Nobody expects their retirement account to cash flow while they are working.

Many years ago, Home Depot and Lowes used to have professionals from each trade in those departments, most were retired etc, I find that less and less nowadays and find myself helping customers out when I hear an employee giving really bad advice, so just take advice in the big box stores with a grain of salt. 

I want the freedom to be able to retire anytime from now on.

How do you know how many properties you need to retire?

rent is still growing, but I have a great tenant base and we are looking for stable tenants.

If you ever plan to retire in a state without state income tax now’s the time to do an exchange to that state. 

My goals are to provide financial freedom for my future family and establish a sustainable safety net if physical limitations prevent me from retiring from my current W-2s.

By embracing realistic pricing strategies, brokers can better serve their clients and contribute to a more stable and trustworthy real estate market. 

I would think that if the tenant is paying for the addition, they would want to have a minimum of a 5 year lease, if not a 10 year lease in place in order to pay for the improvements.As in any real estate investment it is risk reward, I think with the current market and a stable vet tenant, that if you can get a 5+ year lease, it would be worth it to let them expand.If you are worried about value, you could always talk to a commercial real estate appraiser.

Check Greatschools.org or Zillow.com for school ratings.Investment Strategy:A-Class Properties: Lower risk, lower return, suitable for long-term investors looking for stable, high-quality tenants.C-Class Properties: Higher risk, higher return, appealing to investors with limited capital who can manage more properties for less initial cost.In summary, choose your investment neighborhood based on your risk tolerance and desired return.