Can I be forced to sell the family home?

We often get this question in the context of a divorcing couple. And the short answer is, “Yes.” The court can force you to sell your home because they have the authority to transfer property from one spouse to another or to order property sold pursuant to a dissolution of marriage.


How do I sell my house if one partner refuses?

Involve a judge. If you can't find a workaround that suits both parties, you do have the option to turn to a judge to compel a sale of the home. Once a judge orders a home to sell, you will need to bring in a real estate agent to sell the home, even if one party isn't happy about it.

What is it called when you are forced to sell your property?

So, what is eminent domain? Basically, the government can force the sale of private property in the name of public use. For example, if your house is next to a freeway that's scheduled for widening, the government can force you to sell so long as you are paid fairly.


What happens if your ex refuses to sell your house?

If an ex-spouse is refusing to comply completely, then your attorney may file a motion for contempt. This motion will tell the court that your ex-spouse was ordered to sell the house, but is willfully failing to do so.

Does a spouse have to agree to a buyout?

As we discussed in the preceding article, spouses can agree to sell the home or the court can order the sale of the home if the spouses do not agree. The same is true with a buyout.


Ace Family forced to sell property for cash?



How do you calculate the buyout of a home in a divorce?

To determine how much you must pay to buy out the house, add your ex's equity to the amount you still owe on your mortgage. Using the same example, you'd need to pay $300,000 ($200,000 remaining mortgage balance + $100,000 ex-spouse equity) to buy out your ex's equity and take ownership of the house.

How is house buyout calculated in a divorce?

Calculate the Cost of the House Buyout

You start by taking your appraised value, from which you'll subtract your mortgage obligation to get your total equity. You'll then split that in two to get the net equity for each spouse. If you're not splitting furniture equally, you'll factor the value of that in at the end.

How does a court order to force the sale of a house work?

An order for sale court order usually includes information about why one of the parties has not agreed to the order. If your partner does not give a reason as to why they don't want the sale to go ahead, the court will force them to agree to it.


Can I be forced to sell a jointly owned house?

Unless you and your spouse agree to deal with the home in another way, they can apply to Court for an order for sale. Such an order would not ordinarily be made until a final hearing.

How long does it take to force sale a house?

How long does it take to force the sale of a house? A. Applying for an order of sale can take several months and if there are complications or the courts are particularly busy when you submit your application, it could take a lot longer. It's not uncommon for the entire process to take as long as 18 months.

Do all heirs have to agree to sell property?

Can An Executor Sell Estate Property Without Getting Approval From All Beneficiaries? The executor can sell property without getting all of the beneficiaries to approve. However, notice will be sent to all the beneficiaries so that they know of the sale but they don't have to approve of the sale.


How do I stop a forced sale?

However, there may be legal defenses that can prevent or slow a forced sale:
  1. Contractual Agreement. ...
  2. Selling your share to other co-owners. ...
  3. Selling your share for the most money. ...
  4. Securing a buyout of your co-owners shares. ...
  5. Partition actions and spouses. ...
  6. Have questions? ...
  7. Read More. ...
  8. About RMO Lawyers, LLP.


Can I refuse to sell my house?

Rejecting an offer is entirely legal as long as you do it for the right reasons. There are many reasons that are legally acceptable, including low offers and concerns about the buyer's financial position. But sellers cannot discriminate against individuals protected under state and federal law.

What happens if one person wants to sell a house and the other doesn't in Florida?

Force a Sale

If you have a compelling reason for wanting to sell, you can ask the court for a partition action. In a partition action on unimproved land or property that is easy to split, the court divides the land into separate parts, giving each part to a single co-owner.


Can you force someone to buy you out of a house?

Yes! In most cases, ANY co-owner (even a minority owner) can force a sale of the property regardless of whether the other owners want to sell or not.

Can a husband force the sale of the family home?

If both your name and your spouse's name are on the homeownership papers, your partner does not have any legal right to force you to sell the family house. However, if your spouse can prove that their money is tied up in property and they need to sell it to open a flow of cash to live, this could change.

Do both parties have to agree to sell a property?

Typically, if one person wants to sell the property then both parties need to agree in order for the sale to go ahead without having to involve the Courts. Read on to discover your legal rights and how to handle a joint ownership property if you, or your joint partner, want to sell.


Can I force my brother to selling inherited house?

In California, a co-owner can force the sale of inherited property through a lawsuit called a “partition action.” This legal proceeding allows the sibling that does not want to keep their share of the home to have the court order it to be sold and the shares of the proceeds divided among all siblings.

Can co-owner of property be forced to sell?

Any one of the co-owners of a property cannot be denied their right to sell the property whenever they so choose.

Can the court make me sell my house?

In summary, the court can force the sale of your house on divorce, and will usually do so if it considers that the other party is entitled to a share, and you are unable to buy them out.


Can a family member stop the sale of a house?

Regardless as to whether one or more siblings want to keep or sell the house, no one person can force the sale, everyone has to agree.

When can you be forced to sell your house?

If you are no longer able to pay your mortgage, you can be forced to sell your home. The mortgage lender is well within their legal rights to apply for a 'charging order' which means that you will have to sell your home so that the debt on your mortgage can be repaid.

Is a house split 50/50 in a divorce?

No, this is a common misconception. It is not a rule that matrimonial assets be split 50/50 on divorce; however, it is generally a starting point. The court's aim is to divide assets in a way that is fair and equal, but this does not necessarily mean half and half.


How is equity in a house divided in a divorce?

Ways to split the equity in your house

The most common way equity is divided is by selling the house and splitting the proceeds. You will need to factor in some costs, such as a real estate commission, capital gains taxes, and things like to get your net share after the sale.

Who should value a house for divorce?

Top London divorce solicitors advise that normally a family judge will say that one surveyor, jointly instructed by the husband and wife, should undertake a valuation of property for use in financial court proceedings.