The Arizona Divorce Collective

02/13/2026

Start Here 🤍

If you’re navigating divorce, or even just quietly thinking about it, you may be feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. That’s completely normal.

The Arizona Divorce Collective was created to give you access to trusted professionals who can help you understand your options and take your next step with confidence. We bring together legal, financial, mortgage, and real estate guidance so you don’t have to piece it all together on your own.

If you’d like support, we invite you to start with our quick intake form. It only takes a few minutes to complete and helps us understand where you are in the process and how we can best assist you.

Once we receive your responses, the right professional will reach out to you directly.

You don’t have to have everything figured out. This is just a first step.

Complete the form here (link also in profile):

https://bit.ly/3OdNdfc

We’re here when you’re ready 🤍

02/13/2026

Divorce from Every Angle: Can I Afford to Keep the Home?

Financial Advisor Perspective

This question is about more than the mortgage payment. From a financial planning perspective, it’s about whether keeping the home supports your long-term stability.

Can you comfortably manage the payment on your own income?

Will you still be able to save for retirement?

What happens when repairs, rising insurance, or unexpected expenses come up?

Sometimes the emotional pull to keep the home is strong, especially when it represents stability for you or your children. But a home that stretches your budget too thin can create ongoing stress and limit your ability to rebuild financially after the divorce.

A financial advisor looks at the bigger picture, including cash flow, assets, support, taxes, and long-term goals. The goal isn’t just to keep the house. It’s to create a financial plan that gives you security, flexibility, and peace of mind in your next chapter.
Sometimes that means keeping the home. Other times, it means making a strategic move that better supports your future.

If you’d like to connect with a financial advisor to discuss your situation, reach out to Kristin Johnson for guidance and support.

Kristin Johnson, CRC®
Financial Advisor
Office: (602) 841-2622
Mobile: (626) 408-1333 ext 201
[email protected]
https://www.guidedjourneyfp.com/

02/10/2026

Divorce from Every Angle: Can I Afford to Keep the Home?

Real Estate Agent Perspective

When clients ask this question, they’re often thinking about the monthly payment. But from a real estate perspective, the bigger question is whether the home still fits your life moving forward.

Can the home be comfortably maintained on one income?

Does it still work for your new routine, commute, or parenting schedule?

Will it allow you to build stability, or will it feel like a financial weight?

Sometimes keeping the home is the right choice, especially when it provides continuity for children or emotional stability during a difficult transition. Other times, selling and starting fresh in a more affordable or manageable space can create more freedom and peace of mind.

A real estate agent's role during divorce isn’t just to sell a house. It’s to help you understand your options, the market, and what a realistic next step could look like, whether that’s staying, selling, or planning for a future move.

The goal isn’t just to keep a house. It’s to create a living situation that supports your next chapter.

If you have questions about your options, send us a message.

01/30/2026

Divorce from Every Angle: Can I Afford to Keep the Home?

Lender Perspective

This is one of the most common questions I hear during divorce, and it’s a fair one.

Affording the home isn’t just about whether you can make the current payment. From a lending perspective, we look at a few key factors: your individual income, monthly obligations, credit profile, and whether you’ll need to refinance to remove your spouse from the mortgage.

It’s also important to consider the full picture, things like taxes, insurance, maintenance, and how comfortable the payment feels on a single income, not just whether it technically “works” on paper.

In many cases, keeping the home is possible, but timing and structure matter. Understanding your options early, before agreements are finalized, can help you avoid costly surprises or decisions that limit your flexibility later.

A conversation with a mortgage professional doesn’t mean you’re committing to anything. It simply gives you clarity so you can make informed choices about what’s realistic for your next chapter.

If you have questions about your options, send us a message and we'll connect you with Marie.

Marie C.M. Roy
Loan Originator | NMLS 2532251
Direct Mortgage Loans
Mobile: (602) 228-2095
[email protected]
www.mariecmroy.com


https://nmlsconsumeraccess.org/
Equal Housing Lender

01/30/2026

If you’re quietly contemplating divorce and feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone.

