How real estate fits into your retirement/financial indepence??

[BOB CRANEY]

For those of you out there that are close to or already retired from "having to work", how does retirement look. Are you using rentals, apartments, or fix and flips to get you to that magic # that lets you walk away from a full time job or at least from having to work. I have read many stories of successful investors who plowed all the profits from real estate in other more passive investments like notes, hard money or even just total market mutual funds from Vanguard. 

I am 48 years old and still looking towards the finishline that seems much to far away if more focused measures arent taken. My rehabbing business was kicked pretty hard in the shins during the downturn and almost everything that was due to be sold became a buy and hold rental property. Thankfully i was able to partner with Big Brother thru the section 8 program and top rents for these renovated properties but even 8 years later they just make a little monthly profit due to the higher quality rehab for resale.  The market has come back a bit but i am still at break even or just slightly up if i were to sell now. With