If all decision are equal the thing iI look at is the what is the least amount of stress and work.

Sometimes that can mean accepting a lower return in exchange for less stress. 

Emotional attachment comes from the fact that I am in the Navy and went through the same PTS approval stress two years ago.

And thats not a good return on your money IMO.So, I'm not going to say its a terrible idea to pay it off sooner if you're someone that just doesn't want to deal with debt and gets stressed out by it.

The stresses and loss of personal time to commuting has a rather negative impact on health and leisure.The lower taxes are part of the reason Cities can no longer afford to carry the suburbs surrounding them.

Different price points (rent or mortgage) eliminates certain parts of society.  

The sooner they give you the money, the less "float" (or interest earned in their account while holding the money they collected at the beginning of the month and paying you at the end of the month) they will make, and thus a higher interest would be warranted.I can't stress enough that it would be better if you do it yourself. 

I'm just trying to find the lowest stress and lowest cost way to deal with them during these difficult times.

Wow, sorry for rambling, but this was a topic I could not resist answering because I STRESSED BADLY over it!  

Forward anyone to our attorney(s) and eat the cost but let the attorneys deal with the stress.