She used to scroll through Zillow late at night, just to imagine what it would feel like to own a home for her daughter. The listings all seemed impossible. $180,000. $200,000. With a $3,000 monthly paycheck and $200 left at the end of each month, homeownership felt like a cruel joke. Three years later, she was holding the keys to a three-bedroom house with a backyard. She didn’t get a raise. She didn’t win the lottery. She just found the path that most buyers never even know exists. And if it worked for her, it can work for you too.