I feel like by the time I can withdraw without penalties, I should have enough cash flow and appreciation that my "retirement" years should be taken care of.I'll have to see what happens when it comes to lenders, I guess.

I want to buy and hold, running this as a retirement project, with my son managing it. 

I agree with @Nicholas L. and you, that 99 out 100 people who try this won't make daily home runs and won't retire in Bahamas.

I had very little stable income. 

I've heard of people retiring on real estate.

This provides extra peace of mind in case your upleg does not work out or the seller or lender will not deal.4) Truly retire for real estate ownership.

We still owe roughly $900K on a 3% mortgage.We’re planning to retire abroad and are weighing two options:1.Sell the home – I already have a buyer lined up, so this would be a straightforward exit.2.Rent it out long-term (furnished) – While I don’t think the rent will fully cover the mortgage, it might come close.

Rent for Retirement (@Zach Lemaster) specializes in new build surplus from major home builders, many in Texas.

Once you have a property under your belt and it's stable, do it again.

He started with me just after retirement and I recommend you look for a handyman who is retired because they are typically less expensive and as my guy likes to say, every day is a Saturday and that means they can get repairs done quickly.