Often times you will pay much more in taxes than if you pulled the money out, paid the taxes and penalty and then started investing in real estate.For example, with the financing you mentioned, the IRA must pay taxes on the portion of the profit earned by financing. 

Almost every realtor has several investors ready to invest at least $2 million in cash.If you’re planning to use hard money loans, agents won’t show properties without prior proof of funds.I’m curious, is this a general market trend in Ohio or just this particular realtor’s approach?

You want an investment that pays for itself, including mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and even some money set aside for a reserve to cover vacancies and capital expenditures.

Alternatively, I could explore hard money lenders.

That’s our concern about it penciling out on paper but the reality might be that it ends up costing us money.

I've never heard money/profit described as cute, so it's not important.The most important thing you mentioned, was the rent potential and ARV. 

Asking strangers how to spend your money is a fool's errand.

Nate I would use a low money down owner occ 2-4 unit loan which allows the highest DTI possible.

When you have a duplex and tenants on both sides stay for ten years, it almost guarantees that something isn't right.I would study your market and determine the value of your rental, because I bet you are losing money every month.

This book introduced me to financial concepts and made me look at money and investing in a completely different way.