This is something we have both been looking to do on the side for a while in order to take more control and active role in our retirement investing.

You're basically trying to get around the rules of having a retirement plan.

My goals are to learn more about fix & flip, buy and hold, and eventually earning enough passive income to "retire" and spend more quality time with my family and focus on my hobbies, which are woodworking and maybe even some furniture building...down the road.Love the website, great information and lots of nice people willing to share their knowledge and experiences.

This part of town in general looks stable with long term tenants.

I have always admired my uncle who when he retired had 4 properties paid off that provided him a solid cash flow for retirement.  

So if the buy the building and after rehab they are into for a 9 cap then they can price above 5 cap market at a 6 cap and it flies off the shelve.Just buying existing cap rates for performing stuff it doesn't work unless you are just holding for tax write off and retirement.

You'll probably have to rethink the retiring once you get $50k in the bank though.

I also think the idea of being able to retire on passive income from REI is really cool. 

Find out what the dues are, what the include, and keep in mind that property values are slightly more stable with a good HOA in place.6.)

To be able to retire...