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So, you've finally bought your dream home.With still-high home prices and mortgage rates, it probably cost you a pretty penny.You might think you're in the clear — but not quite. Property taxes are another major expense to keep in mind. For new US homeowners, the property tax sticker shock can be real. And if you've owned your home for years, you've most likely seen your tax bill steadily climb. Property taxes — which are based on a home's assessed value — can fall or rise over time because of several...

Retiring in your 30s is far from simple, but Jeff White and Suleyka Bolaños did it by simplifying.They had a clear goal — early retirement in 10 years — and a clear plan: add one rental property a year to their portfolio. And they committed to one strategy: house hacking. By renting out parts of the houses they lived in, they could offset their housing costs and free up extra savings."All we wanted was one deal a year — it wasn't like we were looking for 10 — so it...

If the trade war is making you fear for your portfolio, you're not alone.Institutional investors are also on high alert. Bank of America's latest Fund Manager Survey shows that the biggest money managers are concerned about President Donald Trump's trade policy sparking a global recession.The survey, which collected insights from fund managers globally between April 4 and 10 — right as markets were going haywire because of tariff announcements — revealed that investor expectations for global growth hit 30-year lows in April, with 82% of fund managers expecting a weaker economy...

Since 2017, Jeff White and Suleyka Bolaños have moved homes once a year.They've shared walls with neighbors in duplexes and triplexes, and shared common spaces with roommates in single-family homes. They've lived in a basement unit and a tiny home.The moving process is now "a one-day thing," Bolaños told Business Insider. They pared down their belongings to the point where, "when we would move, we just basically pack up our room."White and Bolaños own each of the homes they've lived in. They're using a strategy known as house hacking, in...

Trump's trade war isn't the only thing that's derailed the stock market in 2025.While anticipated tariffs have exerted the most pressure in recent weeks, the sell-off has been accelerated by a slew of data points that suggest that the economy is on shaky footing. Here are four factors that are souring the mood among investors as the second quarter kicks off. 1. Confidence is droppingConsumers are feeling steadily worse about the state of the economy. Consumer confidence dropped for the fourth month in a row in March, hitting its lowest...

One of the most straightforward ways to get into real estate is to buy and hold a rental. Another popular strategy is flipping properties.However, there are multiple ways to invest in real estate.Business Insider has spoken with investors who are using less traditional strategies to hit financial independence. Here are three.1. Private money lending. If you want to participate in the real estate space without actually buying and managing properties, one option is lending capital to other investors.It's one strategy that financially independent couple Carl and Mindy Jensen are using...

As the market's US exceptionalism narrative wanes this year, there are two places investors may want to look to for returns.Amid trade uncertainty and dimming economic prospects, US markets have been rattled in 2025. The recent stock market correction has spurred talk that investors may be better off looking abroad than hoping for US equities to regain their footing. After years of underperformance, international stocks are suddenly in the spotlight as they surpass US peers.According to BlackRock, there are two markets in particular where investors should look to park some...

Brannon Potts fell behind on retirement savings, but two books helped him turn his finances around.He says that 'The Millionaire Next Door' and 'Rich Dad Poor Dad' changed his mentality.The books encouraged him to change his strategy and start investing in real estate.Brannon Potts expects to expand his real-estate portfolio from 12 doors to 20 within the next five years.At that point, he'll feel comfortable walking away from his property management company and enjoying an early retirement.The 53-year-old, who builds his rental properties to earn better returns, has put himself...

Record household equity allocations are a warning sign for the stock market, Ned Davis Research said.Optimism indicators, like low mutual fund cash and high CEO confidence, also suggest a potential market peak."With this much optimism, one must ask how much liquidity is left around to buy," Ned Davis Research said.American households have been loading up on stocks, but record-high investment levels might not be a good sign for the market. Analysts at Ned Davis Research highlighted in a Wednesday note that several signals suggest optimism toward the stock market is...

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 are hovering near their 200-day moving averages, a key technical support level.The 200-day moving average is an important indicator of potential trend reversals in stocks.Traders believe an immediate bounceback is needed for stocks to avoid further declines.The stock market has entered the danger zone as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 hover near their 200-day moving averages.Both indexes are trading at the key technical support level after a 6% decline in the S&P 500 and a 9% sell-off in the Nasdaq 100 since mid-February.The...