Building up cash from apartment rent to help buy a home is an idea that's catching on. For some people, it's just an easy way to save for a down payment. For others, it's a way to fix their credit problems.

Many apartment complexes that offer such a program require the credit amount earned to be used at the time you leave the property.

The Villages at East Lake in Atlanta introduced its "Rental Reward Program" in December 2003. It's open to residents paying the market rate for rental and can be applied toward the down payment on a primary home (single family or condo). Equity may be applied toward down payment or closing costs. A certificate confirming the amount available is provided to the mortgage company used at the time of loan application. There's no enrollment fee, and two years are required to build equity.

Equity Residential is a nationwide management company that enrolls residents automatically.

Residents can apply the credit earned while paying rent toward the purchase price, upgrades or closing costs. Participating builders and condos sold by Equity Residential will give discounts of up to 3 percent off the purchase price.

Should you transfer to another Equity Residential property, the credits continue if no more than 120 days lapse between leases. Enrollment is automatic when you lease. Local builders in the program include Ryland, KB Home and Centex Homes. For a longer list of participating builders, go online to www

.equityapartments.com.

Walton Communities lets residents apply credits toward a single-family home, condo or vacation home as part of the Help America Buy Homes program. Residents can accrue 20 percent of their rent toward the plan each month, with a limit of $4,000.

Alicia and Thomas Garrett lived at Walton Green in Kennesaw and used the program to buy their first home in Canton. Alicia Garrett said that after calling Help America and explaining their home choice, the details of working with the builder and mortgage company were taken care of by Help America. "We simply sat back and waited for our home to be built," she said.

The concept is not available everywhere. If your apartment has not designed an equity program for residents, you might ask about getting one started.