This boomer ex-mayor lives in an $1,800-a-month 400-square-foot backyard cottage in her California suburb
3 min read
Here's the latest stat showing how the US housing market has frozen over in 2025
New home sales fell 13.7% in May, showing that the housing market is in a freeze. Redfin said this month that unsold inventory is at a record high.
3 min read
My dad's death led me to China. Living in Shanghai helped me heal.
Growing up, Maria Hsin's father didn't talk about his past or his Chinese roots. After he died, she spent two years in Shanghai.
5 min read
Marble walls, ceiling murals, and a 9,000-square-foot ballroom: See inside the historic homes where 'The Gilded Age' was filmed
HBO's "The Gilded Age" films scenes in real historic mansions from the time period.
8 min read
I'm an American who moved to Paris for love. It took 5 years of hard work to make it really feel like home.
I struggled to adjust as an American in Paris, but I've now lived here for years. I moved for love but I wanted to find work and make friends.
4 min read
Housing market set for the 'worst year in decades,' says Meredith Whitney
Meredith Whitney Advisory Group expects the housing market to "weaken throughout the year," posing issues for the wider US economy.
2 min read
The fiery 'Zillow Ban' lawsuit is about to make your search for a new home even more chaotic
Zillow and mega-brokerage Compass are battling it out over where real estate agents can list homes for sale. Homebuyers are stuck in the middle.
13 min read
The suburbs are now a renters' hot spot as home prices continue to rise
Once strongholds for homeownership, the suburbs are becoming rental hot spots as high home prices sideline many would-be buyers.
4 min read
'Self-taught' real estate investors say 3 books helped them go from owning 0 rental units to more than 100
"We were reading all the time," said one couple who hit financial independence by buying property.
3 min read
San Francisco was written off as dead. Now, real estate investors are flocking back.
Meet the investors betting on rising rents in San Francisco as more tech companies call workers back to the office.
5 min read
I built a fun, cost-effective backyard for my kids. It's helping us save money by avoiding family summer vacations.
Instead of spending money on day trips or family vacations to keep my kids entertained all summer, I built a backyard they love. We love staying home.
4 min read
Looking to buy a home? Prices are falling the most in these 5 US cities.
There are a few signs that the US housing market may be turning in buyers' favor. Redfin says price growth last month was the slowest since 2023.
3 min read
From cantilevered towers to luxurious amenities, a bold new project raises the bar for residential design in Dubai
Discover the luxurious Jumeirah Residences Emirates Towers, a bold new project in Dubai featuring cantilevered architecture and world-class amenities.
3 min read
The fight over real estate listings heats up as Compass targets 'Zillow ban' in new lawsuit
Compass has had enough with Zillow's efforts to force real estate listings to be posted on their platform or else.
3 min read
See inside Oheka Castle, the 127-room Long Island estate that inspired 'The Great Gatsby'
Oheka Castle, which helped inspire "The Great Gatsby," is the second-largest private home in the US.
6 min read
We bought a rental property instead of a 'starter home.' It pays for itself, and we use it whenever we want.
Instead of buying a primary residence in New York City, we bought a vacation home upstate to turn into a rental property. We make money and enjoy it.
4 min read
See inside Coe Hall, a 65-room mansion built by a Gilded Age businessman who was booked on the Titanic's return voyage
Explore Coe Hall, a mansion on Long Island's Gold Coast, built by William Robertson Coe, who helped broker the insurance for the Titanic.
8 min read
I turned my two-car garage into an Airbnb to afford living in my dream town. I've made $35,000 a year and get to share the area I love.
Briee Della Rocca turned a garage on her property into a profitable short-term rental on Airbnb. It helped her and her husband afford their home.
6 min read
Trump's housing director rips the Fed, says the slow pace of rate cuts is fueling America's home-inventory problem
FHFA director Bill Pulte says the Fed's inaction on rate cuts is worsening the housing crisis and called on Powell to step down.
3 min read
Top takeaways from BI's conversations with real-estate investors
Real-estate investing doesn't come easy … or cheap. Lucky for you, BI has written extensively about people who have set up real-estate empires.
6 min read
It's not too late to bid on Pope Leo XIV's childhood home
Paramount Realty USA, an agency participating in the home's sale, extended the deadline from June 18 to July 17. The reserve price is $250,000.
3 min read
3 mistakes you're making in your open-concept home, according to interior designers
Interior designers told Business Insider it's a mistake to think of your open-concept home as one room.
4 min read
See inside Kykuit, a 40-room mansion in New York that once belonged to the richest man in the world
Kykuit, a mansion built by John D. Rockefeller in 1913, features an art gallery, sprawling gardens, and a collection of vintage cars.
4 min read
The new American dream? Buying and renting out vacation homes in Italy.
Americans are opting for investment properties in Italy instead of the US — plus, they get a vacation home out of it.
6 min read
We loved living in Barcelona, but we left after a year. The language barrier made it impossible for us to thrive there.
My husband and I loved living in Barcelona. After a year, we left because we'd never thrive there as native English speakers with a language barrier.
4 min read
I built an annex for my daughter and her new family in my backyard. It's the perfect way of living.
