It was 2004 when Jose and Maria Suarez purchased their modest Tracy home, a 1,200-square-foot abode with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The couple never thought that in five years, their home’s value would decline by 50 percent. And Jose Suarez, a residential painter, never thought work would be so hard to come by.

A shaky income combined with a house the Suarezes can no longer afford put them in a tight spot.

“We tried to modify our loan, but we couldn’t,” Maria Suarez said. “So, now, we put it on the market as a short sale. We want to avoid foreclosure.”

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