The House Matters in Divorce

“As a retired Los Angeles Superior Court Judge and family law mediator, who has handled literally hundreds of cases involving the sale of the family residence, I know that next to custodial issues with children, no other issue in divorce is fraught with as much tension, misunderstanding, and anger as the sale of the family residence. This book is a must read for all attorneys handling family home sales and should be given to all family law litigants.“—Hon. Martha E. Bellinger, judge retired, author of From Robe to Robe“Laurel Starks has written an informative book on a subject that often gets ignored—until it hits hard: selling the family home in a divorce. In her book The House Matters in Divorce, she does a complete walk-through of the unique issues involved in selling a house at one of the worst times in a person’s life, including: whether to sell, how to deal with the kids, the mortgage, a high-conflict divorce, the proceeds of sale (if any), on up to what a judge might do in court. Yet she recognizes the emotional elements and adds a lot of personal encouraging comments. It’s also sprinkled with dozens of examples from her wide experience with many upset couples as a real estate agent specializing in divorce home sales. This book has been needed for quite a while. It will fill a gap for spouses who feel overwhelmed and in need of clear and simple advice from an expert who understands.”—Bill Eddy, attorney, therapist, and mediator; author of Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder“The first book of its kind, written by an industry pioneer, The House Matters in Divorce not only helps couples facing divorce, but Laurel also gives valuable insight for real estate professionals who work in these sensitive situations.”—Ben Kinney, CEO, ActiveRain; Wall Street Journal Top 100 Realtors; author of Soci@l; Inman News “Innovator of the Year” 2014“This book is a must read for anyone facing divorce and professionals who represent them. Laurel Starks has done her homework and has unprecedented experience in the field of divorce real estate. The House Matters in Divorce provides great insight into family dynamics, and unlike any other book I have seen, it addresses a deeply fundamental issue: the children’s concerns when leaving their home as a result of a divorce. The practical advice in these pages is invaluable.”—Ann Bingham-Newman, PhD, child psychologist, professor emeritus, California State University–Los Angeles
“As a retired Los Angeles Superior Court Judge and family law mediator, who has handled literally hundreds of cases involving the sale of the family residence, I know that next to custodial issues with children, no other issue in divorce is fraught with as much tension, misunderstanding, and anger as the sale of the family residence. This book is a must read for all attorneys handling family home sales and should be given to all family law litigants.“—Hon. Martha E. Bellinger, judge retired, author of From Robe to Robe“Laurel Starks has written an informative book on a subject that often gets ignored—until it hits hard: selling the family home in a divorce. In her book The House Matters in Divorce, she does a complete walk-through of the unique issues involved in selling a house at one of the worst times in a person’s life, including: whether to sell, how to deal with the kids, the mortgage, a high-conflict divorce, the proceeds of sale (if any), on up to what a judge might do in court. Yet she recognizes the emotional elements and adds a lot of personal encouraging comments. It’s also sprinkled with dozens of examples from her wide experience with many upset couples as a real estate agent specializing in divorce home sales. This book has been needed for quite a while. It will fill a gap for spouses who feel overwhelmed and in need of clear and simple advice from an expert who understands.”—Bill Eddy, attorney, therapist, and mediator; author of Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder“The first book of its kind, written by an industry pioneer, The House Matters in Divorce not only helps couples facing divorce, but Laurel also gives valuable insight for real estate professionals who work in these sensitive situations.”—Ben Kinney, CEO, ActiveRain; Wall Street Journal Top 100 Realtors; author of Soci@l; Inman News “Innovator of the Year” 2014“This book is a must read for anyone facing divorce and professionals who represent them. Laurel Starks has done her homework and has unprecedented experience in the field of divorce real estate. The House Matters in Divorce provides great insight into family dynamics, and unlike any other book I have seen, it addresses a deeply fundamental issue: the children’s concerns when leaving their home as a result of a divorce. The practical advice in these pages is invaluable.”—Ann Bingham-Newman, PhD, child psychologist, professor emeritus, California State University–Los Angeles

Laurel Starks is a divorce real estate expert. She speaks frequently on real estate and divorce issues to legal, collaborative divorce, and mediation organizations. A former host of the talk radio program Real Estate Matters, Starks also serves as an expert witness in real estate matters related to divorce cases, including short sales and the mishandling of procedural aspects therein. She was nominated in 2016 for the coveted Innovator of the Year by Inman News, the real estate industry’s leading news source.

Forrest “Woody” Mosten has been a mediator in private practice since 1979 and is a Collaborative Family Lawyer who specializes in negotiating fair settlements based on informed client consent. He is the author of several bestselling books in Mediation and Collaborative Practice.

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