What is the difference between a short sale and a foreclosure in real estate matters?

When the owner of a home can no longer afford to make payments on their home mortgage, the home may be sold in a short sale before it enters into foreclosure. A short sale is one of a homeowner's last resorts. It occurs when a home is sold for less than the balance remaining on the mortgage. Typically the homeowner and lender strike a deal in which the homeowner agrees to accept less than the amount they owe on their home (making no profit) in exchange for the lender forgiving the remaining amount on the loan. This process may still damage the homeowner's credit, but they will avoid foreclosure.

If a homeowner can't make payments on their mortgage and the home does not sell through a short sale, the lender can take possession of and sell the property by a foreclosure proceeding.

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