See the following for more on this.https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participant-employee/401k-resource-guide-plan-participants-general-distribution-rules

Although I don't see myself wanting to retire early, I love the idea of being able to live without a job once I have a certain amount of money.Anyway, I just wanted to say hello with this brief introduction, and I am looking forward to becoming part of the community.Tyler

Further, they are stable thru various economic cycles. 

We have a good stable of subs, we are affordable and we like doing deals.

She's distressed because she's retired and can't pay for 2 mortgages with her retirement allowance and she's a widow. 

I'm thinking maybe buy more stable properties and cash flow for smaller but more consistent returns

Stable markets and properties with higher leverage can be held without undue risk.  

This quest even started after having realized I have no retirement plan, and my sad 401k is probably not going to cut it.Like many, I'm having an inner battle of investing in CA or out of state (OOS).  

Parents are retired and we're in the market for a condo in which they could live in for the winters and rent out via weekly/airbnb during summer.

My long term goal is to have properties so that I may retire early.