You are being smart it is nice to see a lady with ambition and planning for her future.I am now shopping around for the best mortgage rate with several banks as I can put a substantial down payment down now for a condo. I am using my civilian job as a point but will use most of my savings as a SW for the down payment, just gotta find the best rate. In Jewish culture we put a high emphasis on saving and I mean high, I'm too paranoid to be without money.
I always thought the first thing to do is to get your own home be it a condo or a house. Paying rent is like opening the window each month and throwing your cash out and waving good bye. I worked my ass off and bought my first home when I was 22. My parents moved 11 times in 9 years while I was growing up and I wanted to avoid that.