As you can probably tell, my focus as I plan for retirement is more on having a roof over my head than on what I will do with my time. At one point in my life, I was in danger of foreclosure and that fear of having no home has never really left me. 

I thought I had laid all of my options out. But a new one has come to me. It would mean giving up some of my wants, but it might insure a place to live. 

What if I purchased a duplex or double house, lived in one side and rented out the other? If I found the right one, the rent from the other side would pay a good portion of the mortgage. 

There are risks. I would have to put aside part of each month's rental income for times when I had no tenant or for repairs. I would have to find a way to really check out who the tenant would be. 

The downsides would be that I would be living in close proximity to someone just as I would in a condo or apartment with some shared walls. I would also not be able to do this in a small town. Research has shown there aren't many multi-family properties in small towns. However, this one is also a plus. Being in a bigger area would keep me closer to family and the medical facilites and other amenities that are a must for an older person. 

This option has a timeline. I suspect it will be a lot easier for me to finance this if I am currently employed so I really only have five months to accomplish this. The good news is my credit is in pretty good shape. I have some savings I could use as a down payment, although it would wipe out my "rainy day fund" and make me dependent on any income I could produce until I built it back up. 

I've also thought about combining this with other options - what if I purchase the property now, keep both sides rented (many of the properties I've researched already have tenants in place who want to stay), retire from teaching, take on a remote position, and stay where I am for a year or two. Depending on the cost, the rental income, and what the economy and my health does over those one or two years, I could decide either to fully retire and move into part of the property or sell the property and pursue another option. 

This one seems to be one of the best options but the short timeline scares me. Of course, I've always been one of those people who can make things happen once I set my mind to it. I am ever hopeful. But...

Decision time is fast closing in.