But as he looked out the window at the city skyline, Leo felt a profound sense of control. For the first time in his life, he wasn't just trading his hours for dollars. He was building an empire, one brick and one mailbox at a time.

He was no longer just a guy with a tech job. He was a landlord. He was an investor.

Leo ran the numbers on dozens of properties. Most were overpriced; others were in neighborhoods where no one wanted to live. Then, Elena sent him the listing for the brick triplex on Oak Street.

Today was closing day. Leo stood in the vacant kitchen of Unit 3B, holding a heavy ring with six brass keys.

Buying a multifamily property was vastly different than buying a regular house. The bank didn't just care about Leo’s credit score; they cared about the building's income. The inspection was a nightmare. The roof had two years of life left, max. The electrical panels were ancient. A plumbing leak had rotted the subfloor in Unit 1.