Most people don't think about what happens to their property in a separation until they're already in one. In this episode of Property, Straight Up, Mel Dennis talks with Claire Walczak, an accredited family law specialist and partner at Lander & Rogers, about property settlements, binding financial agreements and the mistakes that end up costing people the most.

Claire explains why having property in your name doesn't make it yours, why a 50/50 split is far from guaranteed, and why an informal agreement can come back to bite you. She also shares why mediation often beats court, how a Vendor Advocate can lower the temperature during a property sale, and what a binding financial agreement is really for.

Connect with Claire Walczak, Lander & Rogers

https://www.landers.com.au/legalservice/family-and-relationship-law

Property, Straight Up is brought to you by Domain & Co, Your Property People. domainandco.com.au

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:25 Meet Claire Walczak, Lander & Rogers

01:11 Claire's role and areas of expertise

02:10 How real property is handled during separation

03:15 Selling vs. retaining the family home

05:19 Who gets to stay in the family home?

06:29 The biggest misconceptions people have about property and separation

08:10 Does separation always mean going to court?

09:57 How to avoid unnecessary disputes and reduce legal costs

11:16 How a Vendor Advocate can help during a property sale

12:28 How independent guidance reduces stress and conflict

13:24 Binding financial agreements explained

14:10 How a BFA protects wealth if a relationship ends

15:27 How to have the BFA conversation with your partner

16:05 Are attitudes toward these agreements changing?

16:51 Think of a BFA as an insurance policy

17:12 When should you seek legal advice?

18:13 The one thing to do to protect yourself and your family

19:07 Closing thoughts and free checklist