There is not a day that goes by when one of my buyers asks if they should look at a home that is listed as a short sale. To answer that question properly, I first need to explain what a short sale is. When a seller owes more than their home is worth and in potential danger of foreclosure they attempt to sell the home before it is taken over by their lender. In this case, the seller cannot afford their mortgage and has no liquid assets to make up the difference in the selling price versus what they owe. In many cases, a  hardship of sorts can be to blame.