Some of those vacations can be done for $2500 or less(even less if they use points).

Assuming that’s invested with a decent return, $30-40k isn’t going to make a huge difference and in ten years assuming you’re planning on having kids, you’ll likely need more house. And even if it helps you have enough for a down payment, you’re still looking at a massive mortgage payment with where interest rates are at now.

I have 20% saved and am VA loan eligible, so I don’t really need it. But I’m hesitant to buy because my mortgage payment will double the cost of rent and even taking out the amount that would go towards principle, interest, insurance, hoa fee and tax exceed my rent.

Current cost of housing is very high and the amount of wealth (in the form of housing equity) concentrated in the older generation is unprecedented.