“You’re gonna sleep in the guest bedroom, right?”
Look, I love my husband and all, but if we divorce, someone has got to go. Did anyone watch that movie War of the Roses (1989) where a couple who was divorcing refused to move out the house? Spoiler alert: They killed each other. Literally.
It’s easy to think how quickly you would cut ties from your former lover, but in reality, it might not be so effortless. A recent op-ed in VOGUE spoke on married celebrity couples who choose to live together after breaking up. At first glance, you might agree it would be super easy for someone like Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner to do so — considering they have a huge home and guest house on the property. They also happen to have tons of money to “consciously uncouple” or whatever it is they call it these days. However, what’s interesting to point out is that celebs aren’t the only ones making this decision.
Online legal directory HG.org shed some light on how common living together after divorce can be. When you stop and think about it, there are tons of reasons why exes would make the choice to share the same address for a period of time. Kids are often a huge factor, as many parents don’t want to disrupt the normalcy if their lives. So it might be easier for some to grit their teeth and keep a smile until their child heads off to college. Personally, I think that would be more of a prison sentence (my folks divorced when I was five but were able to co-parent).
The biggest explanation HG.org notes for living together post-divorce is money. “Rather than take a big loss on the house, ex-spouses are deciding to jump from marriage partners to roommates, hoping that the economy and the housing market will turn around and they can sell the home sooner rather than later.”
Well that makes a bit of sense.
Even though the housing market appears to be healthy for now, that doesn’t mean homeowners aren’t faced with financial hardships. Real estate experts are paying close watch to a shift that appears to make renting more affordable than purchasing a home. Even with reduced home prices and historically low interest rates, the option to rent looks to be a more favorable choice that can leave those looking to sell their home in the back seat.
Millennials are also moving back in with their parents at higher rates that could also have something to do with income stability.
Obviously, this decision will greatly depend on the individuals involved. Some might be able to call a former wife or husband roommate for a period of time, while others can’t wait to pack their bags and leave. God forbid I find myself in a situation like this, I would like to think neither my husband or I would be super quick to give each other the boot — especially when you consider we have a toddler and a newborn. Sure there would need to be some decision-making down the road, but right off the bat, perhaps not.
Divorce is already a conundrum in itself as you need to emotionally and financially detach from someone you thought would be your happily ever after. At least by living together for a period of time (hopefully short if you hate each other), you’ll both be able to collect your thoughts and count your coins.
Would you ever consider living with an ex?
Related read ‘I Do’… Want To Keep My Coins: 7 Financial Steps To Take When Facing Divorce
