IRA Withdrawal - Was there a better way?

[Darius Jessup]

I feel in my gut I could have gone about this a better way and could use some input.
I recently pulled out all of my money from my traditional IRA to put towards a down payment for a duplex my wife and I are buying in DC in 2 weeks

Needless to say, it is now considered taxable income with the likelihood of incurring the 10% early withdrawal penalty. Could I have had that IRA converted to a self directed IRA and avoided that? Was there a better way I could have considered??