I downsized 3 times before finding the perfect space. Turns out, 600 square feet is all I need.
4 min read
Oprah Winfrey opened her private Maui road after a tsunami warning. Here's her history with Hawaii, where she owns 1,000 acres of land.
Winfrey opened her private road to help evacuees after a tsunami warning was put in effect for Hawaii.
9 min read
Here's the latest sign that the US housing market has frozen over
Home prices are high even as inventory keeps rising. In June, NAR data shows pending home sales dropped amid tough conditions for prospective buyers.
2 min read
My high school senior moved in with my 77-year-old mom. The unconventional arrangement has benefited all of us.
My teenager moved in with his grandma. He helps her with chores and doesn't pay rent. The arrangement has been good for our mother-son relationship.
4 min read
I want to retire early, so I moved my family to Thailand to save money. Take a look inside our $1,200 family home in Bangkok.
I plan to retire by 50, so I moved my family to Thailand to save money. Our new family home is an apartment in Bangkok, and it's close to everything.
5 min read
We bought our dream home in Colorado, but wildfires and home insurance trends had us selling 1.5 years later
Emily Moore bought a dreamy mountain home near Boulder, CO with big windows, amazing views, and nearby trails, but there was one major downside.
8 min read
America's unhinged real estate market is driving down the birth rate
If America wants to increase its birth rate, then it needs to make housing more affordable. That requires building homes quickly and cheaply.
10 min read
I realized I'm not happy living in Florida. So we're moving to a small town in Italy, where life moves at a better pace.
Todd Kleperis has lived in Florida for almost 10 years. He chose to leave the US for Italy and return to small-town life.
6 min read
A former 'Real Housewives' star just sold her waterfront home for a record-breaking $40 million. Take a look inside.
The $40 million sale of Dr. Nicole Martin's waterfront mansion, a 19,000-square-foot Coral Gables estate, to pop star Robbie Williams broke a record.
3 min read
I got a sneak peek at the newly restored Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City. It looks straight out of the Gilded Age.
The iconic Waldorf Astoria New York is reopening after an eight-year renovation. Business Insider got a sneak peek.
7 min read
I moved to Portland at 22. Now that I'm 30, I've outgrown so much of what I loved about the city.
I loved moving to Portland, Oregon, when I was 22. Now, in my 30s, I feel ready to move to a city with new career opportunities and a stronger community.
3 min read
My husband and I left our stable income of over $200,000 and moved to Mexico. I've never had so much freedom over my life — it's a blessing.
Bianca Ramos and her husband were both earning six-figure incomes in the US, but they moved to Mexico in August for a freer, simpler lifestyle.
5 min read
My husband and I moved in with my in-laws because we can't afford a home in Houston. We have zero privacy, but we're saving money.
We can't afford a house in Houston, so we moved in with my in-laws. That was three years ago. We're still here, and I'm struggling without privacy.
3 min read
Their lives used to revolve around city traffic. They gave it up to build an island home in the Philippines for $85,000.
Missing time with his mother while she was sick made Matthew Straight realize he wanted a life in which he could take back control of his time.
6 min read
See inside Marble House, Alva Vanderbilt Belmont's 140,000-square-foot Newport mansion that appears in 'The Gilded Age'
Marble House was Alva Vanderbilt's 39th birthday present. She later became a leader in the women's suffrage movement.
9 min read
Meet the boomer homeowners who are sitting on their valuable properties because of a tax they hope is on the way out
"The way the law stands today, we're staying put in a home bigger than we need," one 81-year-old told BI. A bipartisan effort could change that.
7 min read
I spent my entire life running from my hometown. At 32, I moved back to save money, and I've never been happier.
I always wanted to move far from my Maine hometown. Now I'm living at my parents' house, bonding with them, and appreciating the life I've lived.
4 min read
See inside a 56-room, Venetian-inspired mansion in Florida that the Ringling circus family built a century ago
Circus magnate John Ringling and his wife completed Ca' d'Zan, a Venetian palazzo in Sarasota, Florida, in 1926.
8 min read
Before-and-after photos show how a woman boosted her home's curb appeal with a mudroom and statement arch
Steffy Degreff wanted a mudroom for her 1954 home, and she used the renovation to drastically transform her house's curb appeal.
10 min read
I saved over $100,000 while studying at Yale. When I graduated, I helped buy my immigrant parents a house in New York City.
My parents struggled to afford rent in New York City, so while at Yale, I worked many jobs. I used my $100,000 savings toward a down payment for them.
5 min read
Timber tantrums: The million-dollar tree war brewing among the New England elite
A sea view is priceless in coastal New England. Some summer people have been accused of crossing property lines with poison or chainsaws to get one.
7 min read
I left the US after being laid off from Amazon. Living in the Netherlands is more affordable, and my small business is thriving.
Denise Segler transformed her life after getting laid off from Amazon. She's happier and her small business is thriving now that she lives in the Netherlands.
7 min read
The top 10 most millennial-friendly places to buy a home, where prices are lower than average
The US housing market is tough these days, but for millennials buying their first house, these cities offer more affordable home prices.
3 min read
7 ways you're making your home look cheap, according to a luxury interior designer
Interior designer Bilal Rehman recommends skipping matching furniture sets and avoiding cluttered spaces if you want your home to look expensive.
7 min read
We left our 2-bedroom rental to buy a 1-bedroom in Queens. We overpaid, sold at a loss, and are glad it's over.
