I didn’t think you were trying to infer that at all. Sometimes things just come across the way they come across. I would also never assume people always have the same takeaway as me, so for all I know maybe I was the only one who read it that way. Just what happens with the written word.

Even here, I wasn’t talking about the loan process (that does seem like a PITA), I was just referring to the lower payment. If one could lower their payment by going to the 15-year, I’m pretty sure everybody would do it.

With regard to the specifics, I wasn’t accounting for any paydown you may have been doing over the years. Sounds like you’d done great on that front and shaved off almost $100K there. I had your original loan amount at $660K, but that was simply running numbers backward. Obviously, if it was $630, it was $630.

Agree with you about the attractiveness of getting the house paid off before your old and gray, but also want to remind everyone that you can still do a 30 (if that’s all you can qualify for) and pay it down more quickly. Personally, this would be my approach if I was already several years into the loan I was refinancing and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen you recommend something similar. Obviously, you’re a fan of paying a little extra principal from time to time.