Let's say your home is losing value almost monthly. You're already underwater, and the bleeding could go on for years. An increasing number of housing experts are advising homeowners to simply "walk away" from their commitments, a practice referred to as "strategic default."
Clearly, homeowners seem to agree, as the number of strategic defaulters has risen. A recent survey showed that 27% of homeowners would consider walking away, as opposed to 15% just a year ago. A 2010 Morgan Stanley report indicated that nearly 12% (almost 200,000) defaults from the previous year were voluntary.