Wish we had known this sooner -
If you are behind on your house payments or in financial trouble - before your get that dreaded "sheriff sale" notice - contact an experienced real estate agent to learn about "short sales" - one will probably still lose one's home, but one may be able to protect some of one's other assets such as one's retirement fund.
How do I know this? Because of our son ----
From what this agent said, the lenders make the rules - and it seems to be "heads, you lose; and tails, you don't win"