Ask your agent to have the listing agent send you a copy of the estimated HUD that the listing agent will need to send to the short sale negotiator. This will enable you to see the estimated liabilities that the seller has. Sometimes though, the escrow company may use a dated preliminary title report that didnt identify all the liens. That could suck but you would not get stuck with the bill if they were property taxes. Like UR said, any other sort of debt (for instance HOA liens or mechanics liens) is THE CHOICE of the short sale lender to pay off. If they do not want to they may ask you to and if you do not want to then you can walk away. Your other concern of course is the condition of the property. You can try to ask for repairs after the short sale has been accepted by the lender but more often then not they say no.