Can you get a job with a decent amount of vacation time and travel with the family during school vacations? Or have more time for hobbies/volunteering/doing what you want to do?

No mortgage: guessing you’re paying under $1000/mo including utilities for the house, minus whatever rental income you have from other properties. That puts you in a GREAT position to say F YOUR MOTHER to the rat-race.

Paid off house + car + rental income = ability to do what you want. Enjoy it.