If you can prove stable and predictable income then you should be good.

Look for a middle aged family person who is a real estate sales person, preferably a retired contractor or  with a spouse who is one.

You could have the owner hold a purchase money mortgage, you could partner with someone who has cash, buy an home with a retirement account, ect.

I'm trying to say that I'm financially  stable and saving at least $500 every month but still don't have a lot saved.

I don't want to work for someone else until I'm 65 and end up like my dad who is 63 and hoping the stock market will not mess up his retirement. 

It all depends on how much income you're making now, how much you intend to be making in retirement and how you can best use your current resources, and what your plans for the future are.  

@Drew Markert: ~10 years from now, I hope to of transitioned to a full "hold" position and be able to retire a little early, or at the very least, afford my vacation/future retirement home with the profits/income, if things go well.  

Long term goals are to produce more income for when i retire and to eventually be able to quit my job and focus full time on investing. 

I started with these two companies because I've heard a lot of great things about them over many posts and their respective CEO's have contributed greatly to many posts here at BP.Birmingham looks promising, population growth (while minimal) seems stable, lots of new economic activities and projects developing that will help spark the economy.Dallas/Houston surrounded by great companies however Im afraid it might be harder to find properties in these markets that have been quite hot for sometime now.

I retired from newspaper publishing a few years ago.