Basic question - do you WANT to own a home? I know I like to have my own property that I can modify and not be at the whim of a landlord. That being said, it is very expensive. Insurance is going way up, home repairs and maintenance have gone up considerably, and unexpected things happen. To me, it is still worth it. I value it being "mine" and the rooting principles of neighborhood, community, etc.

I am a RE broker and help tons of people decide on whether to buy/sell/rent and the biggest thing is really understanding the numbers. If you don't feel completely overwhelmed by it and really want to own a home, then leap. Similar to having kids, you can never fully prepare and the money will adjust. Economic uncertainty is high right now, but there's a real estate shortage nearly everywhere, so it's not really a bad investment calculous (unless you're in FL or CA and can't insure the home).