Your income will go a long way for you with your buying power when qualifying for your FHA loans.With closing costs and everything, if its not a major fixer, 75k is probably a safe budget to play with.

Even if you can reduce the amount you're spending in rent right now (3.1k), you can still be a part of the appreciation play (although I wouldn't hold that as the main driver). 

The equity play would likely still make it worth it to buy there though, IMO.

You can even play with some numbers on DTI calculators and ballpark estimate where you will be after your Refi. 

Your best play is probably taking advantage of the VA loan to acquire a property.

It is a significant risk, but also not deadly if you buy right. 

I have an awesome family play area.It is the lake and I provide water toys.

Everything I have heard is Steel will stay up for the next two years due to auto industry playing catchup from chip shortage. 

Regarding the southeast, I think you'll do better over here near Asheville and the NC mountains than on the coast, in part because winter time is pretty dead over on the coast, unlike over here where well-managed places are booked solid year round.

You can play it by ear and search for both at the same time.