Will a short sale work for me? The answer will have to be "It Depends". A short sale is not for everyone but if there is a hardship reason why you can't afford your current house then a short sale may be the thing for you. The banks don't just do short sales for everyone. They will request financial information and a letter explaining your hardship. They will review the situation and then review the an offer on your house to see if the short sale will work.