Why is RMC so involved in divorce?

Before joining Residential Mortgage Center, I didn’t fully understand Margie’s extensive involvement in the family law field, and more specifically, the Collaborative Dispute Resolution community in the DMV. Obviously, there is a chance that a divorcing couple would need support from a mortgage broker, but I didn’t know the extent to which the mortgage knowledge we can provide can be integral to the smooth execution of a marital separation agreement and subsequent divorce.

Now that I’ve been at RMC for a year and a half, Margie has fully enveloped me into this collaborative community, and I regularly see the positive impact we can have in helping individuals go through one of life’s toughest transitions. The marital home is often one of the most contentious subjects in a divorce, and couples and the family law professionals supporting them must navigate rules around loan assumptions, mortgage qualifying, equity buyouts, and home valuations that are nuanced and ever-changing, all while balancing other incredibly emotional family matters.

This was most evident to me last week when we stopped by a DC family law firm to do our “Divorce and the Marital Home” presentation. There were several moments during our presentation that were visible “aha” moments for the attorneys, where they were engaged and asking questions about important Fannie and Freddie guidelines that were new or had recently changed. I had my own “aha” moment, realizing that Margie is so involved in this space because of the incredible value she provides. By involving her in the divorce process, these family law professionals and their clients have a trusted, knowledgeable partner on their team who is not only an expert in the mortgage divorce space but who also has a solid understanding of the divorce process they are going through, whether collaborative, mediation, or another form of dispute resolution.

For example, last week, we had an attorney reach out to us for assistance in determining the amount of spousal and child support his client would need to buy a house in the same neighborhood as the marital home she was leaving. Not only were we able to provide him with those approximate numbers, but we also reminded him of the various underwriting guidelines around using support as qualifying income to ensure the timeline and structure of the support in his client’s marital separation agreement didn’t conflict with those guidelines.

We also had a client follow up with us last week about moving forward with a home equity loan to get cash out of her house to pay her ex-spouse his share of the home equity. We had met with this client previously to discuss her options for this equity buyout and to provide her with the best practices for a mortgage assumption, a process that allowed her to keep her existing low-interest rate and mortgage, while removing her ex-spouse from said mortgage. Although mortgage assumptions are done between clients and their existing lenders, Margie has become an expert in assumptions through years of providing advice and requesting feedback from clients who decide to assume their existing mortgages. Her expertise in this space was evident when she was invited to testify in front of the Maryland House of Delegates when they were considering a bill to require lenders to allow mortgage assumptions when pursuant to a divorce.

Helping these individuals navigate loan assumptions is rewarding, but it often doesn’t result in the client needing a new loan from us. However, we are in the relationship business, and it is our hope that by helping these individuals during this emotional time in their lives, that even if they don’t need a mortgage today, our willingness to share our knowledge and guidance will put us at the top of their list when they (or their friends or family) need a mortgage in the future. I’ve seen clients reach out to Margie as long as five years after she initially helped them during their divorce. Last week, I received my first email from a client who we met in early 2025, who remembered how we helped her during her separation and now, a year after her divorce, wants to work with us as she looks to buy a new home.

Having completed both my collaborative dispute resolution and mediation trainings, presented our “Divorce and the Marital Home” presentation with Margie a handful of times, met with dozens of clients needing mortgage advice as they navigate divorce, and become the newest board member of the DC Association of Collaborative Professionals, I’m beginning to feel confident as an expert in the divorce mortgage space. However, I still have a lot to learn from Margie’s 20-plus years working in this community. If you or someone you know is going through a separation or divorce, or perhaps you work in the family law space, we would love to see you at our “Divorce and the Marital Home” webinar tomorrow, Wednesday, May 6th, at noon. We conduct this webinar quarterly, so if you can’t attend, you can catch the next one in a couple of months.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you are interested in the webinar or need our support.