it's also the fact that they're happening more often. in fact, short sales made up 17% of all home sales last month. next week the government will give banks new incentives to approve the short sales. >> so look, they aren't exactly new, but why are the short sales becoming so popular right now? >> because you've got to know when to just cut your losses and keep it moving. >> boy, isn't that the truth. keep it moving. >> keep it moving. because the thing is, it's better for the banks if they get something for these houses. so if a bank waits for a home to go into foreclosure, it's the bank's responsibility then to maintain the property. when the foreclosed home is sold, the bank could lose up to 50% of the loan it originally made. but with a short sale, the loss is typically around 30%. a way for the bank to get the loan off their books quickly. now, from the homeowner's perspective, if there's no way out, a short sale is not as bad as a foreclosure. a foreclosure can knock down a