Complicated - re: Selling house

bexbex

hi,
Myself and my husband separated over 2 years ago. He found a job and moved to Canada leaving me in the house we were buying together. All mortgage payments are up to date and myself and my ex husband are friends and speak regularly still. It was all a very amicable break up and nothing nasty involved at all.
The house has a little value now, not much as it wouldn't probably sell for what we bought it for. We have paid about 20k off the mortgage so would be happy to break even.

I want to sell the house and have a clean break with my new partner. My ex husband is happy for this to happen and has said because the house has no real value and because I have made major improvements to the house over the past 2 years he is happy for me to have whatever profit the house would make. He has stated that if he could just sign the house over to me he would but we know it's not that simple. I don't want to remortgage the house in my own name, I just want to move. The mortgage is at the base rate 0.5% at the minute so I'd like to try and move before the rates go up.

So that's the background...now the problem..

Does anyone have any idea how it would work selling a house (which I have never done before) while the other joint owner lives abroad? I'm assuming there will be a lot of paperwork for him to counter sign and I can see it being costly if a solicitor had to send him every single letter to sign/read etc. Is there an easy way we can do it?

He is due to come over in February for 2 weeks so we have said that we'll go and see a solicitor and ask but I was just wondering before we pay out for a solicitors time if anyone else could offer any advice?

Strapped

He can give someone else the power of attorney to sign on his behalf. This could be a solicitor, for example.

bexbex

Thanks for that info, do you know if something like that is pretty easy to set up?

Kynthia

I don't think he needs to sign much and what he does need to sign could probably be done during his visit. Maybe speak to the solicitor you want to use to do the sale and ask them how it can be managed with an overseas joint owner who is willing to sell.

bryanb

bexbex wrote: »

Thanks for that info, do you know if something like that is pretty easy to set up?

Yep, I did it, a couple of signatures and 2 witnesses.

Tigsteroonie

When the Ex and I sold our FMH, I was emailed most of the correspondence/forms and I think I only had to sign originals in a couple of places.