I'd love to sit for an hour or so a week with other investors to discuss goals, challenges and ideas revolving around real estate investment and/or business development. 

You can use financing from a bank if you have a revolving line of credit or something like that, but a bank will not issue a traditional mortgage because there is not time for that and the issues with the title prevent the bank from using the property to be purchased as collateral. 

I kind of in different cam on the 401 k saving. read the book really great contents but it can not be apply to everyone. if you live in high tax rate like California maxing out 401k might not be worst idea . if you are here than you are earning more anyway just to survive.again everyone and there life circumstances are different.coming back to your question.

I almost missed it - glad I cam back to check this thread!

Reason I'm thinking of a condo is because I cam attack the principal aggressively and finish paying it off in 3 to 5 years.

In your example number 1 it would be  "the price is 222 time rent" This is also a horrible ratiosIdeal valuation measure for investment property is 0.7% or more while 0.5% is acceptableI am curious where you cam up with that idea?

If you are unfortunate enough to NOT have separate electrical services, they NEVER shut off lights or AC, and leave the doors open, AND then raise cain when the CAM charge goes up 5 cents.In my experience, they are NOT significantly better or worse than residential tenants, unless you are in the really big league.

Most of that revolved around spending more time with family and vacations. 

If you can't, not only cam your seller hammer you but your buyer can clean your clock too.These are not risk free transactions, your buyer or tenant can fail to pay too, if you operate on a shoestring, you're really at risk.

I think my comfort level may revolve around how the commercial part of the building impacts the financials.