Your home may be the greatest single asset of your marriage, but it may become a point of contention in your divorce given its financial and emotional value. You should understand both your legal rights and economic realities before making any decisions. Also, if you have children, their needs are yet another factor.
This could be one of the last things you do as a “team” so let’s determine the common goal and then work to achieve it.
The house is an asset and therefore subject to division according to your state’s property division law. You will want to know what percentage of the house belongs to you and also whether the court would order the house conveyed to you or to your spouse. Since every state is different, we strongly encourage you to research the applicable law. Practical considerations, not the law, often dictate 1) who gets the house, 2) the terms of the buyout, and 3) if the house is sold to a third party. If sold to a third party it is critical to work out how the funds from the sale are split between the parties to avoid last minute issues.
