<<<Total cost of a house is $280,000. I am 35. I intend to put down 70,000 and after keeping a fair amount of cash for emergencies I have 40,000 to invest.>>>

Here are some things to think of. With a thirty year mortage, at it's end, you would have paid about 3 times the cost of the house. That is, principle plus interst. So total cost of your house is around $600,000 since you're putting down $70,000. Now take that $40,000 and invest. You would have to earn around 14% over 30 years to get about $600,000. Even with the historical S&P 500 return at 10%, you're looking to outperform by 4%. I know some of our screens easily do that, but it all comes down to what you're comfortable with.

Me personally, I paid off my mortgage, around 20 years early, and now use my mortgage note to invest. But I only did that with "extra" money, what was left over after funding my retirement accounts and building an emergency fund and retiring all debts.

JLC

who thinks any debt is bad.