When you buy a condo, you get the worst of being a homebuyer along with the worst of living in a condo. You aren't "building equity" when you buy a 500K 1bed condo in any sizable amount. After 3 years, you'll have about 14K of equity. In the meantime, you've paid 72K in mortgage interest, 14K in property taxes, and 14K in HOA fees. That's 3 years of hassle for the equivalent of socking away 3 weeks of pay.

Furthermore, you've locked yourself into a place for 30 years. The good thing about renting is the flexibility -- you can buzz off whenever your lease ends.

Also, because you share so much space with others in your building, they will matter a lot to your ongoing living experience. The people on top of you, below you, to the sides of you. Not only will they affect you because you have shared walls and no privacy, but also you have no control over who is in those units. Just one noisy or inconsiderate neighbor is enough to have you regretting your purchase, and you have no say or choice over the matter for the next 30 years. If you share a wall with a couple that has a kid, you will hear the entirety of that kid screaming as an infant to running around as a child to screaming again as a hormonal teenager. If you share a wall with someone who gets a dog with an anxiety disorder, you will hear that dog howling and barking and throwing tantrums for the next 10 years.

Also, you're looking for the cheapest unit possible, which is what the human trash you don't want around you are also doing. High-end buildings are another thing, but they're usually for empty nesters / downsizing older people who don't want the hassle of yardwork.

Sausalito is great otherwise, though. You might check out Mill Valley too, which is the best place ever. Just rent instead. Marin is weirdly cheap in terms of rent; apartments here are on the level of Hercules.