I've floated across careers/jobs in new home construction (worked in the structural warranty side), fitness, and travel - I've always loved to learn and grow myself, but I have not built much for "retirement" (though not sure I will ever retire, I love entrepreneurship), was recently divorced and I'm around 40 - so I have a road ahead and all...so definitely want to grow some decent rental income within 10-15 years, but I was considering fix and flip for not only diversity, but it sounds like fix and flip might be a great way to get some capital, which I don't really have at this point. 

Both my dad and I own paid off rentals in our retirement years, with rents covering our retirements, and for my dad, the bulk of his income, and for me over half.

I chose to buy it from the turnkey catalog because it has a high cap rate & was under $70k purchase price, has stable rents in a B/C+ area, and in a quiet isolated plot of land on top of a hill.

Promised land is probably found after 20 years time of disciplined hsrd work. very few decent retirements left. 

The other way to rationalize 100x rent or valuation less 8% (cost of sale) less an additional say x% (so as not to pay market price) is to look at other industries: if you buy a long term retirement plan and you choose to exit before the "break even" year (usually around the 8th), you pay a penalty.

He was a 74 year old retired Union Pipe-fitter.

(Not looking to get rich quick, just to retire early and make it until my retirement kicks in.)I live in Southern California which we all know isn’t a cheap area.

I've spoken with a couple of local real estate agents, lenders, and a very seasoned investor, and most leaned towards "window shopping" for properties until the pandemic dwindles down and the economy is back stable.

Updated Rules for Using Retrievement Funds for ReliefThe CARES Act has also modified several rules pertaining to IRA and 401(k) plan loans and early withdrawal penalties:The regular 10% IRA and 401(k) plan early withdrawal penalty is waived for amounts up to $100,000, withdrawn for COVID-19-related hardship in 2020The limit of the 401(k) loan program has been increased from $50,000 to $100,000 for the 2020 tax yearRequired minimum distributions from IRAs and 401(k) plans have been suspended for the 2020 tax yearThis may be a last resort, but there is an opportunity to use your retirement funds for operating or emergency capital.  

@Christopher Kolasa, just so you know most forms of formal retirement plans are exempt from attachment including bankruptcy.