This stage, the thinking, questioning, and second-guessing, is often the heaviest part.

You don’t have to have answers yet.
You don’t need a plan.
You don’t need to be “ready.”

It’s okay to feel conflicted. It’s okay to feel scared. It’s okay to take things one step at a time.

Sometimes the most important first step isn’t making a decision. It’s simply getting informed. Understanding your options, your finances, and your support system can bring clarity long before any legal paperwork exists.

At the Arizona Divorce Collective, we believe no one should have to navigate this season alone or in the dark. When you’re ready, whether that’s now or later, we’re here to help you feel supported, informed, and less overwhelmed.

Be gentle with yourself. This is hard. And you’re doing the best you can.

Please send us a message and we can help you with next steps.

01/26/2026

Going through a divorce is one of the hardest life transitions there is. I know this personally. I started my own divorce journey in 2020 as a single mother and had to navigate splitting equity and buying a new home on my own. Even with past homeownership experience, I felt completely overwhelmed.

The person who made the biggest difference for me was my lender. Her compassion, clarity, and constant availability turned a daunting process into a genuinely positive one. That experience is what shaped how I show up for my clients today.

Partnering with a mortgage professional during divorce is essential because it helps you:
• Understand your options with the marital home (keep, sell, refinance)
• Navigate complex financial and credit implications
• Avoid costly mistakes during an emotional time
• Get personalized guidance for your next chapter

Now, I’m passionate about being that resource for others, especially women navigating divorce. My goal is to make sure you feel informed, supported, and confident as you make housing decisions during one of life’s most challenging seasons.

If you’re going through a divorce and have questions about your home or mortgage, I’d love to connect. Feel free to reach out to schedule a call. I’ll also be sharing more practical mortgage tips for divorce here, so stay tuned.

Marie C.M. Roy
Loan Originator | NMLS 2532251
Direct Mortgage Loans
Mobile: (602) 228-2095
[email protected]
www.mariecmroy.com


https://nmlsconsumeraccess.org/
Equal Housing Lender

01/23/2026

Hi, I’m Chelsea.

I’m a real estate agent, but the work I do during divorce looks very different than a typical home search or sale. I call myself Your Real Estate Doula because my role isn’t to rush decisions or push outcomes. It’s to guide, explain, and support people through one of the most emotionally loaded transitions of their lives.

I’ve seen firsthand how overwhelming this season can be. People come to me unsure what happens to the house, afraid of making the wrong move, or carrying the weight of decisions they didn’t expect to be making alone. Sometimes the question is “Do I sell?” Sometimes it’s “Can I afford to stay?” And sometimes it’s just “I don’t even know what I’m allowed to ask yet.”

What I’ve learned is that housing decisions during divorce aren’t really about the house. They’re about safety, stability, and what comes next. They’re about timing, emotions, finances, and having the right people around you so you don’t have to figure everything out at once.

Over the years, I’ve worked with people who sold homes they loved so they could start fresh, people who stayed and rebuilt, and people who needed a pause before deciding anything at all. Each situation is different, and that’s exactly why this work matters to me.

This space exists to offer clarity without pressure, education without overwhelm, and support without judgment. You don’t need to have a plan yet. You don’t need to be ready to act. You just need a place where questions are welcome and nothing is pushed.

In future posts, I’ll share more about what I see come up most often, the mistakes people are afraid of making, and how housing decisions can actually become a foundation for a really strong next chapter.

For now, just know this: you don’t have to do this alone, and you don’t have to have it all figured out today.

Welcome.

Chelsea Lindblad
HomeSmart
Mobile: (480) 236-3251
[email protected]
Chelsea Lindblad - Real Estate

01/23/2026

Hi, I’m Marie C.M. Roy, a loan officer with Direct Mortgage Loans in Gilbert, AZ. I grew up in Northeast Mesa and now call Gilbert home, where I live with my husband Shane and our three kids-Charlotte, Declan, and our youngest, Daniel, along with a very full (and slightly chaotic) household of animals.

