Stretching a mortgage to half a century? Sounds tempting when monthly payments drop, but here's the harsh reality nobody wants to admit: you're not solving the affordability crisis—you're just postponing the pain.

Think about it. Lower monthly chunks might feel manageable now, but you'll be hemorrhaging interest for decades. By the time you're supposed to be enjoying retirement, you're still chained to debt. That dream of financial freedom at 65? Forget it. You'll be 80 and still making payments.

The math is brutal. A 50-year term means you're paying interest on interest on interest. Sure, the bank loves it—they're raking in profit while you're getting older. Meanwhile, your peers who bit the bullet with shorter terms? They're debt-free, building actual wealth, maybe even dabbling in alternative assets.

Housing costs won't magically shrink because you spread payments thinner. The price tag stays sky-high; you're just agreeing to bleed slower. And when inflation hits or rates shift? You're locked in for the long haul, watching your purchasing power erode.

Bottom line: if you can't afford it in 30 years, a 50-year Band-Aid won't fix the underlying wound. It might even guarantee you're working well past retirement age just to keep a roof overhead.