First, rent a place in the area you think makes sense with respect to your part-time commute and in an area you can afford to buy. After 6 months or so you’ll know whether this will work out for you. If it does work out, then start considering where to buy. You’ll likely be buying in 9 moths to a year from now.
A years’ worth of extra taxes is a small price to pay. There is no hurry to buy, the trend is your friend in this market.
