We have been living paycheck to paycheck recently, and with another child on the way I fear my raise this year wont be enough to continue living our current lifestyle.

They looked and felt cheap, and at least three were crack even with just me and the wife with a very lower wear-and-tear lifestyle.

Add to that the cost-of-living adjustment and the difference in lifestyle (which, in my opinion, basically demands more events of spending) and you're getting to the point where your savings rate has to be zero or negative.Don't get me wrong - it's fine to live in New York if you can afford it.

I am married and getting to the phase where we are thinking about starting a family, and staying in leads to a very unpredictable lifestyle.

Esentially it boils down to evalutating what is truely important to you, then being open to alternatives to the "traditional american consumption based lifestyle".

It depends on your investment / lifestyle / business objectives.SFH and Townhomes have different criteria, management theories and appreciations, pros and cons to each, different types of tenants, different challenges.SFH historically appreciate better than town homes, town homes are typically much easier to manage and maintain.

I’ve learned a great deal about what is realistically going to create and support the lifestyle that I would like to retire with (and pass on to my children), and real estate investing is an essential part of the equation.

Apartments at 40K a door would be up scaled somewhat, coming closer to 2%, but I'd disagree that "all" apartment dwellers would not go to a lesser expensive SFR, they certainly do, especially first time homebuyers and tenants that want the "Green Acres" life style.

We are buy and hold investors who have learned to turn our crazy transient lifestyle into an asset!

I'd suggest hooking up with one of the local REIAs, the Rich Club or Lifestyles Unlimited for example, and get some recommendations from the members.