if you are going to stay in one place for a bit and can efford a mortgage, having a mortage is definitely smart b/c of the tax write off. About half of a mortage is interest. So you can write off half of your mortgage over duration. A tax write off means you pay less taxes or the Government is helping you pay your mortgage. 1/2 (of your mortgage) x .28 (28% tax rate for most people) = .14 meaning the Government pays 14% of your mortgage. Thanx Uncle Sap. Also, most properties should double every 15-20 years.