I have had friends of my son stay but their character and lifestyle was such that it could only be short-term. 

Will my engineering career deliver the lifestyle I want to live?

The lifestyle is very different to the classic appartment building setup and the architecture and interior design are often nothing short of spectacular.

Ideally, I am trying to transition out of the 8-4 work lifestyle for many reasons: I don't like feeling rushed in the morning and that's waking up at 4 AND preparing beforehand; My take home pay is not very much at all, making it a little more difficult to save/invest; I want to give more time to others and this goes back to my first point, but practicing gratitude more as well. 

Adjust your life style and start saving.

Quite often, new home construction is the result of new residents moving in who are middle class or wealthier, attracted by jobs, a healthy local economy, or other amenities as they leave nearby or far away areas for greener pastures.

If you're lifestyle can take it, would be great to buy a duplex and move into one side. 

But for many people, at least until they get well and truly hooked on REI for its own sake, the goal is just to build a portfolio that will sustain their current lifestyle (or better) through retirement.

I won’t always be healthy enough to earn my way out of a situation.

Rent a place downtown for a different lifestyle (like this: https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/sub/d/adorable...)4.