You can upgrade from a rental unit to an affordable, more resilient form of shelter, but the path is fraught with wrong turns that must be avoided.

“Buying a home early in life is one of the best-kept secrets that kids aren’t taught in school or college,” notes Reef Merhi, Branch Manager at Texas United Mortgage in Houston. “When I was a kid, my dad bought a duplex for the family. We lived on one side and rented the other. The Renters essentially paid our bills, and we lived free while they paid down the mortgage. We gained as home prices rose, and rental income smoothed the way.”