[quote=scaredycat]are most americans actually thinking about their loans?[/quote]

Probably not.
And look at the mess we’ve gotten into.

heck – most home buyers only look at what size payment they can afford… and don’t look at the underlying loan product being offered. That’s how we got so much creative financing with neg am loans etc…

If people bought homes with the idea of paying them off – there would be a very different economy right now. I don’t know how many people told me I was stupid for getting a 15 year loan. But I’m going to be mortgage free in my retirement, and they won’t be.