I spent nearly 15 years in corporate finance and business development before moving into mortgage lending, and I bring that experience into every client relationship. My favorite part of this work is educating, guiding, and encouraging clients and helping them understand their options so they can feel confident making big decisions. There are many paths to homeownership, and my mission is to make the lending process as transparent, calm, and stress-free as possible.

I’m especially passionate about guiding women through divorce and major life transitions because I’ve walked that road myself. I know firsthand how overwhelming housing and financial decisions can feel during that season, and I believe no one should have to navigate it without clarity, support, and honest guidance.

Outside of work, I love spending time with my family and traveling whenever we can. And I try to live by my favorite quote: “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

You don't have to do it alone.

Marie C.M. Roy
Loan Originator | NMLS 2532251
Direct Mortgage Loans
Mobile: (602) 228-2095
[email protected]
www.mariecmroy.com


https://nmlsconsumeraccess.org/
Equal Housing Lender

01/23/2026

Kristin Johnson, CRC®
Financial Advisor
Office: (602) 841-2622
Mobile: (626) 408-1333 ext 201
[email protected]
https://www.guidedjourneyfp.com/

01/21/2026

Hello! My name is Lindsay Bautista, a licensed Arizona attorney. I’ve been helping individuals and families navigate the family court system for nearly eight years, with over 20 years of experience in the legal field. I am also fluent in Spanish and am able to directly communicate with Spanish speaking clients.

Having grown up in a divorced household myself, I understand firsthand the challenges families and children can face when navigating multiple households. Those experiences shape how I approach my work and allow me to bring both perspective and compassion to my clients’ cases. I work closely with each client to understand their goals and guide them through the legal process with clarity, empathy, and consistent communication. Family law can be stressful and overwhelming, and my priority is ensuring clients feel informed, supported, and confident at every stage.

Outside of my practice, I’m passionate about giving back to the community and have volunteered with organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Salvation Army’s Adopt-A-Family, The Giving Tree, and Feed My Starving Children. I currently serve on the Board of Mission of Mercy and am the co-president of the Home School Association at my son’s school. In my free time, I enjoy traveling and spending time with my family and friends.

Mobile: (480) 399-6302
www.bautistalawgroup.com

01/16/2026

MEET THE ARIZONA DIVORCE COLLECTIVE

LINDSAY S. BAUTISTA, ESQ.
Lindsay is an Arizona-licensed attorney and the owner of her own family law firm. Fluent in Spanish, Lindsay built her career serving Arizona families with clarity, compassion, and strong advocacy. Beyond her work with clients, she’s deeply involved in the community and enjoys spending time with her family and her two dogs, Chico and Chica.

KRISTIN S. JOHNSON, CRC®
Kristin is a financial advisor with over 20 years of experience helping individuals navigate major life transitions, including divorce. As a Certified Retirement Counselor® (CRC®), she focuses on helping clients understand their finances, plan with confidence, and make thoughtful decisions during times of uncertainty. Kristin is known for her calm, clear approach and for meeting clients where they are, especially when things feel overwhelming. Kristin lives in Chandler, AZ with her husband, two kids, and their puppy, Cooper, and enjoys family time, travel, and cheering on her kids at sporting events.

MARIE C.M. ROY, MLO | NMLS 2532251
Marie is a local loan officer who helps clients navigate home financing during major life transitions-including divorce. She’s known for her calm, educational approach and for helping people understand their options so they can make confident housing decisions, whether that means staying in a home, refinancing, or planning a next step. Marie believes transparency and guidance are especially important during uncertain seasons. Outside of work, she enjoys time with her family and traveling.

CHELSEA LINDBLAD, REALTOR®
Chelsea serves as “Your Real Estate Doula,” offering calm, supportive guidance around housing decisions during and after divorce. She helps people understand their options, think through next steps, and make thoughtful real estate decisions, while working alongside trusted legal and financial professionals to support what comes next. She lives, works, and plays in the Southeast Valley with her family, bringing local knowledge and real-life perspective to the guidance she provides.

Send a message to learn more