The office is running smoothly, all caught up, phones ringing, emails going back and forth and then it happens. 

In thru the door comes one parent with little kids in tow.  They need a place to rent and then the angry, bitter, scorned mother or dad..begins a systematic tearing down of what a no good, scoundrel the father or mother of the little kids is while the kids look with big eyes listening to something they have heard a number of times before.  And the kids look sad, torn because they love both parents..or used to be allowed to. That is the one hands down area of this job that I do not like.  I tighten up, retreat to a private office with the kids playing with office toys and secretary keeping an eye on them. I then close the door and try to get the poison, well scripted, well rehearshed diatribe of the Darth Vader / Wicked Witch Of West  character assination to stop.  I shift to what housing is available to rent because buying during a divorce legal proceeding is hard until the dust settles and the divorce decree is hammered out.  But maybe a parent or the new boyfriend/girlfriend will buy in their name, etc. We explore the options.

     After trying to stick with housing choices and explanation of how the divorce affects the real estate avenues to buy or rent, the conversation could make me feel like Dr Phil again. If the customer continues to just want to rant on and on about the ex, I remind them there are little ears in the outer lobby.  Often a perplexed look because of the interruption of what feels good to the person on the other side of the desk  develops. Then sometimes indignant behavior when they realize that I am questioning their judgement to malign the other parent. Or  maybe they think I am on the other parent's side that is not in the room. Or I am depriving them of getting things off their chest for the next half hour and my main job is to list, market, sell real estate. I often don't even know the other parent or at times I know them well, but in a different light and character then today's version being fed to me, kids, other cutomers who come in..anyone that will listen. I am on the kid's side and worry about them. The kids want to and will love each as long as both parents allow it and don't poison their loyalties to both mom, dad, grandparents.  I know the mom and dad will be fine down the road, but the kids are caught in the cross fire.  I also sometimes remind the angry divorcee to be that if the other half is such a rotten, no good human being, they should be so happy and elated now that they don't have to spend the rest of their life joined at the hip with someone once was thought of as Prince Charming or Snow White, soul mate. Divorce hurts kids, woman, men, your wallet according to this website. With a 50% divorce rate and economic strain not helping the atmosphere around many of the nation's homes, family is more important than ever to get thru challenging times and everyone needs to work together.

ME REALTOR Andrew Mooers - Houlton ME And Aroostook County Real Estate For Sale