Invest now or wait for more certainty?

[Darwin Disla]

I'm 26, live in an apartment with my girlfriend, 2 dogs, 1 cat, no kids. I have a decent paying job, with a fairly flexible schedule and I've been interested in using my free time effectively and learning about real estate. I don't know much right now, but I've been learning through this site and the podcast. I have about 5k saved up and 12k in an IRA. I recently moved to Kansas City, MO from Miami, FL. The prices for homes here in MO are so much better than FL, but we miss our family back home and are considering moving back. I put in a transfer request at work to go to the Tampa, FL office so I can be closer to family. It hasn't been reviewed yet and there's no guarantee they will even approve it. So should I purchase a home here in MO or wait until I know if I will be transferring to FL?

Bonus question -  would it be difficult to house hack with all my pets?