A mortgage is also potential equity whereas your credit card debt is not. I'm going to pay to live somewhere (rent or mortgage). If I have mortgage debt, that '

A mortgage is also potential equity whereas your credit card debt is not. I'm going to pay to live somewhere (rent or mortgage). If I have mortgage debt, that 'rent' payment is becoming ownership. In addition, the interest on that debt is deductible so, to some degree, it comes out in the wash (so to speak).