> I'm also a little worried about putting a lot down because prices might go down when interest rates go up. Get married, move to a cheaper place - remote work

> I'm also a little worried about putting a lot down because prices might go down when interest rates go up. Get married, move to a cheaper place - remote work is all the rage now after all - and use that cash to buy some real estate without the need for any mortgage (in this order or the other way around, your choice). You'll gain the financial security of having your own home, the social security of having a family and the freedom to explore whatever befits you. Who cares what interest rates or housing prices do, you're not affected by either. Source: I more or less did this and have never looked back with regret.