"Retiring" at 33. Too early?

[Adam Haman]

Good afternoon!

I'm a Realtor and RE investor here in Denver feeling burned out after a 5 year push. I've made decent incomes for the past 5 years (80-120k), and invested more than half of it each year in the best, newest rentals I could find. I'm considering "retiring" and doing something else.

I don't love being a Realtor; the hours in particular are difficult, I often don't feel like I can keep my mind from wandering to clients and pending deals, and I don't feel I've had domain over my own mind, or gotten away from work completely, in more than 3 years. I have 2 young kids that deserve better from me, and I want to give them my full attention.

We're established in a great home we remodeled in Denver with a $1300 mortgage. By the end of 2014 I should have monthly cash flows of about $4,500 after vacancy and expenses. This is roughly equivalent to our monthly cost of living, minus expensive vacations. I have 9 outstanding mortgages, including our principal residence. My wife does not work. As such, I think I could pursue a job with less stress, more coworkers, and more job satisfaction. Regardless of pay, I think we could make a run of it. Retirement should be taken care of with 8 investment properties fully paid off when I am 62, and increases in rent in the meantime will grow our monthly income with inflation.

What am I missing? Am I jumping the gun on this? Does anyone live happily on a similar monthly income? Has anyone "retired" and then regretted it? Is it difficult to get back in the game?

Thanks everyone for your input. How can I help you?

[Joel Owens]

"in more than 3 years"

So you haven't taken a break for yourself in 3 years?? I don't care what you do as a profession it's important to get away.

I do commercial real estate and not residential. Even though I do not drive clients around I am more processing numbers on complex transaction investments all day long. I still need a vacation every 3 to 6 months and exercise multiple times a week to clear the mind.

Even if you love what you do if you burn candles at both ends you will flame out. I think you need to take a few weeks vacation and leave the cell phone at home. Spend time on yourself and your family. Then when you get back see how you feel. You can't make such a large life changing decision not thinking clearly being worn out without a break. 

I love what I do and want to keep doing forever in commercial real estate. There is no absolute yes or no. As the years progress you can be more selective on what clients you take to reduce your stress level. The ones that are too much drama you won't need to work with them as your residual income from investments will provide steady cash flow. Look at if real estate is not what you enjoy or is it the residential part. So if you switched to investors would you like that better, or commercial, or leasing etc.?? So many agents start in residential and they can't stand it. Many quit not knowing all the other avenues in real estate they can take that is different.

I personally like to go to the beach on vacation and listen to the waves roll in at dark with peace and quiet and the moon hitting off the ocean. It really clears my mind and rejuvenates me.  

Hope it helps.