Probably the best advice so far in this thread. Take out a mortgage on a modest home and pay it off before retirement.
We will have our home paid off in our 40s and also have significant retirement savings. It's not really a one or the other option, it's both and the timing of when the house should be paid off.
I've talked to many who have paid off their mortgage, I can't find one that regrets doing it. Their houses are a good asset but small compared to their other assets like rental properties and stocks.