History is defined by its explorers, farmers, warriors, and peasants—all of whom hold a place in the story of human existence, their significance waxing and waning through the centuries. But one role that has always dominated historical prominence is the landlord. Kings and queens, dukes and duchesses, emperors, pharaohs, and tzars—all are landlords.

Even the fate of the most successful democracy in the world was decided by landowners—those who owned land owned their destiny and were given the power that had just been taken away from their previous monarch. Throughout American history, real estate moguls often became very prominent politicians and were consistently given the power of a mini monarch. If you owned land, you were king or queen of that land, and your right to rule it was, and still is considered by many, to be a sacred right. But as time has gone on, the romantic nature of owning a home—what was once the American Dream—has lost its romance. Homeownership has been commoditized, and the convenience of renting often seems to outweigh the independence of homeownership. You may be finding yourself wondering if it’s truly worth the trouble to actually own a home. While the reasons to buy a home have undoubtedly changed, they are no less compelling than they were centuries ago.

Owning your own home is one of the first steps you will take toward being in control of your life. Across centuries, the reality of what it means to be a landowner has not changed. Home ownership is every American’s ticket to staying ahead of the financial curve. Once you own a home that you can afford, whether it is a 600-square-foot condo or a 600-acre estate, you will always be able to afford that level of a home. Your share of equity rises and falls with the housing market, securing your access to a certain lifestyle that will withstand the storms of inflation, hot housing markets, and any other force that changes the value of the dollar. On the other hand, if you choose not to buy your first home and the housing market rises 10 percent in the next year, you will be able to afford 10 percent less property than you did the year before.

None of this is to say that owning real estate doesn’t come with risk. You cannot purchase a house blindly and being a homeowner will require you to get your hands dirty. But if you are willing to put in the extra work and take on the extra responsibility, you will be taking your first major step toward financial independence, and a world run by your own decisions and not the whims of a different king or queen of your life.