Separation and buyout

After a separation, keeping the house means buying out the other person’s share on one income. The lender starts the review over as if you were buying.

The accepted value, support paid or received, the current balance, and the penalty decide whether the file holds. We price it before the agreement is signed, not after.

Check whether I can keep the house

I check whether the file holds on its own

I start from the value the lender will accept, the current balance, and the share to pay out, then calculate your capacity on your single income and the support payments. If the ratios pass, we look at the best structure; if they do not, you know before negotiating an amount nobody will finance.

Your current bank has the advantage of knowing the loan, but it will only offer its product and its reading of support payments. I compare several lenders on the accepted value, how they treat support, and whether the amount can be added without breaking the term.

How it works

We price the share
Defensible value, balance, the other person’s share under the agreement. Estimates are enough for a first reading.
I calculate your capacity
One income, the support payments, your debts. You know whether it passes before signing anything.
We choose the structure
Refinance now, add to the existing loan, or wait for renewal, with the penalty in the calculation.
Signing at the notary
The co-owner is removed from the title and the loan the same day. I coordinate with the notary and the lender.

Two things to settle before the agreement

The agreement’s value isn’t the lender’s

You can agree on a value between you, but the lender finances on its own, often an appraisal. If it comes in lower, the share to pay out stays the same and the cash available shrinks.

A name left on the loan stays responsible

As long as the other person’s name is on the loan, they answer for the whole debt, and that debt weighs on their capacity to buy elsewhere. The removal happens at closing, with the lender’s agreement, not through the agreement alone.

What it costs you

In most files you pay nothing: I’m paid by the lender that secures your financing. What it costs, in detail

Two readings before negotiating

The net cash from a refinance and the capacity on one income decide everything.

Estimate refinancing potentialThe theoretical room on the value, before penalty and fees.Calculate a mortgage penaltyWhat breaking the current term could cost, as three months of interest or the differential.

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep the house on one income?

It depends on your ratios on one income, the support payments, and the amount to refinance. I run the numbers before you negotiate the agreement: it avoids promising an amount the lender will not finance.

How is the other person’s share calculated?

Generally, the property value minus the mortgage balance, split according to the agreement. The value the lender accepts can differ from the one in the agreement; the refinancing is based on the lender’s.

Do support payments count?

Yes, both ways. Support paid is a debt in your ratios; support received can count as income if it is set by judgment or agreement and paid regularly.

Is there a penalty to refinance?

Often yes, if the term is not over. Some lenders allow adding the amount to the existing loan without breaking it; I compare both before recommending.

What happens if my name stays on the loan?

You remain responsible for the full payment, even if you no longer live in the house, and that debt reduces your capacity for another purchase. Removing the name is settled at the notary, with the lender’s agreement.

Compare mortgage terms from different lenders.

Major banks, credit unions, and specialized lenders each apply their own criteria, products, and terms. A logo does not mean that a mortgage will be offered or approved.