If you wish to short sell your home, your agent is your best asset. As soon as you fall behind on mortgage payments and the threat of foreclosure sets in, talk to your real estate agent about getting help with a short sale. If your agent doesn’t offer to help you with a short sale, find an agent who will.

When applying for a short sale, your lender will require some documentation from you proving your financial hardship and your inability to pay your mortgage. (The documentation varies by lender, but it could be past pay stubs or tax forms.)

After you gather this information, there will be a considerable amount of of short sale paperwork. This is where your agent comes in. Your agent can be an asset by filling out all of the short sale paperwork. Once you turn the sale over to them, they can shoulder the work for you.