Well That Was Quick

[JPolen01]

If you buy a house you're not tethered to it, you can always rent it out, so its up to you if thats a commitment that you want to make in your 20's. 

Not a good idea for a first time home buyer IMO. Especially if you end up moving out of state. Who is going to manage the property? What happens when the fridge goes tits up in the middle of the night? Any profit you make on rent is going to the property manager. Not worth the hassle. 

I am also in the camp of keeping the Jeep. I assume the new long block is going to come with some kind of warranty on the parts and labor. You won't find another vehicle for $15k that is 'nearly' new as Jake said.