<prompt> Human: Hi all,Im a new college grad, married, and looking to buy a house in the near future.My wife and I are looking for homes in the 400-500k range our area is very expensive and are saving up the 3.5 for a FHA 30-year loan.We can save enough in just about 2 months.My employer matches 100 up to 6 on my 401k contributionsShould I cease putting the 6 in for the time being so that I may afford the down payment sooner? We wish to buy as soon as possible out of concern that the housing market may be starting a bounceback, as housing stocks are hitting their highest points in the last 12 months.TLDR: Should I stop putting away the 6 of my salary into my 401k which my company matches 100 to save more rapidly for a down payment?  <response>: There is virtually no situation short of dire emergency in which you should pass up the free money offered by your employer.Why the rush to buy, anyway? Real estate is volatile - may go up, may go down. And if you cant afford even a few percent of the downpayment now, I fear where your emergency fund and other savings are.From the limited information youve provided, it sounds to me like you are too eager to buy - and eagerness means a lack of leverage in home-buying negotiations and can lead to emotional decision making.I would rent until you can afford more of a downpayment, even if you dont actually use it for said downpayment. 