After posting Advice for Couples Selling a Home Because of Divorce, I received so many wonderful comments and emails. One message that I recieved came from an agent who shared that he would like to specialize in helping divorced couples sell their homes. He asked for suggestions on how to go about markekting to this niche. As I was crafting my reply, I was inspired to write another blog post on the subject.
Below you will find my ideas for marketing to divorcing couples with a house to sell: 
First of all, if you'd like to market to divorcing couples go back and read Advice for Couples Selling a Home Because of Divorce. In this post you'll learn that couples going through a divorce can be very HIGH MAINTENANCE - a sentiment shared by many, many agents. Some openly admitted that they will run [not walk] away from a listing because they just don't want to deal with the emotional rollercoaster ride.
That said, I do see a fabulous opportunity for those agents who have the desire and the ability to take on those challenging listings! So, how do you go about marketing to them? I would contact and meet up with other professionals who serve the same market you're trying to reach. Let them know in what way you are uniquely qualified to help divorcing couples divide real estate and of course suggest a reciprocal referral relationship.
You could try contacting lawyers in your area who handle divorce law. The American Bar Association has a website that lists attorneys by state and specialty. Many couples are also seeking less expensive mediation services so I'd approach mediators as well. Couples going through a divorce often seek counseling for themselves and/or their children, so you might want to consider contacting family counselors too. Tax preparers and financial planners can also be among the first to find out about a couples plans to divorce so I'd chat with them as well. When you meet with these professionals, ask how they market to this niche. Be sure to let other agents in your area know about your specialty - knowing how many of them feel about taking on these clients, you may just get more than a few referrals.
I would also suggest finding a qualified home stager interested in joining you in a marketing campaign. Homes that are for sale because of divorce tend to be very sad homes. Since they're pretty easy to identify it would be wise to camoflage a divorce situation so buyers don't try to take advantage. A good stager can definitely help you do just that. Again, make sure all your marketing materials stress how your services meet the very unique needs of couples going through a divorce. (Feel their pain - remind them of their pain - then provide them the solution for making their pain go away.)
Couples going through a divorce really need a lot of direction on how to go about dividing the family home. Holding free workshops and seminars on how to avoid the common mistakes couples make could be very beneifical. Be sure to invite a few other professionals mentioned above to share the stage with you.
I'm sure there's something I've forgotten - and I'm just as certain this amazing community will fill in the blanks. So, how would YOU go about marketing to divorcing couples?
PS - In a previous post I shared the fact that I am in the process of going through a divorce and that this is by far one of the most difficult things I have ever had to endure. I have to say that I was absolutely overwhelmed by the compassion, concern, phone calls and advice I received from this wonderful caring Active Rain Community - THANK YOU!! Figuring out what to do with 3 kids, 2 businesses, and 1 house while starting a new busines has consumed much of my time - for my AR friends who don't see me around here much lately, now you know why.
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