Starting the Conversation with a realtor is FREE! You don’t pay the realtor that helps you buy a home. The seller of the home normally pays for all the realtors involved.
You can use the equity built in your first home as the down payments for your next (bigger and better) home or start a business, college fund etc.
On average you only have to stay in a home for 5 years in order to have enough equity built in to profit from selling it.
If you’re the friend with the “good job”. Buy a house and have your friends pay you rent.