In applying for a short sale, you need to provide a hardship letter to get your application approved.  Short sales are offered to homeowners who have not yet fallen into foreclosure but are falling behind mortgage payments.

The hardship letter is the most crucial element to obtain a short sale so it should be written from the heart and thoroughly discusses the reason behind the borrower’s inability to pay the mortgage.  Whether the letter is handwritten or typewritten, the main objective of the letter is to convince lenders to grant you a short sale.  Always use a business format when writing a hardship letter.  Write your name and address on the upper right side of the paper.  Include the mitigator’s name, lender’s name and address on the next line and the line after that should include the current date, property address and loan number.

Write your detailed explanation in the body of the letter.  Explain the series of events that led to your financial hardship and include an outline of events and focus on the important aspects.  Limit your letter to two pages.  Close the letter by signing and printing the name of each person responsible for the mortgage note.