Defaulting on your home loan used to be a hush-hush topic … you know, back in 2004. But now it’s not uncommon for your neighbor to talk about how he just doesn’t want to pay his mortgage anymore.

What that neighbor of yours doesn’t know is that most Americans – 60 percent – don’t agree with what he’s doing, according to a recent survey from FindLaw.com, a legal information website. It turns out that most people don’t think walking away from a mortgage shouldn’t be an option for homeowners.

One-third of the population (34 percent) said it’s OK for homeowners to walk away from mortgages, but only if they aren’t able to make the monthly payments. Only 3 percent believe homeowners should be able to walk away from mortgages anytime they want.

Now, this can be a complicated issue. Some people walk away because they simply can’t afford the mortgage payments anymore. However, I know I’ve read an article or two about some of the super wealthy walking away from their underwater homes because they’d rather take loss where it stands.

What do you think? Is it ever OK to walk away from a mortgage?