Meredith Bodgas and her husband left their beloved 2-bedroom in Astoria for a 1-bedroom they bought for $250K in 2008. They sold it for $233K in 2014.
5 min read
How an elite private club in DC selects its members: 'It's about curation'
Ned's Club, a new members-only space in DC, relies on a select committee to vet potential members.
5 min read
I quit my job, divorced my husband, and moved to Italy to retire. I miss my kids, but I'm happier and healthier here.
Cindy Sheahan retired, got divorced, and moved to Palermo, Italy, where she says she's saving money and living her best life.
6 min read
I moved all my belongings across the country 5 times in a year without a car. There are 4 things I wish I'd known sooner.
Throughout my journey of moving across the country several times to different states, I learned to pack efficiently and avoid common moving mistakes.
3 min read
The 10 best states for retirees aren't what you'd expect
Retirees flock to warm-weather states like Florida and Texas, but a study from Bankrate suggests some less sunny states like New Hampshire and Maine offer retirees a sunnier future.
4 min read
More tough news for buyers. Home prices jumped to all-time highs in June.
It's a tough time for homebuyers in the US. Unfortunately it got a bit tougher in June, as prices jumped to fresh all-time highs.
2 min read
We lived on a 42-foot sailboat for over a year before moving back on land. The lifestyle wasn't as dreamy as it seemed.
I lived aboard a sailboat with my boyfriend and my dog. We moved into an apartment after realizing boat life had more drawbacks than we thought.
3 min read
I left my big city for a small coastal village. It's walkable and charming, and my life feels like a Nancy Meyers movie.
My husband and I left a big city and moved to a small coastal village. It was a better fit than a suburb and we love the community and walkability.
4 min read
If you want to fit in at a new elite private DC club, don't do this
Members go through onboarding, where they learn about things like a phone camera sticker, but there are also unwritten rules.
3 min read
America's next big land grab is already here. Homebuyers could be the winners.
"Land bankers" are buying billions of dollars' worth of real estate and setting the stage for a homebuilding boom — and cheaper home prices.
12 min read
I was tired of paying rent for my small business, so I bought the building. I've made over $100,000 renting it on Airbnb to support my café.
Isreal Adeyanju says owning the building where his business operates means no more stress about rising rent. Plus, he gets added income from Airbnb rentals.
5 min read
See inside a New York City townhouse built during the Gilded Age for JP Morgan's cousin that just sold for $38.2 million
The townhouse, built in 1896 for JP Morgan's cousin and business partner James J. Goodwin, measures about 24,000 square feet.
3 min read
When I moved to Ecuador for love, it was meant to be temporary — but I'm still happily living here 7 years later
I moved from Canada to Quito, Ecuador, to be with my boyfriend. It was supposed to be temporary, but the weather, nature, and food have kept me here.
4 min read
Rate buydowns, negotiations, and nepo money: Here's how people are affording homes in today's market
Homebuyers are tapping into more creative ways to buy a house or asking family for help with affordability.
4 min read
More home sellers are pulling properties off the market rather than dropping prices
Data from Realtor.com shows that delistings outpaced inventory gains in May. While inventory has climbed across the US, prices remain elevated.
2 min read
See inside a historic 50,000-square-foot mansion on New York's Gold Coast that's featured in 'The Gilded Age'
Explore Hempstead House on Long Island's Gold Coast, once home to the Guggenheims and now a public museum at Sands Point Preserve.
5 min read
26 cities and towns across the US that offer cash and other perks to people who move there
Cities and towns from Georgia to Maine pay people who qualify to move. Perks range from grants to free plots of land.
16 min read
Look inside Glenview, a 19th-century mansion built for a Wall Street financier and featured in HBO's 'The Gilded Age'
Glenview, a mansion built by millionaire Wall Street banker John Bond Trevor in 1877, appears as Mrs. Astor's house in HBO's "The Gilded Age."
7 min read
I moved my family to Thailand, and it was surprisingly easy. I set up our new life in less than a week — without spending a lot of money.
I want to retire early, so I moved my family to Thailand. I was able to get an apartment in Bangkok and secure visas in a few days.
4 min read
I moved from New York City to Raleigh 5 years ago. These 5 things have surprised me the most.
After living in the Northeast, I moved from New York City to Raleigh, North Carolina. I was surprised by the food, weather, and Southern culture.
4 min read
I stayed at a Florida Gilded Age hotel loved by the Vanderbilts, DuPonts, and Fords. It felt like traveling back in time.
Opening in 1897, the Belleview Hotel quickly became a favorite for America's elites, hosting families like the Vanderbilts, DuPonts, and Fords.
11 min read
My husband, our newborn, and I live in my 110-square-foot childhood room in my parents' home. We want more space, but can't afford it.
Monica Luhar Field had to leave her beloved apartment and move in with her parents after surgery for her high-risk pregnancy and losing her job.
3 min read
Our daughter bought us a new home after ours was destroyed by a hurricane. She sold it a year later.
Theresa Siller and her husband had been living in a damaged mobile home with a partially collapsed roof for months. Their daughter helped them out.
4 min read
Airbnb hosts running profitable businesses share the software tools they use to work as little as 6 hours a month
One Airbnb hosts brings in $9,000 a month and spends just six hours a week managing his rentals. That's an hourly rate of $1,500.
5 min read
Exclusive
Michael Shvo's long-stalled Miami Beach hotel and condo project attracts potential new buyer
Developer Michael Shvo envisioned turning three Miami Beach hotels into an ultra-luxury destination — but the site has sat vacant for years.
3 min read