Sorry for being MIA - it's been a busy weekend and I inadvertently left my laptop here at work.
Quick one, Maybell. My real estate broker (way back when) advised me to refinance/buy while I was still married. Lots of folks buy houses in the woman's name for estate purposes. So qualify on your own, be married on the books (for now) and see what you can do. But you're going to have to get your house on the market if anyone is to accept your offer.
I'm a HUGE fan of making big changes when other big things are happening. I used to buck this with every morsel of my being, but I found out over the past 10 years that it helps me to change every part of a dynamic that might not be the best thing for me or my family as a whole. I had my house on the market within a month of D20 leaving for college back in 2012. The only reason I didn't go through with it was because I'm self employed and the loan requirements are a LOT more stringent than being an employee.
Personally, I think it's stupid. Jobs haven't been *that* secure for awhile for lots of "employees", and if the business makes money, wouldn't you think that owning it would mean the commitment to keep the owner would be obvious?
I'm actually debating on putting my house up next year when both my girls graduate. It's probably incredibly insane, but I'm planning for a big shift in my thinking. The only thing that has me ambivalent is that I've been updating my house to the point where I'm really loving it. But the fact remains that it's big and D17 and I don't need 3600 square feet of house. And yard. And a 3 car driveway that needs to be shoveled. And yard work. And cleaning it is starting to feel like a full time job.
Anyway, mark me down in the "fan of big change" column. I love starting new. I really do.
But if your whole decision hinges on that one house? I think that's probably not a good reason alone. You should consult with a real estate professional. Plus, if you need to disclose your marital status (pending, that is), you can use your child support income as a source for qualifying. You have to have that in writing, though. And your H is probably going to have to show 2 months of timely payments. Direct deposit looks really good to lenders.
My $.02. I'll be back.
Betsey
"There are only 2 ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