Sacha Warren built an annex for her daughter and her young family so they didn't have to take on debt breaking into the overpriced property market.
4 min read
A former firefighter went from earning $1,600 a month to owning over 30 properties. He explains how he used creative financing to land his first $3 million deal with $30,000 in savings.
Jeremy Barker stumbled into real estate when his side hustle outgrew its original space, prompting him to look into buying a commercial building.
6 min read
I wrote about millennials' real estate woes. Then I felt the wrath of Gen X.
I wrote about the chaos in store as baby boomers pass down homes to millennials — and managed to enrage Gen X, the overlooked "Sandwich Generation."
7 min read
These foldable tiny homes start at $49,000 and can be assembled in less than 8 hours — see inside
Hapi Homes offers 18 models to choose from, but customers can also opt for a custom-built tiny home if they want something more tailored.
6 min read
We moved from Los Angeles to rural Oregon to save money. It's been great, but small-town life has its downsides.
My family moved from Los Angeles to a small town in rural Oregon. We're saving money, but we didn't anticipate some surprising costs and changes.
4 min read
Financially independent investors with 100+ doors explain the 6 ways to make money in real estate
"A lot of people don't think about rental properties as a business," says investor Kenji Asakura. "But ultimately, each property is a mini-business."
7 min read
Starting over in paradise: 8 people on what it's like to run a business, find a home, and build a life in Koh Samui
Explore the allure of Koh Samui, Thailand, where entrepreneurs and expats embrace a slower pace, lower living costs, and stunning natural beauty.
3 min read
I'm a boomer living on $4,996 monthly. My houseboat saves me money and keeps me young.
Cheryl Fellenz, 81, traded her home for a houseboat. The move brought her closer to nature and helped her budget her Social Security and pension.
4 min read
I bought a house using a VA loan, becoming the only family member to own a home. I feel guilty that my siblings never will.
I became a homeowner by using a VA loan and refinancing to 2.6%. I'm incredibly proud, but I feel guilty that my siblings will never afford a home.
4 min read
One of the best places to live in the US is this small Texas town
The small North Texas town of Flower Mound has outshone many larger cities and been ranked as one of the best places to live in the US.
8 min read
A Gen Xer moved to Portugal for a better shot at a comfortable retirement: 'I pulled myself up from the bootstraps, and I'm still woefully short'
Jack Stone, 60, moved from the US to Portugal because she was worried about having enough money to live comfortably when she retires.
6 min read
A 32-year-old real estate investor who retired early to Japan shares 2 software tools that helped him set up a profitable Airbnb business he can manage from abroad
Investor Manny Reyna manages his properties remotely, with help from a property manager and two software tools: AirDNA and PriceLabs.
3 min read
Most people who left New York headed to these states for greener pastures
New York City has a reputation for expensive living. In 2022, movers showed they'd had enough by choosing cheaper places to live.
4 min read
4 recent signs that US housing is becoming a buyer's market
Buyers are enjoying increased leverage in the housing market as more homes sit available, which is helping push prices lower.
3 min read
Can the stars tell us where we should live?
Some use astrocartography, astrology, and birth charts to figure out where they should live and avoid. Here's how it works and why I'm trying it.
10 min read
A boomer quit nursing to live on $2,972 monthly in Social Security in an RV in America's parks: 'I literally live in heaven'
Marian Barry, 70, was exhausted from working as a travel nurse during the pandemic, so she moved into a trailer and lives and volunteers in parks.
4 min read
After 2 major hurricane seasons, they were done with Florida. Next stop: a hilltop villa in Thailand.
"I'd read something about Koh Samui being like a little Hawaii, and I thought we should go and try it," Wes Moss told BI.
7 min read
See inside Alexander Hamilton's historic New York City home where Lin-Manuel Miranda found inspiration for 'Hamilton'
After Lin-Manuel Miranda's "Hamilton" became a smash hit, visitorship to Alexander Hamilton's historic home tripled.
9 min read
We bought a house with my parents, and now, 3 generations live under one roof. It works for us.
My husband and I bought a house with my parents and turned it into a duplex. It's better for us financially and we have built-in support.
4 min read
New York renters will save a ton of money on moving starting today
Starting on June 11, New Yorkers won't have to pay for their landlord's brokers.
6 min read
Take a look inside Vizcaya, the 45,000-square-foot Gilded Age mansion near the heart of Miami
Valued at $1 billion today, James Deering's luxurious winter home stretches over 45,000-square-foot.
15 min read
The 5 states with the highest 'hidden' costs of homeownership — and the 5 with the lowest
In addition to regular mortgage payments, thousands in so-called "hidden costs" also add up. These states have the highest and lowest expenses.
4 min read
After 'The Brady Bunch' house sold to a megafan for $3.2 million, she created a sweepstakes to let fans win tours inside— take a look.
A superfan bought the "The Brady Bunch" house in Los Angeles for $3.2 million. A sweepstakes gives you a chance to take a tour inside.
6 min read
There's a record $700 billion of homes for sale in the US. Here's why the market is still frozen.
Blame stubbornly high mortgage rates and lingering economic anxieties over Trump policies for US housing-market gridlock.
3 min read