Rates are still low — why not go with a 30-year loan?
I wouldn’t shoot for 25% of income as a target as much as “as low a percentage as possible while being comfy.” If you can do under 15% and live in a 2-bedroom condo, then do it! It’s like having subsidized housing with a real income — how cool is that?
Basically, given the choice of “nearly free” or “more floor space”, I’ll almost always take the former. Why? Because ta hell with being a slave to a box of ticky-tacky.