More local divorces lead to car leases

The folks at LeaseTrader.com picked up on an interesting economic trend lately: More of its customers in the Tampa Bay market are listing their vehicles for transfer because of divorce-related reasons.

The Aventura-based company says it noticed a 22% increase in the second quarter from a year earlier, well above the 9% national average. While the recession is certainly a culprit, other theories include the leniency of Florida divorce laws and the number of licensed marriage and family therapists in Tampa.

LeaseTrader comes into play on the issue when unhappy couples who lease their vehicles, most likely luxury brands, want to unburden themselves of that monthly expense, says Evan Sneider, the company's public relations manager. “When couples decide after a divorce to no longer keep their car, we match them up with another person who's willing to take over the remaining portion of their lease,” he says.