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Legal

Short Sale

Definition

A sale in which the lender agrees to accept less than the outstanding mortgage balance.

Example

The short sale required lender approval, which took eleven weeks.

Frequently asked questions

What does Short Sale mean in real estate?

A sale in which the lender agrees to accept less than the outstanding mortgage balance.

How is Short Sale used in practice?

The short sale required lender approval, which took eleven weeks.

This definition is provided for educational purposes. Legal and tax terminology can carry jurisdiction-specific meaning — confirm with a licensed professional before relying on it in a transaction.