When the tough gets going, the tough go house hunting.
At least that's what happened after Brit pop singer, Take That singer, Mark Owen confessed to flings "with numerous women" to his wife of five years.
He isn't the only man to ever try to buy his way back into the marital bed through real estate. The promise of a $3.6 million house must have worked, because the couple were reportedly still together, shopping for the house of their dreams.
Take That has a new double CD and a tour and not a moment too soon, either, for Owen's 39-year-old singer's two kids and wife, Emma Ferguson.
According to Arlene Dubin, author of Prenups for Lovers, it's not at all unusual for a couple to try to reconcile following an infidelity. Better the devil you know, etc.
"When people go through the process," says Dubin, "they take a fresh look at themselves and their partners, and they often decide that the good outweighs the bad. They're face to face with the reality of what life would be like without their spouse."
Divorce is tough and expensive, even for non-celebrities, especially when there are kids in the mix. Experts agree, depending on the issues, it often makes sense to try to salvage a marriage. And although it may seem like an odd time, some couples choose to renovate or move house for a 'fresh start'.
But possibly the worst way to try to salvage a marriage is to have a baby. Vacations end, after all, and houses can always be put on the market, but children are there for the long haul.
"A lot of the time, people are feeling a loss of connection and love in their marriage, so they kind of hold this fantasy that if they have a child that that will bring everything back to being OK," said Oregon therapist Debbie Bensching.
Up to 90 percent of couples report more stress and conflict, and less satisfaction in their marriage following the birth of a baby, with 12.5 per cent of couples divorcing or separating by the time their first-born is 18 months old, according to Carolyn Pape Cowan, author of When Partners Become Parents.
So if you and your significant other are having troubles, instead of heading to Bali or to the nearest Remax, best check yourselves in to see a therapist.
The reasons for an affair are deeper entrenched than a simple 'oopsie'. Where there are real problems, distractions seldom cut it. Unless of course, you visit a therapist together to hash things out, before driving back to your brand-spanking new $3.6 million house.
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