sits down with family law attorney Marco Brown, founder of Brown Family Law, to explain what homeowners need to understand about divorce and your house — before emotions and assumptions lead to years of financial fallout.
We break down:
What really happens to the house in a divorce
Common misconceptions about keeping the house after divorce
How Arizona community property law treats the marital home
Divorce housing options: selling the home, one spouse keeping it, or deferred sale
How equity, debt, and property division are handled
Why co-ownership, nesting, and "we'll figure it out later" usually fail
What happens when one spouse refuses to cooperate or move out
Court-ordered home sales and forced resolutions
Why walking away emotionally before finances are settled is dangerous
You'll also hear a critical mortgage and lending reality check from Steve Farrington of Unity Home Loans, explaining:
How divorce affects mortgage qualification
Debt-to-income ratio issues during divorce
Using spousal support as qualifying income
Refinancing after divorce — and what happens when rates are higher
Credit risks when you're still tied to the mortgage
How missed payments impact both spouses
How to protect yourself financially during a divorce
Before you make a decision — especially in a moment of stress — it's critical to talk to professionals who understand how family law, divorce mortgages, and real estate intersect.
This episode is part of our "When Things Go Wrong" series, covering what happens to your home during divorce, death, disability, and major life transitions — so homeowners can make informed, confident decisions when it matters most.
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What happens to the house in a divorce? For many homeowners, divorce and real estate collide in painful and expensive ways. The home is often the biggest asset, the biggest debt, and the most emotionally charged part of the divorce process — and it's where people make the most costly mistakes. In this episode of State 48 Homeowner, host Scott Kooiman of Klaus Team Real Estate Solutions sits down with family law attorney Marco Brown, founder of Brown Family Law, to explain what homeowners need to understand about divorce and your house — before emotions and assumptions lead to years of financial fallout. We break down: What really happens to the house in a divorce Common misconceptions about keeping the house after divorce How Arizona community property law treats the marital home Divorce housing options: selling the home, one spouse keeping it, or deferred sale How equity, debt, and property division are handled Why co-ownership, nesting, and "we'll figure it out later" usually fail What happens when one spouse refuses to cooperate or move out Court-ordered home sales and forced resolutions Why walking away emotionally before finances are settled is dangerous You'll also hear a critical mortgage and lending reality check from Steve Farrington of Unity Home Loans, explaining: How divorce affects mortgage qualification Debt-to-income ratio issues during divorce Using spousal support as qualifying income Refinancing after divorce — and what happens when rates are higher Credit risks when you're still tied to the mortgage How missed payments impact both spouses How to protect yourself financially during a divorce Before you make a decision — especially in a moment of stress — it's critical to talk to professionals who understand how family law, divorce mortgages, and real estate intersect. This episode is part of our "When Things Go Wrong" series, covering what happens to your home during divorce, death, disability, and major life transitions — so homeowners can make informed, confident decisions when it matters most.