(Soon to be ex) Wife wanting to charge for work she and her father did on the house

[jplusip]

Jurisdiction

Alabama

Hello,

I'm currently going through a divorce, and during this process I got a realtor to come out and give an analysis of the value of my home (mortgage only in my name, though it was purchased during the marriage).

The value the realtor gave was lower than what I currently owe on the home (I refinanced it when the housing prices were shooting up) due to the general state of disrepair/outdatedness.

My (soon to be ex) wife obviously did not like this, as my being upside down on the mortgage means that there is no equity, so she wouldn't get anything. Thus, she is taking the following actions:

1. Trying to get a different realtor out to do a different evaluation.

2. Trying to get a "land company" (landscaping, I think? She just called it a "land company") to come out and give an estimate on the "work she did in the yard". Basically, she made some trails in the backyard over eight years ago and believes she is entitled to compensation for that "work". She is hoping to charge me for this "work".

3. Getting her dad to come up with an estimate for all of the work that he put into the house during the marriage and charge me for that work.

Points 2 and 3 seem completely nuts to me. Is there a scenario where a judge would NOT laugh these ideas out of the courtroom?

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

1. All of the realtor evaluations in the world aren't going to make a difference.\

2 & 3 Sounds nuts to me as well.

 

[army judge]

Never thwart, block, or even comment what jack balls, nut jobs, and/or crackpots do, attempt, or try.

Silently sit back, observe, and laugh when not in the presence of the aforementioned nut job, crackpot, or jack ball.

In any legal dispute, IGNORE the antics and/or words of your adversary.

Focus on your case, don't waste tears or regrets on what the other party does, says, or schemes.

In fact, SILENTLY ignoring the other party is the best strategy to deploy.

 

[zddoodah]

my home (mortgage only in my name, though it was purchased during the marriage).

Is TITLE in your name only, or is it in both of your names?

My (soon to be ex) wife . . . is taking the following actions:

1. Trying to get a different realtor out to do a different evaluation.

What both of you should be doing is hiring an appraiser, not a realtor.

2. Trying to get a "land company" (landscaping, I think? She just called it a "land company") to come out and give an estimate on the "work she did in the yard". Basically, she made some trails in the backyard over eight years ago and believes she is entitled to compensation for that "work". She is hoping to charge me for this "work".

This could depend on whether your wife is on title, but the passage of time should make this a moot issue.

3. Getting her dad to come up with an estimate for all of the work that he put into the house during the marriage and charge me for that work.

He can charge you all he wants. If he wants to recover anything, he'll have to sue you (in a separate civil action - it wouldn't be part of the divorce), and it probably would be difficult or impossible that whatever work he did wasn't done as a gift to you (his son-in-law) and his daughter.

 

[jplusip]

Is TITLE in your name only, or is it in both of your names?

Her name is on the deed, so yes, she is on the title.

 

[zddoodah]

Her name is on the deed, so yes, she is on the title.

Then she's entitled to squat for making "improvements" to her own property, and that would make any lawsuit by her father obviously frivolous.

 

[welkin]

Hello,

I'm currently going through a divorce, and during this process I got a realtor to come out and give an analysis of the value of my home (mortgage only in my name, though it was purchased during the marriage).

The value the realtor gave was lower than what I currently owe on the home (I refinanced it when the housing prices were shooting up) due to the general state of disrepair/outdatedness.

My (soon to be ex) wife obviously did not like this, as my being upside down on the mortgage means that there is no equity, so she wouldn't get anything. Thus, she is taking the following actions:

1. Trying to get a different realtor out to do a different evaluation.

2. Trying to get a "land company" (landscaping, I think? She just called it a "land company") to come out and give an estimate on the "work she did in the yard". Basically, she made some trails in the backyard over eight years ago and believes she is entitled to compensation for that "work". She is hoping to charge me for this "work".

3. Getting her dad to come up with an estimate for all of the work that he put into the house during the marriage and charge me for that work.

Points 2 and 3 seem completely nuts to me. Is there a scenario where a judge would NOT laugh these ideas out of the courtroom?

For the purposes of a divorce you need an appraiser to value the property not a realtor.