Now, a single Captain in the Air Force with no kids, I felt confident that I was well on the path to financial Freedom.

It's not exactly the money that motivates me, but the fact that I'll have financial freedom to do other things I LOVE.

I see a of people buying at numbers that don't make sense, so if you can exploit that, more power to you.When I was learning I was taught you talk to 100 people to see 10 houses to buy 1. 

I rented for years and would always just focus on 401ks and Roth IRAs + the freedom that comes from not owning real estate.  

Lots of fees and costs that nibble away at the bottom line: Utilities - a/c ran constantly at 70 degrees with doors wide open, running power tools, etc, so that added up to big utility bills.

I seem to be having a localized impact, as I have noticed some new signs going up about 10 feet off the ground on power poles.These signs look trashy and degrade the neighborhood.

You want to find the owner, who has not been foreclosed out  yet, as the bank has no power sell it now.

Depending on how much (bad) debt you have and what you are approved for, this may be that rough spot/time to sacrifice for a couple of years in order for you to really start on that financial freedom.

.$500,000 buy power acct.   

What gives the builder the power to decide that?