Not sure the financial implications or your W's perspective but because you have kids if I were you I'd keep the family house if you can swing it.
This has been the thing I’ve been most focused on finding a solution to. It’s tough because of the large amount of equity in the house. I’d have to pay a lot for a buyout so I have to get creative in finding out how I can do that. If we have to sell, yeah I’ll get some money, but I’d also have to downgrade my home significantly. Would not make sense to buy right now with interest rates and inflated home prices, and renting is something I was never expecting to do again. My current mortgage for a 4 bed, 2.5 bath 2800 sqft home is equivalent to a 2 bed 1 bath apartment in my area right now. I absolutely do not want that downgrade, especially when I anticipate having less money after paying alimony. I would hope a judge would be sympathetic to pulling D5 from the only home she’s ever lived in (she was homeless after birth until being placed in foster care with us at 4 months old). I’ve seen examples of people staying on the mortgage together while living apart, with an agreement to sell/buy out after a set time, typically around 3 years. Something like that could work if W is open to it. Aside from getting a minimum 50/50 custody of D5, keeping the house is my next highest priority.
Originally Posted by Mach1
Nothing that you found or read is NEW information....
Feel it and get back on your horse cowboy...
This shouldn't change your course at all....
Agreed. Not new information, just new timeframes maybe? I have expected this for a while and have been able to think through different scenarios. I think it just puts more urgency on me to have my plans solidified, which is probably a good thing anyway.
I don’t necessarily feel as if I have gotten off my horse. My course remains the same – continue my daily quest toward being a better person, keep being the best dad I can be and make sure myself and my kids remain my top priority. Only control what I can control. Keep learning and evolving. Keep enjoying life. Keep maintaining the renewed relationships with friends and family that make me feel good about each day and my future. Keep striving to build new friendships and taking time for the little things that I enjoy that I used to fail to prioritize.
