I think you're overlooking the interest payments, which are gone forever as well. If you have a 300k mortgage at 6%, you are paying 18k year (1500 month) in int

I think you're overlooking the interest payments, which are gone forever as well. If you have a 300k mortgage at 6%, you are paying 18k year (1500 month) in interest alone. Yes, there are tax advantages but I think this is negated by property taxes, PMI insurance, etc. Your mortgage payments aren't buying equity in your house.