Life after the decree

Running a home alone

Somebody used to handle the furnace filter, the taxes, the gutters, the car, the passwords, the yard. Now it is all one person. Here is the calendar, the short list of what to learn, the list of what to hire out, and the honest question about whether this house is worth running alone.

Talk to the team Downsizing after divorce Call or text 303-955-4220

Call or text 303-955-4220. A live person answers. Not a robot, not a phone tree.

Learn

Five things worth knowing

Where the water shutoff is, how to reset a breaker, how to change the furnace filter, how to read the mortgage statement, how to shut off the gas.

Hire

What is worth paying for

Gutters, the roof, the sprinkler blowout, big-tree work, anything on a ladder above the first story.

Automate

Bills and reminders

Autopay the mortgage and utilities. Calendar the filter, the smoke alarms, the sprinkler blowout, the furnace tune-up.

Decide

Is this house worth it alone?

Time and money. If the answer is no, that is a downsizing conversation, not a failure.

The short answer

You do not have to do everything; you have to know what needs doing, do the five things that matter, and pay someone for the rest. A house on one income and one calendar is a maintenance budget of about 1 percent of its value a year plus roughly one weekend a month. If that is more than you want to give it, a smaller home is a rational choice, not a retreat.

The Colorado home calendar

MonthlyFurnace filter (or every 90 days), a walk around the outside, test the sump pump if you have one, check the mortgage account was paid.

SpringSprinkler system turned on and checked, gutters cleaned, roof looked at after hail season starts, exterior faucets, deck and fence, dryer vent.

SummerHail: after any storm, look at the roof, gutters and screens, and file the insurance claim inside the policy’s window. Trees trimmed away from the house.

FallSprinkler blowout before the first freeze (about $80 to $120), furnace tune-up, hoses off the faucets, gutters again after the leaves, weatherstripping.

WinterIce dams on north-facing roofs, keep the thermostat above 55 when away, know where the water shutoff is before a pipe freezes, snow off the walks within the city’s deadline (Denver: 24 hours).

Every yearSmoke and CO detector batteries, water heater flushed, insurance reviewed, a look at the property tax notice in May and the protest deadline in June.

The list to keep on the fridge

Water main shutoff location, and the curb key if you need one.
Gas shutoff at the meter and a wrench next to it. Xcel emergency: 800-895-2999.
Electrical panel with breakers labeled.
The plumber, the HVAC company, the roofer, the handyman you have already used once, so the emergency call is not a first call.
Insurance policy number and claims line.
The mortgage servicer’s number and login.

The honest question

A house that took two people to run will take one person more than twice the effort, because the other person also knew where things were. Some people love owning the whole job. Others find, six months in, that the yard, the stairs and the second furnace are the reason they are tired. If that is you, a smaller home or a condo where someone else owns the roof is the answer, and it is a good one. From a big house to a condo.

Questions people ask

How much should I budget for maintenance?

About 1 percent of the home’s value a year on average, more for older homes: $6,500 a year on the metro median. Roofs, furnaces and water heaters arrive in lumps, so keep a reserve.

Who do I call first when something breaks?

The shutoff first, then the insurance line if it is water or hail, then the tradesperson. We keep a list of people who have worked for our clients; ask.

Can I hire someone to just handle it?

Handyman services in the metro run $75 to $125 an hour; some offer a quarterly package. A property manager is for rentals, not for your own home.

Is it safe living alone?

Change the locks and the garage code the week the decree is entered, add a doorbell camera, and tell a neighbor. If safety is a real concern, the protection-order forms are free at every self-help center and the hotline is 800-799-7233.

The next chapter, planned

We help people move from the marital home to the next one every month.

Downsizing after a divorce is not a step down. It is a household that fits one income, one calendar and one set of hands, chosen on purpose. Our team sells the big house, finds the right smaller one, and lines up the lender so the two closings work together.

If the honest answer is to rent for a year first, we say so. Nobody sells you anything.

The sale and the purchase timed together, or a rent-back so you move once

A written budget for the new place with taxes, HOA and utilities, not just the payment

One-income pre-approval with Mike Oswald at Rate, or any lender you choose

Movers, estate-sale and donation contacts who have done this with divorcing clients

Talk to the team

Where to go next

Plain-language education, not advice. Divorce Decisions is published by The Kenna Real Estate Group at Keller Williams DTC, a real estate team. Nothing here is legal, tax, lending or financial advice, and reading it does not create any professional relationship. Colorado law and lender rules change; confirm anything that matters to your case with a licensed Colorado attorney, a tax professional, and your lender. See our full disclaimer.

Call your Colorado divorce agent

Questions about the house, the deed or the decree?

Call us today to talk through your situation and how we can help. A live person answers. Not a robot, not a phone tree.

Call today 303-955-4220 Download the free divorce-home guide

Ask about the house

Tell us what you are dealing with. If the honest answer is to stay and hire a handyman, we say so. If it is to move, we will show you the number.

Call or text 303-955-4220

A live person answers. Not a robot, not a phone tree. Prefer email? homes@kennarealestate.com