Lola Animashaun
Lola Animashaun
LPT REALTY
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Divorce & the marital home · Tennessee & Kentucky

Going through a divorce? Let's figure out the house — together.

A confidential, no-pressure resource on what to do with the home — from a Realtor who's navigated hard transitions herself.

Schedule a Confidential Conversation Private. Neutral. No pressure to list.
If you're skimming, read this first

The house doesn't have to become the battle.

If you're reading this, something is shifting — or has already shifted — in your life. Whether the decision was mutual, sudden, a long time coming, or somewhere in between, you've landed on a quiet question: what happens with the house?

I'm Lola Animashaun — a single mother who's walked through hard transitions, a licensed Realtor in Tennessee and Kentucky, and a Marine Corps and Army veteran. I help divorcing couples figure out the housing piece without making things worse between them.

There are three real paths — one of you buys the other out, you sell together and split the proceeds, or you defer the sale until a milestone (often for the kids). The right one depends on your numbers, your timing, and what each of you actually wants. Below: situations I help with, the three paths in plain English, a worksheet you can fill out at your own pace, and what it looks like to work together.

Situations I help with

You don't need to have it all figured out before we talk.

If any of this sounds like where you are — together or apart — you're in the right place.

Both still living in the homeTrying to figure out what comes next before anyone moves
One spouse already moved outYou're carrying the home costs while everything is in flux
The house is in both namesBoth on the deed, both on the mortgage, both with equity
The house is in one nameTitle and loan are one spouse's — but the marriage still touches it
One spouse wants to keep itBut refinancing into one name alone isn't simple
Kids and custody shape the timingSchool year, custody schedule, or stability matters more than speed
Deployment or PCS ordersMilitary timing is making this harder than it needs to be
Amicable, but you want a guideYou're on the same team — you just need someone neutral
Contested, and you need helpThings aren't easy — you need someone who won't take sides
The three paths

Most couples land on one of these three.

There's no universal right answer. The right path depends on what each of you can afford, what your timeline looks like, and what your home means to you both.

Path One
01

One spouse buys the other out

One of you keeps the home; the other gets paid for their share of the equity. The spouse staying refinances the mortgage into their name alone (or assumes the existing loan, when allowed), and the equity buyout amount is settled at closing or built into the divorce agreement.

Path Two
02

Sell the house and split the proceeds

You list the home, sell it on the open market, pay off the mortgage and any liens, and divide what's left according to your divorce agreement. For many couples, this is the cleanest exit — no one is tied to the other through a mortgage, and both walk forward with cash to start the next chapter.

Path Three
03

Defer the sale

You agree — and your divorce decree reflects — that one spouse will stay in the home for a defined period (often until the youngest finishes high school, or until refinancing becomes possible), and the home gets sold at that future point. It's an arrangement that prioritizes stability over speed.

Working with me

Here's what it looks like when you reach out.

No commitment, no taking sides, and nothing about this conversation gets shared with anyone — including your spouse, if that's what you want.

A confidential conversation

Together with your spouse if you're in that place, or separately if you'd rather. Phone, video, text, or in person — whichever feels easier. Nothing is recorded; nothing is shared.

An honest read on the housing piece

I'll give you a current market valuation, walk through which of the three paths fits your situation best, and tell you what each one would actually look like in your specific case.

Coordination with your attorney

The legal side belongs to your attorney. My job is to make sure the housing piece they're working with is accurate — and to flag anything they'd want to know.

No pressure. No taking sides.

If selling is the right path, we plan it carefully. If it isn't, I'll point you toward what is. I'd rather lose your business than give you bad advice in a moment that matters this much.

For military families

Deployment, PCS orders, or VA loans add layers most agents don't understand.

As a Marine Corps and Army veteran, I've seen how military timing complicates a divorce — and how the wrong assumptions about VA loans or BAH can lead to bad decisions. Here's what's worth knowing.

