Sure, we can be a pain in the butt to deal with sometimes.

I don't know why, but I feel like getting a refi is going to be a pain in the ***.

Tiles are a pain.

Sharp colors

It's always a pain to find what you want and then hit a road block because you have to adhere to specific guide lines or requirement of the bank.

AFAIK, this only applies to re-fis since they're probably trying to protect their yield on existing debt.Since FMAC is CMBS, the re-fi stuff is a pain since it's been sliced and diced and then put into a portfolio with a 1000 other loans and sold off to 3rd parties. 

All property is community so even a replacement property purchased in her name would be at risk to a claim of community property if it happened before the divorce is final.There is absolutely no one who can help you friend other than some sharp attorneys with this one to see if a release from the soon to be ex would be fine.Joint tenants could be put in either name. 

TLDR but I feel your pain brother.

It'll be totally doable, just really painful.

Tax will not go up, I may be liable for any harm/damage in the basement, I can rent it quickly.If I go with official way - it'll take lot longer, pricier with big probability of pain in the ***.