I’m getting divorced. What happens to the house?
The main paths are to sell the home, keep it with one person through a buyout and financing plan, or use a temporary shared arrangement. The right option depends on equity, affordability, timing, and the legal agreement.
Separate the property decision from the loan obligation
Ownership, mortgage responsibility, equity, and the divorce agreement are related but different. A deed controls title; the loan documents control who owes the lender; the divorce process determines how the spouses must handle the property between themselves. Removing a name from one document does not automatically change the others, so the sale, refinance, or buyout plan must address each part.
A buyout requires both an equity agreement and a loan plan
Estimate value, subtract the mortgage and other liens, and determine how the parties will treat selling costs or credits. The person keeping the home must also be able to carry the payment and usually needs an approved way to remove the other borrower from the mortgage. Signing over title alone does not eliminate loan responsibility.