Your argument is a good one but I have reached the stage in life where I also value simplicity.
I find a mortgage simplifies things. One constant monthly payment directly debited from checking to the mortgage co, who also pays our taxes and insurance without our lifting a finger. We have no mortgage on our vacation home, (wasn’t available,) and almost missed paying the annual taxes when the post office failed to deliver the tax bill last year. Happily I realized we had not yet paid the taxes, (while qualifying for another mortgage,) and we got a payment in on the day before which we would have been assessed a penalty.
…with no investment real estate that requires me to find good deals, fix them up and repair and maintain them, all give me the freedom to do what I want to do with my spare time.
Sure, real estate investing isn’t for everyone…not even for me at this point…but I loved the hunt, and am frankly wrestling with jettisoning that part of my life, but that has nothing to do with inflation. Was not required, just as having a paid off primary is very much not required to LBYM and have simplicity in one’s life. A low rate 30 year FRM is much more anti-inflationary than a paid off house. You pay back a loan with inflated dollars that can buy less over time, increasing the value of the house that is increasing in value with inflation.
A paid off home is very much an emotional component that many seek, but it is in no way an inflation hedge, unless you are at risk of losing the home. Many reasons to prefer not to have a mortgage, and I make no judgement on that. I only judge it’s use on fighting inflation.
IP