They know that Dave would say yes, if you have the cash to pay off the mortgage, you should absolutely do so, and free yourself from debt. However, this individual also recognizes the opportunity this cash presents. As they look to sell a second home in 2026, they know that the proceeds from this sale, along with some other funds set aside, will be sufficient to pay off their primary mortgage.
For this Redditor, they are looking at a scenario where they have a 2.75% mortgage with approximately $500,000 left on the balance. This is equivalent to a $3,400 monthly payment on a house that is currently worth around $850,000. Having bought the house seven years ago for $715,000, this isn't a ton of growth, given what other areas of the country have done. This fact aside, the family has no other debt and has around $1 million sitting in retirement and non-retirement accounts.