Seneca certainly understood human beings very deeply, and we haven't changed very much in the millennia since.
For the most part, I agree with what you wrote. The only problem is that if you save at 1% annual return while the real estate market moves up at 10% a year, you have a long, hard slog ahead of you.
That doesn't mean you should risk your down payment savings in the stock market, but perhaps in something tied to real estate, like a REIT.
If the market goes up, and you need a bigger down patient, your investment should do well. If the market changes direction and you lose money, you'll need a smaller down payment, so you're not further behind.