If you short sale it will effect your credit for about 3 years.
If you foreclose, seven years.
It's one thing to be upside down, another to not be able to make the payment.
Don't take the lawyer's word for it. Call the bank and ask to talk to a mediator or someone in lss mitigation. It only costs you a phone call and you might get a surprise. Every lender is different.
Don't pay someone to talk to the bank for you.
Compare your payment to what rent would cost. If it's close, then maybe you want to keep the house.
loss mitigation