Expert, localized Los Angeles answers provided by Heather Roy

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She Gets the House

  I am going through a divorce and will get the house and 5 acres. I have 3 young children, along with the property to care for. My parents are telling me to sell NOW, but from what I keep hearing, the market in our area is horrible right now. If I can't sell for what I owe, what do I do?
 
  You should be getting advice from your own lawyer.  But I have to ask -- if the place isn't worth as much as the mortgage against it, why do you want to own it at all?  You'd really just be taking on debt, not an asset.
If you want to continue living there and you can manage the payments, that's one thing.  But if you want to sell, and can't get as much as you owe on it, talk with your lawyer about some other arrangement.
    Edith
Originally published on September 7, 2007
 
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