How long will it take to negotiate a short sale?

This is entirely up to the lender. Some lenders take as little as two weeks, some over six months. The only way to know is to start the process. The key is making sure that your short sale package is complete, and that you follow up daily with the lender.

Borrowers should do everything they can to avoid foreclosure, which is one of the best decisions you can ever make.

This is a complicated question depending on what you consider the start of the "process" to be. Generally, the Bank will send a NOD (notice of default) to the title company and trustee. From that time it takes between 3-9 months for the house to go up for auction, during which, you can pay the delinquent amount to "cure" the foreclosure proceedings.