LAS VEGAS -- As housing prices continue to fall in southern Nevada, homeowners are looking to unload their devalued properties any way they can.

But should you consider a short sale?

FOX5 took a closer look at the option, which allows a homeowner to negotiate with a bank to sell their property for less than what it is worth. The seller must show a severe drop in income or other financial hardship to qualify for the sale.

Banks are often reluctant to cooperate, but some real estate experts feel homeowners could get a break in order to avoid foreclosure.

“(Foreclosure) can impact homes, adjacent home values by 30 percent, that’s not good for the rest of us,” said Rick Shelton, president-elect of the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors.

Those hoping to avoid both options and sell their property may have to wait several years. According to two polls in the 2009 Las Vegas Perspective, 31.1 percent of people think home prices will fall in the next 12 months, and another 48.2 percent believe there will be a better time to buy a house in the next five years.