[humandraydel]

House fund or Roth?

Easy. The Roth. Remember, the contributions can be withdrawn at any time penalty-free, tax-free. I see it as the perfect vehicle for a house fund, if necessary. I'm currently 25 and I fund my Roth before my house fund. In a few years I'll be buying a house and while I doubt I'll need to tap my Roth for a down payment, I know the option is always there.

I think the key is this: by not funding a Roth you are missing the opportunity for many years of tax free growth. It's true that you may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity (because you withdraw the contributions), but there is no reason not to take the chance at that opportunity.