And lastly, it is possible to access your retirement funds prior to age 59 1/2, you can find more details on how to do so in this article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancecouncil/...I think you are well ahead of most people in your age group, starting this early and maximizing your Roth IRA investments will set you on the road to financial independence, just stay diligent!  

If you start with a solid plan when you are 18, then it is extremely possible that you will be financially independent by the time you turn 30, if not sooner.My advise would be to get a job now and save whatever money you can while you still live at home and have no bills. 

My wife and I have been listening to the podcast for a while and are interested in learning how we can use real estate investing to help us along the path to financial freedom, so we can spend more time with our child (and future children!)

I'm not a finance guy and i don't know your financial situation, but you would probably need close to a 200k yearly income to purchase that on FHA loan and i have not seen too many young families to be able to do that.I'm guessing you are already pre-approved though if you are already working with other realtors.My advice to you would be to be more realistic with what you want and what you can afford and what you should offer to a property you like in order to have a chance to get it.If you had purchased a 400k property 2 years ago, you would already have about 40-60k in appreciation so keep that in mind next time you put an offer on a property. 

My goal is to have a solid checklist complete and then close on my first property within the next 6-8 months (may seem long, but I am military and have a big move coming up plus some other financial objectives)...

I would like to hear more about the financials though. 

*Note: this post is intended for investors who actively DO NOT automatically file a 1040 every year, unless they've incurred a tax liability.I'm wondering what difficulties investors who understand (have read the pertinent details of the tax code) have faced when engaging in investment opportunities that normally require an investor to furnish tax returns, and what solutions have they come up with.From my experience in banking, I understand that institutional lenders normally require a borrower to furnish yearly personal financial statements and tax returns.

To make a financial mistake that big, you would have to be foolish or lack any kind of experience.

Don’t worry, I am much more concerned about making financially sound decision than being sentimental.

I agree with Jorge's idea... why not rent another place for now--perhaps to split with another roommate--and continue getting your financial house in order?