I throw Aurora out there only because Aurora has the cheapest condos. What you can get in Aurora for 60k is 120k someplace like Boulder, or 90k in Jefferson County - Based on 9-12 months of quietly tracking the condo market for my own eventual purchase.
If you're not afraid of the bus, there are some reasonably priced condos around 80th and Federal/Zuni, but the neighborhood is questionable (grew up there, not recommended imo), and that would be closer to where you're currently working. But if you're going to quit and go to Europe for school, why does the location of the property you buy matter much right now?
If you move closer to work, consider taking the bus instead.
Would honestly not recommend getting small investment property in the Denver area, since rents typically just cover the cost of the mortgage and maintenance without a property management company taking 15% or more above that, unless you invested another large chunk of money in making in "luxury" and charging $1500+/mo for it (Assuming 2 bed/2 bath, as described). Or, you could put the entire 100k down on a 500k fourplex, but then you would have no cash.
Suggesting 50% down on a low cost condo with the sole intention of reducing your housing costs by half. This suggestion has nothing to do with ROI. Thus why the suggestion would be 1 bedroom, in the cheapest area possible, where there is also a lot of job potential, especially in tech - Aurora and DTC.
I have a hard time with a Masters program that costs 50k, but I honestly don't know a lot about masters programs and their costs. Have you considered trying to find an employer that is willing to pay you to do the schooling?
"I have to do all my traveling by the time I'm 26! Because work visas!" sounds like a hokey argument. Why would 'getting older' hinder your ability to travel? Maybe if you're 60+, and in failing health, it might become difficult, but as long as you're fit and eat well, I can't imagine that it should ever become difficult. I mean, in other words, it sounds like you think 26 is the end of traveling, so 30 must be old, and 40 is just ancient. Considering you've managed to accumulate 100k by 23, while building a pretty good career for yourself and staying frugal... If you keep the same pace/savings rate you're at, FI should be easy to reach, and taking vacations without having to live only in hostels and work while you're there would also be easily within reach.
That's a little confusing. If you're going to Europe to work on your career and network, wouldn't that be moving to Europe, not "traveling for a year"? What's the tax situation on anything you earn there? If a company there hired you, would you stay and try to become a citizen of wherever? What exactly is the plan?
If you buy a property, for investment, even if you use a property manager, you probably want to be in the same city as the property.
If you buy a property as a primary residence, you typically want to hang on to it for at least five years before you sell it.
If you're going to Europe with the intention of living there for an extended period of time, as it seems you've described, I think that buying a property might not be in your stars at all.
/rambles
