The house doesn't have to become the battle. If you're going through a divorce in Tennessee or Kentucky, Lola Animashaun — a single mother, Marine and Army veteran Realtor with LPT Realty — helps divorcing couples figure out the housing piece without making things worse between them. There are three real paths: one spouse buys the other out, you sell together and split the proceeds, or you defer the sale until a milestone. Confidential. Neutral. No taking sides. The right path depends on your numbers, your timing, and what each of you actually wants.
Let's figure out the house — together.
Going through a divorce? The house doesn't have to become the battle.
Whether the decision was mutual, sudden, a long time coming, or somewhere in between — you've landed on a quiet question: what happens with the house? Let's figure it out without making things harder between you.
- Three real paths — buy-out, sell & split, or defer the sale
- Neutral and confidential — I don't take sides, and nothing gets shared
- Coordinates with your attorney — the legal piece stays theirs; the housing piece stays clear
- Military-aware — VA loans, BAH, PCS orders, USFSPA — I've lived it
Private · Neutral · No pressure to list
Most couples land on one of these three.
One spouse buys the other out
One keeps the home; the other is paid for their share of the equity.
Sell and split the proceeds
Often the cleanest exit — both walk forward with cash to start the next chapter.
Defer the sale
One spouse stays until a milestone — often when the kids finish school — then sell.
The right path depends on your numbers,
your timing, and what each of you wants.
The House Decision Worksheet
A 6-section worksheet you can fill out at your own pace — together, separately, or alone late at night. Walks you through the same questions I walk every client through. You end up with clarity, not a sales pitch.
Start the Worksheet →What divorcing couples ask me first.
What happens to the house in a Tennessee or Kentucky divorce?
In a TN or KY divorce, the marital home typically follows one of three paths: one spouse buys the other out (the staying spouse refinances and pays the other their share of equity), the couple sells the home and splits the proceeds according to the divorce agreement, or the sale is deferred until a milestone (often when the youngest child finishes school). Both states use equitable distribution. The right path depends on each spouse's finances, the kids' needs, and what each person actually wants.
Can both spouses use the same realtor in a divorce?
Yes — and in many divorces it's actually the better choice. A neutral realtor who represents the home rather than one side gives both spouses the same numbers, the same market read, and the same answers. This often makes negotiations faster and quieter than when each spouse has a separate agent advocating against the other. I work with divorcing couples as a neutral party — never taking sides, never sharing one spouse's conversation with the other.
How do military divorces affect VA loans, BAH, and entitlement?
Military divorces add layers most agents don't understand. VA loan entitlement belongs to the veteran, not the non-veteran spouse — so if the non-veteran keeps the home, the veteran's entitlement stays tied up until the loan is paid off or refinanced. BAH rates change with dependent status. The Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (USFSPA) governs how military retirement gets divided. Each of these interacts with the housing decision in ways that need to be planned for — not discovered later.
Should we sell the house before or after the divorce is final?
There's no universal right answer. Selling before the divorce finalizes gives both spouses a clean financial slate and simplifies the asset division. Selling after gives you more time to plan and may align better with kids' school schedules or housing market timing. Some couples defer the sale years into the future via the divorce decree. The right timing depends on your finances, your kids, your market, and your attorney's read on your situation. The housing piece should support the divorce plan, not complicate it.
Lola Animashaun is a licensed Realtor in Tennessee and Kentucky with LPT Realty. This page provides general information about housing decisions in divorce — it is not legal, tax, or financial advice. For legal advice about your divorce, consult a licensed family law attorney. For tax implications of selling, transferring, or refinancing a marital home, consult a licensed tax professional.