Four in 10 Americans might consider strategic default: survey

Four in 10 U.S. homeowners would consider walking away from their mortgage if it were to go underwater, according to a survey conducted last week by Harris Interactive for Trulia.com and RealtyTrac. The negative stigma attached to foreclosed properties also appears to be diminishing: 78 percent of adults over age 18 saw downsides to buying bank-owned homes, down from 85 percent one year ago. Still, Americans have become significantly less interested in buying foreclosed properties since last year’s survey, with 45 percent of adults saying they were at least somewhat likely to consider purchasing a bank-owned home, down from 55 percent who said they would do so in May 2009. TRD