Why, exactly, would you not be looking to rent a room, with roommates, in Seattle rather than buying a place on a shoestring with the idea of getting roommates? In both cases, you'd be living with roommates but in the second case you're on the hook for anything that goes wrong with the place. That, or substantial HOA fees to cover such things (depending on how a condo or shared building is managed, which may involve the potential for sudden big fees for building maintenance). And if it's a fixer-upper then wow things can go wrong quickly. Never mind that even with the additional savings, $8K is only 10% down for an $80K place, and good luck finding that anywhere near Seattle. This means you'll be way into barely any equity zone, so if the market stumbles at all you could be underwater very quickly.
A couple of different options:
-you could scout around for a deal in which you do some of the work on the place in exchange for lower rent. This may vary and involve working with other tenants in an apt building or some such, but there may be opportunities if you are handy and willing.
-sharing a place or doing a sort of "house sitting" situation with owners who are somewhat absent. If you are very responsible and again willing to do any needed work this could mean cheap rent.
-roommates who, like you, have a decent amount of travel or kind of live with a significant other but have not yet moved in all the way with their beau.
-roommates with whom you have a lot in common so it's almost like living with your friends instead of someone creepy.
As a longtime homeowner I would definitely caution you against buying too quickly with too little savings. Home ownership costs more than PITI. There is a reason the rule of thumb tends to be maintenance costs of 1%/year. That may be on the high side for a mustachian who has some experience and tools, but it's definitely way above your zero figure. And you often have problems crop up very soon after purchase, because even with inspections and stuff it's still tough to tell. A/C, furnace and water issues are the biggies (several grand potentially) but even some dumb things like a branch falling off a tree can quickly get into the hundreds of dollars if it does damage or increases insurance rates. Also, some things with houses require immediate action in order to prevent further damage. A branch falling on a roof might not be covered by insurance, and rain getting onto the damaged area almost certainly won't be. Roofs cost several thousand dollars, even doing a lot of work yourself. For example.