VA loan considerations Whether the veteran wants to keep the home, the non-veteran wants to keep it, or you sell — each path has different entitlement and refinance implications.
Deployment-driven divorces Communication gaps, time apart, or post-deployment shifts have ended marriages. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act may apply to your case.
PCS orders mid-divorce Orders that drop during a pending divorce can force timing decisions about the house. There are options if both sides will work together.
BAH and dependent status BAH rates change with dependent status. A divorce can shift what each spouse receives — and what each can afford going forward.
USFSPA awareness The Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act governs how military retirement gets divided — and it interacts with housing decisions in real ways.
Base community knowledge Fort Campbell, Fort Knox, NSA Mid-South — each has its own market and rhythm. I serve all three.
A tool that's actually yours

The House Decision Worksheet

A 6-section worksheet you can fill out at your own pace — together, separately, or alone late at night. It walks you through the same questions I walk every client through, so you end up with clarity, not a sales pitch.

  • The basics — who's on the mortgage, who's on the deed
  • The numbers — value, balance, monthly payment
  • The income picture — can either of you carry the home alone?
  • The kids and timeline — does the school year shape this?
  • The relationship — amicable, neutral, or contested?
  • What each of you would want if you could have it

When you finish, you'll get a printable summary you can bring to your attorney or mediator — or to a quiet conversation with me.

Start the Worksheet
What's inside

Six sections.
Fifteen minutes.
Real clarity.

1The basics
2The numbers
3The income picture
4Kids & timeline
5The relationship
6What each of you wants
"

I'm a single mother. I've walked through transitions that re-shaped my life. I know what it feels like to sit at a kitchen table and wonder how anything is going to land in the right place.

When you're ready to talk about the housing piece — privately, neutrally, without anyone taking sides — that's what I'm here for. You don't have to have it figured out. You just have to be ready to start.

LOLA ANIMASHAUN
Listen · Commit · Deliver
Let's talk · confidentially

Let's talk — honestly, privately, and only as long as you want to.

A confidential conversation costs you nothing — and could change what comes next. Pick a time that works, or reach me directly.

Schedule a Confidential Conversation
Text Me Privately Call (931) 225-9416

Every conversation is confidential. Nothing gets shared — with anyone.

Frequently asked

Questions before you reach out

Quiet answers to what most people ask first.

Should we sell the house, or should one of us keep it?
There's no universal right answer — it depends on whether one spouse can afford it alone, whether the kids' timing matters, and what each of you actually wants. The House Decision Worksheet on this page helps you figure that out together or separately. The three real paths are: one spouse buys the other out, you sell and split the proceeds, or you defer the sale temporarily.
Do we have to sell during the divorce, or can we wait?
In many cases, you can wait. Some couples agree on a deferred sale — one spouse stays in the home until a milestone like the youngest child finishing school, then sell and split. This needs to be written into your divorce decree carefully. An attorney will draft the language; my role is helping you understand the housing piece so the agreement is grounded in reality.
How do we figure out what the house is worth?
For a divorce, you want a fair, current market valuation — not just an estimate from a website. I can prepare a free comparative market analysis (CMA) for either or both spouses, and I'll be honest and neutral regardless of which side of the divorce you're on. Both spouses can have the same numbers, which makes negotiation faster and quieter.
Will you take sides? Can both spouses talk to you?
I don't take sides. I can have confidential conversations with each spouse separately, or with both together if that's what you want. My job is to give clear, honest information so you can make good decisions — not to advocate against your spouse. If at any point we hit a conflict, I'll tell you and we'll figure out the right next step.
My ex won't cooperate. Can the house still be sold?
This is a legal question more than a real estate question, and you'll need an attorney to guide it. But yes — courts can order the sale of a marital home when spouses can't agree. I work with divorcing clients in cooperative and contested situations alike, and I'll never put you in a position that makes things worse with your ex.
What happens with a VA loan if we divorce?
VA loans add layers — eligibility, entitlement restoration, who's the veteran on the loan. There are specific paths if the veteran wants to keep the home, if the non-veteran wants to keep it, or if you sell. I'll walk you through what applies to your situation and connect you with VA-knowledgeable lenders when needed.
What does a confidential consultation look like?
A private conversation — phone, text, video, or in person. I listen, I give you an honest read on the housing piece, and I'll tell you what I see. No pressure to list. No taking sides. If we don't end up working together, that's okay too. The conversation is yours to use however helps.
Important. Lola Animashaun is a licensed Realtor in Tennessee and Kentucky with LPT Realty. This page provides general information about housing decisions in divorce — it is not legal advice, tax advice, or financial advice. For legal advice about your divorce, please consult a licensed family law attorney. For tax implications of selling, transferring, or refinancing a marital home, consult a licensed tax professional.