Apartment Therapy: 7 Daily Habits That Turn Renters into Homeowners

Much to the dismay of sleep experts everywhere, each night I wrap up my day in the glow of my phone’s blue light. After learning which celebrity was most recently cancelled on Twitter and scrolling through photos of weddings and some guy named Jake’s very large catch of the day on Instagram, I find myself on Zillow. Many of my friends do the same, though none of us feel ready to actually buy a home.

But seemingly aimless habits like the nightly Zillow scroll can actually help renters take meaningful steps toward homeownership. I spoke with real estate experts about the daily habits that turn renters into homeowners—and you might be surprised to learn you’re already making strides.