Good points here, but honestly, I'd lean toward keeping more cash handy. Seen too many folks stretch themselves thin chasing lower rates, then boom—roof leak or busted heater hits. Liquidity can save your sanity...and your wallet.
Definitely see your point about liquidity. When I bought my first place, I stretched myself thin for a lower rate...then the AC died mid-July. Lesson learned—having cash handy beats saving a few bucks on interest any day.
Interesting perspective, but isn't the core issue more about balancing risk than just liquidity? I mean, sure, having cash handy for emergencies makes sense...but if you're consistently paying higher interest over years, doesn't that eat into your returns significantly? I'm still figuring this out myself as a first-time buyer, but seems like there's gotta be some sweet spot between liquidity and saving on interest. Curious how others have navigated this balance.
"seems like there's gotta be some sweet spot between liquidity and saving on interest."
Yeah, you're onto something there. I've been through this a couple times now, and honestly, it's less about one perfect answer and more about your personal comfort zone. Here's how I'd break it down: first, figure out your emergency fund (because life loves surprises...), then run the numbers on interest saved vs. potential investment returns elsewhere. I used to lean heavily toward bigger down payments, but lately I'm skeptical—sometimes keeping cash flexible can open doors you didn't even know existed.
I'm right in the middle of this decision myself, and honestly, it's been keeping me up at night. At first, I was all about putting down as much as possible to dodge higher interest rates. But then a friend pointed out how quickly unexpected expenses can pop up—especially with investment properties. Now I'm leaning toward holding onto a bit more cash just in case... feels safer to have some breathing room rather than stretching myself thin chasing lower interest.
