[SauronOfMordor]

You're much better off getting a 15 year mortgage and paying it off. Then you have almost the entire proceeds from the sale of your house to use as a downpayment for a new house. I just bought a new house and I'm paying a few hundred a month over what a 30 year would be, but I'll be much better off for it.

I got a 30 year mortgage, but paid extra principal during a very prosperous long term consulting gig. This resulted in me having it fully paid off just before the recession, where I was out of work for a long time. Not having to worry about mortgage payments greatly reduced my stress level

[AlaskaErik]

I got a 30 year mortgage, but paid extra principal during a very prosperous long term consulting gig.

That's fine and dandy, but look at amortization tables. The first few years of a 30 year mortgage you're only paying 20-40 dollars a month towards principal. With a 15 year mortgage it's several hundred dollars. I plan on doing the same thing and hope to be paid off in 10 years, not 25.