Don’t forget, you also have $xxx in equity in your paid off house. So not only are you not paying rent on your paid off house, you could sell it and have whatever the sales price in cash.
Over 15 or 30 years, we all paid a lot more than the original price on our houses due to interest and inflation. But the property appreciated in that time too. So in the end, if you buy a house for $100k, pay $180k in mortgage payments over 30 years, get screwed a bit by inflation...and get the benefit of some appreciation, we have a lot to show for it.
Today the house may be worth $250k, and even after you subtract the maintenance etc, you still have SOMETHING. Paying rent for 30 years, you have $0 equity.
I even went one better since I paid cash for my house. Paid 55K. should be able to sell for 125K. Made a profit and lived in it for 20 years. What’s not to like?