I think the important point to make perfectly clear to any seller considering a short sale, Karen, is that they need not fear pursuing a short sale over the much more damaging credit effects of a foreclosure!  The bank (mortgagee) factors in the professional fees as part of the negotiation package, therefore, they will receive the proceeds of the sale, not the mortgagee (the seller).

Not misleading at all, in fact--the impact to the seller is, simply, far better than a foreclosure!  However, this in no way should be construed as legal advice, I am not an attorney, and an attorney should always be consulted in any legal matter.

Thank you for the blessing, Mike!  You know, I consider it more "challenge" than "hard", but it's like parenting--the rewards are greater than the challenge, and I feel much more reward from really helping someone.

Karen--I never said I disagreed, only that the point was missed.  My clients (for whom this was written), do not speak in terms of "debit" and "credit"--those are accounting terms, and I'm attempting to educate and inform, not about accounting methods, but about real-life situations and how real people may or may not be relieved of these kinds of financial burdens. 

To speak in "debits and credits" is akin to speaking of "listings" or "ARV", which are again, industry terms, not the terminology of the people I help--the same people who never had this stuff explained well enough when they got into the position they are in!