The question of who gets the house in a divorce is not always an easy one, and it’s a regular argument heard at the Pasco County Courthouse. Especially if neither spouse is sure if he or she even wants to keep the house.
There are a number of factors that you should take into consideration when deciding if you want to keep the house. Usually the biggest one is whether you can afford it.
If you keep it, you will most likely be solely responsible for making the mortgage payment, paying the utilities, etc. Your income will probably be decreasing as a result of the divorce, so you may not be able to keep it even if you wanted to.
You should also consider whether or not you will owe your spouse anything if you do decide to keep it. If there’s a significant amount of equity in the home, it will need to be split. You will have to buy out your spouse’s interest in your home, which may be difficult if the home is your biggest asset.
You will also need to consider whose name is on the mortgage. Many people who are divorcing mistakenly believe that if their spouse is the one getting the house, they are no longer responsible for the mortgage.
This is not true. If your name is on the mortgage, you are legally responsible for the payments until the mortgage is paid off or you are otherwise removed from the debt.
Being on the mortgage can unfortunately affect your ability to get another home loan in the future – it depends on a number of factors such as your other debts, your income, and more.