[SSLance]

First off, for being 25 years old with a mortgage like that on your first house...I gotta give you props. Nice work!

In a general sense, I'd rather pay off debt first before investing as debt is like an anchor tied around your leg. But Mortgage debt (especially a nice note like you have) is the best kind of debt to have if you have to have any.

Do you have any other consumer debt that needs to be paid off? Student loans, car loans, credit card balances? If so, I'd work on paying those down first and foremost.

If not...how long do you plan on staying in the house you are in now? Long term or starter home? Paying that principle down quicker will make it easier to build equity to parlay forward toward your next home.

That said, it's never too early to start saving for retirement and putting money into an investment account and getting started on a couple Steady Eddies is a great way to start. Just be prepared to put that money to work for a long time, don't look to be using it as an ATM a couple years down the road.