Because you didn't ask, I'm gonna weigh in here... Buying a house is isolating. Traveling is social. Every traveler I have known, that has bought a house, has eventually started to travel again, seen the house as a burden, and sold it. If you need to buy something to self-validate, buy a condo. No lawn upkeep. No plumbing issues. No worries that the homeless/meth heads are going to move in while you are gone. And, you can lock the door and go away for 5 months, any day of the week. Buy a house if you really want THAT house, and want to live in it every day. Otherwise, screw it. The economy is heading for a nosedive soon, so you won't be missing out on much, financially speaking.
You buy a house because you want to stay put and raise a kid. Or because you bought a du/tri/quad-plex and that makes financial sense. It is hugely isolating because houses are rarely located in central city hubs and services and so you end up living far away from everything.
I have a condo now but want a little more of my own space. Regarding the pending nosedive, I agree and am not in that much of a rush. It's more, saving now will give me more options later. I'm not really a five month traveler and more of a "annually three one week trips and three more long weekends" kind of traveler. I think I can manage that with a house (for a cost).