16 presidents who grew up in surprisingly humble homes
7 min read
10 of the tallest abandoned skyscrapers around the world
Buildings become abandoned for many reasons, both before and after they're built. Tall skyscrapers can be especially pricey and remain unfinished.
8 min read
The best US cities for families are the underrated mid-size gems
The US is home to several cities ranked among the best for raising children, but Salt Lake City tops them all.
5 min read
I'm a real-estate expert who has flipped over 1,000 homes. These 6 lessons have shaped my career.
HGTV star Tarek El Moussa has flipped over 1,000 homes in his career. He's learned that cold calling is key to real-estate success.
6 min read
Japan has figured out how to build resilient housing in disaster-prone places — here's what the US can learn
Japan has spent decades making its buildings more resilient to earthquakes. Similar changes could be difficult for the US to implement.
6 min read
A culture shock I experienced in the Netherlands taught me a valuable lesson I'm passing on to my child
I experienced a secondhand gift-giving culture shock after moving to the Netherlands. It taught me a valuable lesson and changed my parenting style.
3 min read
Gen Xers are moving south to retirement hot spots — they don't always love it when they get there
Gen Xers are relocating to retirement hot spots for better housing, lower prices, and warmer weather, but these areas come with their disadvantages.
6 min read
After visiting all 50 states, there are only 3 I'd choose to live in
I've spent time exploring all 50 US states. After doing so, there are three states I would choose to live in: New York, Rhode Island, and Wyoming.
3 min read
We're Americans who spend part of our year living in Mexico. The past 20 years of this have been filled with surprises.
We're older Americans over 70 who spend our year living between Mexico and the US. Healthcare, buses, and restaurants in Mexico have surprised us.
4 min read
More homes are selling below asking price as inventory in the US climbs to a 5-year high
Inventory of homes for sale jumped almost 13% in January to the highest level since 2020. Meanwhile, buyers are scarce as mortgage rates remain high.
2 min read
I can't afford to buy a house where I live, so I bought one in Japan. It only cost me $30,000.
Justin Wong lives in British Columbia, Canada, but said he can't afford to buy a home there. So he nabbed a house across the Pacific Ocean in Japan.
6 min read
One of the last remaining Gilded Age mansions in New York City is for sale for $49.9 million. Take a look inside.
The 16,000-square-foot mansion built during the Gilded Age on New York's luxe Fifth Avenue is on the market for $49.9 million.
5 min read
It's harder for single people to afford a home — here are the 6 most solo-friendly housing markets
These 6 states have the highest percentage of single homeowners.
3 min read
6 living-room trends that'll be huge this year and 3 you'll want to skip, according to interior designers
We asked interior designers about 2025 living-room trends, from styles like color-drenching that are in and ones that are out, like all-white rooms.
5 min read
They left their corporate jobs and built a hotel in the surfing capital of the Philippines. Island life is busy, too.
One pandemic and a devastating Category 5 typhoon later, they've finally settled into their new lives.
9 min read
We left Florida's expensive rental market so we could afford to buy a house. We're now happy homeowners in the Midwest.
After living in Florida for years, we left so we could afford to buy a house. We moved to the Midwest and became homeowners in a small Wisconsin town.
4 min read
California's last-resort home insurer is getting a $1 billion bailout. Homeowners could be on the hook for some of the bill.
The bailout will be funded by the state's private insurers, but a new rule says they they can pass up to half of the cost on to customers.
4 min read
Here are the 31 most popular housing markets so far in 2025 — and why the once-hot Sun Belt region missed the cut again
Here are the 31 hottest real-estate markets so far this year, even though high mortgage rates have made homes difficult to afford.
10 min read
Confessions of women in real estate: 4 female agents on what it's really like to work in the industry
Recent accusations of misconduct have spotlighted how women in real estate are treated. Four brokers let us into their day-to-day lives.
8 min read
Professional cleaners share 6 red flags they'd look for when hiring someone to clean a home
Red flags to look out for when hiring house cleaners and cleaning companies include suspiciously low prices and no satisfaction guarantee.
3 min read
Billionaire couple win refund after paying $40 million for a Notting Hill mansion infested with moths
A judge ruled in favor of Iya Patarkatsishvili and Yevhen Hunyak, granting them a refund and damages for their purchase of Horbury Villa in London.
2 min read
America's broken housing market is making people lonelier. Moving near friends could help.
New housing laws in some states, including California, are making it easier to build denser, more affordable, and community-focused housing.
7 min read
Another mansion is about to fall off a cliff into the sea. Here's why that keeps happening in tourist hot spots.
Erosion worsened by the climate crisis is threatening mansions up and down New England's coasts. Their fancy finishes risk polluting nearby waters.
4 min read
I moved from Miami to a small town in Central Florida to save money. I love it so much that I'm still here 15 years later.
I left Miami to live in a small town in Central Florida. My move was meant to be temporary to save money, but I love raising my kid on the Space Coast.
4 min read
We still rent in our 30s. We spend our money on organic food and schools and feel we don't need to buy a house to be happy.
My husband and I realized we'd rather rent than buy a house. We spend our money on organic food and schools for our daughter, and are happier for it.
