Advertising and Commercial Relationships
Short-Sale.com helps homeowners understand mortgage distress, foreclosure, selling, and short-sale options.
Homeowners do not pay Short-Sale.com. Professionals fund the commercial side of the platform.
Our educational information, Help experience, tools, and Decision Brief features are available to homeowners without a fee from Short-Sale.com.
This page explains how professional participation and other commercial relationships fit within the platform.
Educational information comes first
Our articles, guides, tools, and Help experience are designed to help homeowners understand their situation and reasonable next steps.
Important information follows our sourcing, editorial, and review standards.
Commercial relationships are handled separately from those decisions.
Short-Sale.com is free for homeowners
Homeowners can use Short-Sale.com educational information, Help, tools, and Decision Brief features without paying Short-Sale.com.
Professionals and service providers may pay Short-Sale.com to participate in parts of the platform.
Their participation helps support the service while keeping the homeowner experience free.
If an outside professional offers a separate paid service, that professional is responsible for explaining any fees for that service.
Some professionals may pay to participate
Short-Sale.com may receive compensation from participating professionals or service providers.
That compensation may relate to:
- participation in the platform,
- access to a service area,
- advertising,
- a requested connection,
- or another clearly described commercial service.
When a commercial relationship is relevant to what a user sees or chooses, we aim to make that relationship clear.
Homeowners choose whether to connect
A homeowner can continue using Short-Sale.com without choosing a paid professional.
When a homeowner wants outside help, Short-Sale.com may show professionals or resources that fit the situation.
A professional connection begins when the homeowner chooses to request one.
The homeowner remains in control of that choice.
Read our Consumer Protection principles →
Paid relationships stay separate from editorial decisions
Our educational information is based on the topic, the facts that matter, and the sources that support the explanation.
A paid relationship does not set the editorial conclusion of an article, guide, tool, or Help explanation.
Our sourcing and review standards continue to govern important educational claims.
Learn how we source our information →
Different kinds of help may be shown
The right next step can depend on the homeowner's goals and situation.
Short-Sale.com may point users toward different kinds of help, including:
- a mortgage servicer,
- a HUD-approved housing counselor,
- a government or nonprofit resource,
- legal or tax guidance,
- a real estate professional,
- or another appropriate service.
Commercial resources and noncommercial resources are identified by their role so homeowners can understand the difference.
Outcomes are explained based on the facts
Mortgage and foreclosure outcomes can depend on decisions made by servicers, investors, courts, government agencies, buyers, and other parties.
We describe possible outcomes based on the facts available and identify when another party must make or confirm the final decision.
This keeps the information focused on what is known, what may vary, and what the homeowner may want to confirm next.
Sponsored or paid placements are identified clearly
If Short-Sale.com uses sponsored placements, paid listings, or advertising, we aim to identify them in clear language.
The label should help homeowners understand when a placement is commercial.
Educational content and source-backed explanations continue to follow the same editorial standards whether or not a paid relationship is present elsewhere on the page or platform.
Compensation can vary by service
Commercial arrangements may differ by professional, service, location, or product.
For example, compensation may be based on participation, advertising, territory access, or a requested connection.
The form of compensation may change as the platform develops.
When the commercial relationship matters to a homeowner's choice, the relevant disclosure should appear close to that choice.
Professional responsibility stays with the professional
Professionals who participate in Short-Sale.com remain responsible for their own services, licensing, duties, advice, and conduct.
Short-Sale.com may help homeowners find or connect with a professional, while the professional remains responsible for the services they provide.
This keeps the role of the platform and the role of the professional clear.
Our standards work together
Our commercial relationship standards work with the rest of our trust framework.
Together, these policies explain:
- how we source information,
- how we review content,
- how we use AI,
- how we support homeowner choice,
- and how we handle corrections.
These standards help keep the educational purpose of Short-Sale.com clear as the platform grows.