Property division is a judicial division of property rights and obligations between spouses during divorce. Deciding who gets to keep the dining room table, the collection of old records, or more importantly, the house, is no easy feat.
Determining who will keep the family home can be on of the most difficult decisions in a divorce. A house typically holds more significance due to emotional attachments. Obtaining an experienced family law attorney is crucial, however obtaining an attorney with experience in the real estate market is even better. Especially, when deciding to list the home on the market during a divorce.
Jeffrey Wittliff, ESQ. is an attorney at Griffith, Young, & Lass Family Law Firm (GYL) and also holds a California Real Estate License. Wittliff obtained a real estate license in the state of Texas and gained several years of experience in the field before moving to San Diego for law school.
Wittliff recognized having experience with helping individuals (especially married couples) in the process of buying and selling houses would give him an advantage in his career as an attorney.
After completing law school, he decided to get his California real estate license to gain additional knowledge and insight into real property issues as part of divorce cases.
“I have seen real estate at the center of family law cases and my expertise in that field has resulted in an advantage to my clients,” said Wittliff.
With nearly three years of experience practicing law, Wittliff has represented numerous clients with great success and has a unique approach to his strategy. “As a result of my license, I am uniquely able to counsel clients on issues related to their homes or investment properties,” he said.
When asked the main pieces of advice for individuals going through a divorce while simultaneously selling their home, he said the first thing to do is to get the home appraised.
“Jointly agree to hire an appraiser to give an unbiased opinion for the home’s list price and agree to use that price at the time of hiring an agent,” Wittliff said.
Wittliff also advised to separately interview potential real estate agents, and to not hire one unless both parties are fully comfortable with the selected agent. Lastly, he advised to have a pre-written agreement on price drops if the house does not sell within certain time frames. This will help reduce opportunities for conflict.
While he cannot assist clients selling homes jointly owned with their spouses due to a conflict of interest, he is always delighted to help clients with real estate deals separate from their case and usually offer discounts when doing so.
Specializing in property division is just a small portion of what this family law attorney is capable of. Wittliff is a valuable team player at GYL. He is praised for his legal reasoning and ability to problem solve. Wittliff has been granted awards such as; the San Diego Inns of Court and the Academic Excellence Award in Family Law.
“Jeff is hardworking, dynamic and willing to take on any challenge presented to him,” said Amy Lass, a San Diego Family Law Attorney and GYL partner.
Practicing law was always the direction he knew he would go into as he thrives on being an advocate for others, especially in a tough time that is divorce. He appreciates the variety in the work, whether it is selling a home, coming up with a custody schedule, or dividing up assets.
“When clients come to us seeking advice or help, they often have the best intentions, but do not know how to put those ideas into action,” he said. “I take pride in helping them navigate the complicated and emotional process of divorce.”
“Jeff is a sure-fire choice, if you want an attorney who is brilliant and has expertise in selling homes, this is the attorney you want on your side,” said GYL partner John Griffith.