A recent New York Times article discusses the rise in short sales in Manhattan due to the recession. One market analyst said "2010 might well be dubbed the Year of the Short Sale nationally. 'A short sale is going to be the only way for many people who bought at the peak and who are now underwater to move on with their lives if they have to relocate or downsize.'" Like Manhattan, Montclair, Glen Ridge Maplewood and the rest of Essex County have seen the number of short sales rise. When the alternative is foreclosure, selling a house through a short sale is a way for the owner to come out of the deal relatively unscathed. I discuss the issue of short sales further in Short Sales for Buyers and Short Sales for Sellers. If you have any questions about short sales, either because you're thinking of selling your house short or you're interested in buying a house that's  a short sale, please email me for more information.