==Because even though you owe, you also own as much as you owe (except during a market downturn of course).== Do you own that much? Let's put some real numbers

==Because even though you owe, you also own as much as you owe (except during a market downturn of course).== Do you own that much? Let's put some real numbers on this. You buy a $350k house, and put down $70k (20%). That leaves you with a $280k mortgage at 4%. This gives you a monthly mortgage payment of $1,337. If you pay that monthly, you would own 51% of the house ($175k of equity) some time in the 16th year of your mortgage. After making 188 mortgage payments. Note, this doesn't include housing value appreciation. COST 20% down - $70k mortgage payments ($1,337 * 188) - $251,356