4 min read
11 US cities where home prices are falling the most
Some cities in the US had housing prices that dropped year over year in December. San Francisco, Tampa, and others had lower home prices.
2 min read
I tried — and failed — to sell Michael Jordan's mansion. Here's what I learned from its 12 years on the market.
Kofi Nartey used creative ways to lure a buyer for Michael Jordan's huge estate in the Chicago suburbs, which sat on the market for 12 years.
5 min read
A jump in delinquencies in a corner of the mortgage market suggests first-time homebuyers may be struggling
"Conventional delinquencies remain near historical lows, but FHA and VA delinquencies are increasing at a faster pace," the MBA said.
2 min read
16 affordable cities buyers should target as home prices rise but stay below peak levels
Mortgage rates and home values are up in the past year, though there are 16 US cities where property prices are below the median and falling.
7 min read
My partner and I paid off our mortgage early even though our financial advisor told us not to. Sometimes, I regret it.
Krisann Valdez paid off her $150,000 mortgage six years ago. She says the peace of mind is great, but she regrets not putting more into investments.
4 min read
I'm 55 and still live in my childhood home
Shawn Robertson, 55, has lived in the same house his whole life. Now, he and his wife are thinking about whether they'd like to move somewhere else.
4 min read
Homeowners in these 10 cities paid the highest property taxes last year
Property taxes can be a significant factor when purchasing a home, and these cities have the highest rates.
4 min read
How Trump's plans for federal workers and spending could derail Washington's office recovery
President Trump has moved to slash the federal workforce and spending. The Washington DC office market's recovery from the pandemic could now suffer.
6 min read
I'm 57 and was on track to retire. The LA fires caused $1 million in damage to my home, so I'll have to keep working.
A 57-year-old spent $163,000 on his Altadena home in 1996 and renovated it over the years. The LA fires destroyed it as he was planning to retire.
5 min read
California's largest home insurer wants to hike rates by 22% for homeowners to help pay for LA's wildfires
State Farm has asked the state's insurance commissioner for approval to increase premiums on homeowners, citing financial challenges.
5 min read
I'm a 3rd-generation Floridian. I left at 18 and don't plan to live in the state again — especially because I have kids.
From weather to my issues with the state education system, there are reasons I would never move back to Florida with kids even though I grew up there.
4 min read
See JD Vance's homes, from his humble childhood house in Ohio to the vice president's palatial residence
Take a look at Vice President JD Vance's real-estate journey, from his primary residence in Cincinnati to the Washington DC property he now rents out.
7 min read
We moved our family from California to Texas. Our income is lower, but we spend less and love the lifestyle.
The Ruiz family moved from San Bernardino to San Antonio in September after the Line Fire destroyed everything in their bedroom and dining room.
6 min read
Panic rooms are out and 'serenity zones' are in, so the superrich don't have to sacrifice style to feel secure
As the ultra-wealthy prioritize security, they're increasingly demanding sophisticated safety features that make the panic room a thing of the past.
4 min read
Workers forced to return to the office may soon become 'accidental landlords'
Homeowners forced to move face a tough dilemma: Sell the old house or rent it out? Going the landlord route makes sense for some, but it's not easy.
11 min read
We moved from Iowa to Oregon after floods devastated our hometown. It was a hard move, but we don't regret it.
In 2008 a flood devastated eastern Iowa. We became climate crisis movers, and decided to relocate to Oregon.
6 min read
They built a solar home in the '70s before it was cool. Now, they're selling it for $1.3 million.
"It was unusual at the time to have such a system and it works pretty well," Paul Grogan told BI.
8 min read
Trump's threatened tariffs on Mexico and Canada could inflate home prices — even if he never imposes them
Building a typical new home could cost $40,000 more if Trump's tariffs on Canada and Mexico go into effect, per an industry group's analysis.
5 min read
The climate crisis is set to erase $1.47 trillion in US home values. Here are 5 areas predicted to get hit hard.
In parts of California and New Jersey, populations are set to decline while insurance costs grow, leading to home-price declines, First Street found.
3 min read
'Oracle of Wall Street' Meredith Whitney shares 3 key economic predictions for 2025 — including a complete reversal of a strongly held stance
Top analyst Meredith Whitney, known for warning about the financial crisis, shared the economic and housing-market trends she has her eye on in 2025.
6 min read
My family bought a fixer-upper in another country, sight unseen. Renovations cost us a million dollars and years of peace.
We bought a fixer-upper in Canada without seeing it in person. Renovations cost a million dollars and took a toll on our family's mental health.
4 min read
One city bought a hotel to solve the homeless crisis. It just might work.
One city bought a hotel to help solve the homeless crisis. It just might work.
9 min read
They left NYC to live in a tiny house on a farm in Oregon. To their surprise, life didn't get any slower.
"There was always something to prepare for living on the farm, and all of it felt like a tight deadline," Castro told Business Insider.
8 min read
I traveled to Toronto for a much-needed vacation from NYC and fell in love with it. I'm now moving to Canada for good.
I took a two-month trip to Toronto. Although it's a plain city, I loved how it welcomes middle-age people and helped advance my career.
5 min read