I think that is some very smart advice to think what you would pay for rent for a house you would be happy living in, and compare to your PITI minus tax advantages(don’t forget water bill + $100-$150/mo maintenance expenses in you PITI!) on the house you are buying.

Right now there is no reason to make a big jump in payment from going from renting to buying (plus lost interest you would get on the down payment investing it somewhere else other than the house). Especially if you think prices will remain flat for many years at the mid to high end.