Using retirement to buy condo

[Jennifer Allen]

Hi. I'm from Phoenix Az and I am 34 old.  I'm tired of living paycheck to paycheck.  I know I will pay lots of money in taxes if I take out my $43,000 retirement early, but it is my only way to come up with the money to put as a down payment on real estate.  I would like to buy a condo in a very great location near Arizona State University. I am very familiar with those condos since my mother has lived there the past 5 years. They are newer and beautiful and rent out quickly. I feel confident this would be a good investment. The condo is $87,500.  I would have enough money to put down.  Also the rent would be cheap enough for me to pay if someone does not rent it that month...around $500. Does anybody have any advice to give me? Any words will be helpful to me....Jennifer