Devo,
You may want to go back and read the approval letter from the 2nd mortgage more carefully. I often see that they agree to release their claim on the property for the amount offered to them in the short sale, HOWEVER, they are not always releasing you from the liability of the deficiency. The only difference is that it has gone from a secured loan to an unsecured loan.
Legally, I believe that they have up to 5 years to go after you on the deficiency. Whether or not they take action to collect the debt is up to the lender. This decision is often based upon what they feel your ability to pay it back.
Unfortunately, this is a risk that goes along with doing a short sale.
I hope that this answer helps you. I would recommend double checking your approval letter before consulting an attorney.
Best wishes,
Rebecca. - Sat Oct 24 2009, 07:46