# What is the best thing to do?



## idunno2 (Nov 6, 2011)

Decided to get divorced, after a one year marriage. No children. State of Maryland. We are forced to still live together because neither of us can afford to leave. I pay for everything, while she gets herself through school. She doesn't make much money.

She tells me she will move out in six months, after she's saved up some money. Though I don't know if I can believe her. I don't want to see her still here in six months and would rather walk away from everything than to be stuck with her another year. I just want to get separated as soon as possible so I can move on with my life.

We have briefly discussed how things would be done during separation, and I think we agree on everything except one thing - the house. I was naive at the time and bought the house in my name, while putting both of our names on the title. It was bought before marriage.

Although she states she is willing to leave, in the end she refuses to release her name from the title, because she wants to get half equity years down the road when I sell it. She has not put any money into the home since I bought it. And we currently owe more than its worth. As I understand it, its value dropped nearly immediately after purchase. So, I think this is absurd. My lawyer suggests that if we don't agree on this then the judge will order it to be sold, which leads me to the next point. Quite frankly I don't mind selling the home - the problem with that is that I would left with potentially significant debt from it since its underwater.

I think that I would rather just let it foreclose than to have to be stuck with this obligation for many years and not be able to sell if she is not willing to sign off on it, or to have to sell a year from now upon divorce and be faced with a $40,000 debt (just a guess). It was bought at $180,000 and the latest tax assessment from the city shows an appraisal of $130,000 just one year later.

Has anyone been through a similar experience? Does anyone know how this could go down in court? Does anyone have advice on how to handle this? I feel like no matter what I do, it is going to end badly for me.

Thanks


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