Once you commit to yourself to turn around this losing scenario you will embrace the multitude of experience available though books and reading.'

It was extremely freeing for myself when I finally embraced that. 

Recently I rolled over all those old plans into a self-directed IRA at Charles Schwab and now my returns are much healthier and the fees have dropped as well.

You would be far healthier with no government involvement in mortgages and home ownership.

If you're willing to get into this knowing that you may make some mistakes, but will embrace those as learning opportunities, then you're chances of succeeding should be very high.

I'm in my late 30s and I'm enjoying life more than ever.I'm fitter and healthier than i was in my 20s, have a better perspective about what to stress about and what I don't.

I like @Tom Shallcross's idea to buy outright and refinance later as this provides you a healthier immediate cashflow when you consider there is no mortgage to pay and still gives you the availability of some capitol to pull out for repairs or your next project and is a concept I had not yet encountered in the sense of an initial cash purchase.

The greatest cultural weakness of this city, in my view, is that the residents refuse to change and let go and embrace new things.

The thing that might be a little new this time around is the very high unemployment/underemployment rate (fully loaded, it's still 15-20%, including people who are working PT jobs that want to be FT, those working menial jobs below their qualifications, and those who've stopped looking), which is driving many to want to get into wholesaling, embracing "no cash or credit needed" to try and get ahead in this economy.

You are just embracing a different phase of your life.