When either buying or selling through a short sale, a short sale attorney can be used to provide guidance throughout the process. Unlike other real estate sales, short sales are processed for the purpose of fulfilling a debt, in exchange for bypassing foreclosure. As a result, these sales usually requires a much greater extent of legal consideration. The first legal concern in a short sale is taxes. If you're not properly set up under IRS laws for real estate, your short sale may not have been processed legally. It is also helpful to have professionally provided documents for the sale, which are especially necessary in a short sale since more intense documentation is needed. Most importantly, its important that the short sale remains in line with the terms set out by the lender, as otherwise you're placing yourself back into threat of foreclosure. Before making any decisions, talking to a short sale attorney can make sure that you will indeed allow you to avoid foreclosure. A short sale attorney can also provide general advice on the overall process that may not be accessible elsewhere.