American children and students are taught how to develop themselves to be desirable to an employer, how to pay into the system and work full time or double time to until they either drop dead or live long enough to "retire."  

Another consideration is that he may be retiring soon so do we need to make the purchase before he retires because DTI will come into play? 

Do people from around the country retire to southern CA?

As I’m sure you know high yield notes work best when owned by a Roth retirement account. 

I will be retiring from the Army next year and will be able to occupy in March 2023.

This is a wealthy retirement community where 80% of owners hardly blink at the special assesment.

Commercial is your best bet (rates are actually closer to 7-8%) or you can have a loan against your other assets such as brokerage, retire accounts, or a group LOC for your other properties.

The more rentals you buy are you really retiring early?

Dad retired with 35ish years at GM, father-in-law still works for Ford.

We don't want or need to grow larger than 10 investment properties since this is really just a side hobby and retirement security.