By the time Ben Harper turns thirty, he is sick to death of living in rented apartments. He wants a little piece of the rock that he can call his own. But he can hardly afford to pay his current monthly rent, and the only way he can swing a deal is to purchase a low-grade triplex and use rental income to cover two thirds of the mortgage. He hopes to make a smooth transition from left-leaning renter to novice landlord in spite of the overwhelming odds against it. When the renters immediately start to complicate matters, Harper finds out how quickly a real estate transaction can turn into an absurd Faustian bargain.