[d1zzy]

> If you sell your house, even in a sellers market like today, you will immediately become a buyer in a seller’s market, facing the same inflated costs to get back into a house.

Whether it's a seller's market, buyer's market or balanced market, as both a seller and buyer _in the same market_ you will experience things from both sides, I don't think the market situation really matters in that case.

But what does matter, especially in market of constantly increasing prices, is that already owning a house means your stake in the house is already following the general market pricing so you only need to pay some extra "if you move up" in the market or you cash in some money "if you downsize". This is vastly better than just being a first time buyer, in that type of market.

> If you can fully pay off the mortgage, you’ll immediately get more monthly income and this income can be applied towards actual investments that make you money. (But you could have done this instead of paying off the mortgage too, so it’s economy dependent)

Really depends on the mortgage interest rate, term (years that the interest is applied over) and the expected returns from those said investments. In other words, I find it hard to find enough motivation to pay off a 2% interest rate 10 years long mortgage loan. 2% is same as inflation, that mortgage is almost free.

[twobitshifter]

Yes I agree, owning is better than renting, but it’s effectively not a positive investment return. Either rent out your property or put as little into it as you can would be my advice. Your other investments will outperform your house, when you consider the fundamental need to have housing.

Also agree on the mortgage rates which are economy dependent along with the stock market. Right now you should certainly not pay off the mortgage but there are some times in history where it might make sense, which is why I noted it.