What with the way the Real Estate market is today, folks can no longer count on appreciation to build equity. Those (like you) who realize that they need to pay down their current mortgage debt are looking for alternate ways to aggressively (yet safely) build equity.

They’ve found that the Money Merge Account™ system is a perfect way to do that; they can focus on the wealth accumulation goals while accelerating their equity by using a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC).

A typical 30 year loan (of whatever type) can be paid down in 1/3 to 1/2 the time; it’s a great way to save *huge* amounts of income by eliminating the front-end interest load of a mortgage amortization schedule. (On these million-plus dollar homes, I’ve personally seen where the Money Merge Account™ program will save the owner 3/4 million in interest charges!)

I think the tax advantage on the mortgage interest is what helps drawing people in debt.

I did some calculations. The tax advantage only plays to a certain extent – you have high (earned?) income and high mortgage debt.

There is a lot of caveats:

If your income is TOO high, then you don’t get any tax benefits.
If your mortgage debt is too low, say below $100k. Then you’d better off not doing itemized return.
blah blah

The guy saying he mortgage his house to live at large probably has no clue, he will have no (earned) income and probably nobody wants to loan him money (certainly not true in these insane days).

There are advertised services that will pay you to take your home equity, but I highly doubt that it won’t cause you an arm and a leg.

I’m sure it must be nice to be an egotistical jerk. Your kids and 3 ex-wives adore you, I’m sure.

I have a paid for house and a paid for car. NO DEBTS. Got out of the stock market at 14,000. I am sitting on cash with a hope to buy some rental property for income.

If you accept this axiom, then everything the mortgage brokers say follows with unimpeachable logic. But in fact this axiom happens not to apply to the one-and-only house which the majority of mortgage holders own. For the single-house crowd, “all that money” equals “the house you live in”. Thus the axiom can be restated as “you would be a fool, with the house you live in sitting there, doing nothing.”

But the house you live in doesn’t just sit there doing nothing. Use your eyes! Your house is busy busy busy all day every day. It keeps the rain off your head. It provides a shady space with electric outlets for your refrigerator and stove. It defends your pawnable goods from the sticky fingers of the ethically derelict. It prevents passing cops from harassing you when you are trying to get some sleep. Do not forget the great blessing of a properly functioning private bathroom.

If you’re going to use that money for a better investment, that’s great. If you’re going to use it to finance current consumption, the best that can be said is that maybe it’s cheaper than financing current consumption with the same size credit-card balance.

Don’t know you, will never meet you but I have to tell you – I don’t believe a word of your post. To me it sounds more like a mantra or meme than an actual lifestyle you are engaging in. It rings hollow and I’m calling BS on you.

Deflation is almost an impossibility but never say never. In deflation cash is king. A dollar today in hand is worth more tomorrow. If this were to happen however home ownership would be only a minor concern because there would be societal breakdown.

So the idea of paying off to hedge against deflation is mostly just a theoretical exercise.