Fosters -

I got your email . . . thanks for being in touch, I'll reply soon. I wanted to post a reply for anyone else who's following this. As for my numbers being wrong, here's a BankRate.com amortization table showing $203,500 amortized over 30 years at 1.73% . . . ending with $57,499.10 total interest paid:

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/amortiza...tization+Table

This thing does work, it just takes some 'free-thinking' to get your head wrapped around it. As for unforseen expenses (e.g.: property tax increases), you are correct, there is no way to account for that specifically. However, the guarantee pertains to totals, not specifics. In other words, if your property taxes go up by $1000/yr, but so does your income (or you save $1000/yr somewhere else in your budget), the net numbers are the same, so the guarantee's still valid. I'm hoping my income more than keeps pace with property taxes and all other factors of inflation through the years. So, if I'm understanding the concept you're calling DIY, you'd actually be paying more money in total mortgage payments, right? If so, therein lies a huge advantage of the MMA . . . you get to use the bank's money, not yours! If not, then I simply don't understand.