According to an article in New York Times, mortgage lenders are offering cash incentives to homeowners willing to short sale. Shed the high payment of an upside down mortgage and get paid to do it!
A lot of people think that they won't qualify for a short sale because their income is too high, or they don't want to short sale because they think it will damage their credit score. The truth is, all homeowners qualify for a short sale and a short sale can be done without missed payments, resulting in very little credit damage.