Gnubbit - without wanting to influence your decision in anyway, you should also evaluate whether or not it really makes sense to buy a home in a location that you may not be content to stay in for several years. In many instances at present it is cheaper to rent than to buy, this is illustrated on many different threads in the 'great financial debate' section. A quick example here is:
You obtain a mortgage of 300K at 4% over 35yrs (That amount would appear quite high given your current circumstances, but we will use it for this example), in year 1 your repayments are 1327 per month or 16000 per annum of which interest is 11908 and capital is 4018, hence if you can rent for circa 1000 per month it is cheaper than to buy.
The main issues you have to consider are:
1. What/where can you buy with 300,000
2. What/where can you rent for 1000 per month
3. How stretched would you be with the repayments of 1300 per month
4. Additional costs such as insurance, maintenance, management fees, commute costs, furnishings, solicitors, stamp duty (if applicable)
5. Whether or not you think property prices will continue to increase (this is the key question)
6. The addtional utiliity/happiness that owning a home means to you, this again is intangible and is different for everyone.
Good luck whatever you decide.