Buying/Renting
 

Am about 18 months before retirement. Questions I have is should I buy now and try to rent before I come down permanent or wait? Any suggestions would be helpful. Considering a Gardenia.

If you buy now and furnish you could get 2 seasons of rental out of a Gardenia (Jan -Feb - Mar for 2010 & 2011, although it may be a little late to get 2010 unless you move quick). You should gross around $18,000 combined for both seasons. Of course you need to reduce that by the amount of your expenses, including furniture.
You're looking at what could be a bottom re: home prices, so if you bought now, the value of the house is likely to go up, and you'll be pocketing some rental income (even if the rental income is a wash for your expenses, you would be ahead by the value increase in the property).
I think it's a good idea to do it. It's exactly what I did in 2005. As they say in real estate, the time to buy is now.