The Vegas Way Out

The Vegas Way Out
Las Vegas homeowners are more likely than those elsewhere to walk away from their mortgages even though they can afford them, according to a study by two Chicago-area universities. The reason: Las Vegas — where 81 percent of homes are worth less than their mortgages based on the latest figures — leads the nation in the rate of foreclosures. And the decision to default on a mortgage can be contagious. The more it occurs, the more acceptable it becomes.