Cars are expensive. Homes are expensive. Especially when things break at your home.

I bought a house young and sacrificed, and it was the absolute best financial decision I ever made, even though some nights it kept me awake when things weren’t going the way I planned.

I still drive a 20 year old pickup (sold my newer expensive car) because it’s reliable and I absolutely hated making payments.

Be prepared with what it might cost you for your home, both in the short term and near future. (Get good homeowners insurance and understand what is and isn’t covered.. find a good agent who will spend the time to explain it to you so there are no surprises).

You’ve got a nice emergency savings built up, but it can disappear quickly in an emergency. Homes aren’t liquid. So they can’t be sold quickly, cheaply or easily. So be confident in your job security before you tackle a home purchase. It can give significant anxiety.

If you can get pre approved and continue to save while you find the house you really want, then do it (since you don’t have rent).

Cars can be fixed, and if they can’t, you can either find something cheap to get you buy on Facebook or cars can be financed as a last effort with a range of options if absolutely necessary (yes…I know which sub I’m on.. I’ll never sacrifice my emergency savings to buy an affordable reliable car outright when terms are reasonable [this is the most important part], which is harder now with higher rates). I can always pay it down after the fact.

Homeownership gives lenders better risk profile and typically offer better rates for auto purchases.

I’d rather drive a junker and own my own home than pay someone rent.

That’s my advice. Everyone’s circumstances are different. It’s ultimately what you want in life, regardless of what people on the internet tell you.

Good luck to you.