I'm not worried about you or W--you are using your loan to improve the property, for the most part, and he doesn't do an improvement unless he has the cash in hand--but I do worry about others I know.

But we can't live their lives for them--we can only pass along information. We purposely bought in an older, established neighborhood, and did not get a mortgage with an accelerate. Because W did not roll the equity in his old house over into the new house, he has a small, 2nd note he's paying off faster. But the rent house pays for itself, and we hope will start making a small profit this year.