
Hot Czech Housing Market Poses an Inflation Problem
Hi, this is Peter Laca in Prague. Welcome to our weekly newsletter on what's shaping economics and investments from the Baltic Sea to the Balkans. You can subscribe here.
Home prices in the Czech Republic are rising at breakneck speed. While that might be great for real estate owners, it's a problem for a central bank wary of inflation and the swathe of the population struggling to get on the property ladder.
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This Bezos-Backed Real Estate Startup Is Quietly Disrupting the 401(k)
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. For decades, the 401(k) has been the gold standard of retirement planning in the U.S.—a slow-and-steady way to build wealth by investing in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds through your employer. But while that model has worked for millions, it's also left a lot to be desired: limited control, unpredictable returns, and almost no cash flow until you're well into your 60s. That's why a new real estate investing platform backed by Jeff Bezos is turning heads—and quietly offering an alternative to the 401(k) that's already helping thousands of people earn rental income today. The platform is called Arrived, and it lets you invest in actual single-family rental homes across the U.S. starting at just $100. No mortgages. No landlord duties. No accreditation required. You earn passive rental income each quarter and share in the profits when properties are sold. And unlike a traditional retirement account, you don't have to wait decades to see your returns. For a growing generation of investors looking for something more flexible, more tangible, and more immediate, Arrived is proving to be a powerful supplement—or even an alternative—to the 401(k). The 401(k) Isn't Broken—But It's Not Built for Everyone Let's be clear: the 401(k) has its place. It's helped millions of workers build long-term retirement savings, especially when employers offer contribution matches. But it also comes with real limitations. You typically can't touch your money without penalties until you're 59½. The investment options are limited to a handful of mutual funds or ETFs chosen by your plan administrator. And your returns are tied entirely to market performance, with no real diversification outside of equities and bonds. Don't Miss: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. 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Each home is held in its own LLC, and investors earn quarterly cash payouts from rental income. When the home is eventually sold—typically after 5 to 7 years—you also receive your share of the profits if the property has appreciated. That means you're not just betting on long-term value. You're earning income in the near term too, with no need to wait decades to benefit. Real Returns, Not Just Projections Let's talk numbers. One of the most important questions for anyone considering an alternative to a 401(k) is: how do the returns compare? In Q4 of 2024, Arrived paid out $1.84 million in rental dividends across 365 operational homes, a 19% increase from the previous quarter. They reported a 92% stabilized occupancy rate, with 63% of new leases beating forecasted rents. These are real numbers from real homes—not paper returns on a spreadsheet. 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Why It's So Appealing to Younger Investors Arrived is especially attractive to millennials and Gen Z investors who aren't sold on the idea of working 40 years and crossing their fingers that their 401(k) grows fast enough. Many don't have access to employer matches. Some are self-employed. Others are renters in expensive cities where buying property feels like a pipe dream. With Arrived, you don't need to save for a down payment, apply for a mortgage, or commit to owning property in one city. You can spread your investments across dozens of homes in different markets and receive steady rental income while still living your life. Whether your goal is early retirement, supplemental income, or just better diversification, Arrived fits into the kind of flexible financial plans that more and more people are building today. Why the Jeff Bezos Backing Matters Arrived didn't just show up out of nowhere. 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This article This Bezos-Backed Real Estate Startup Is Quietly Disrupting the 401(k) originally appeared on Sign in to access your portfolio
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an hour ago
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The 'Quiet Rich' Are Buying Up Rentals—But You Don't Need Millions to Do the Same
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. If you want to understand how real wealth is built in America, don't just look at who's driving flashy cars or flashing stock picks on social media. Look at who's quietly collecting rent. The truth is, many of the country's wealthiest families—especially those who don't show it—own rental property. Lots of it. Not because it's trendy, but because it's consistent. Rental income doesn't go viral. It doesn't spike overnight. It just shows up. Month after month. Year after year. This is the model of the "quiet rich"—people who live well below their means, steadily accumulate income-producing assets, and let time do the rest. For decades, that strategy was off-limits to most people. Buying a second property required tens of thousands in cash, a rock-solid credit score, and a willingness to play landlord. 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an hour ago
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Why You Should Stop Spending $100 on Starbucks a Month and Invest in Real Estate Instead
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. We all have our guilty pleasures. For some, it's overpriced smoothies. For others, it's takeout dinners or daily Starbucks runs that somehow add up to $5, $7, sometimes $10 a pop. On their own, these are small indulgences—harmless little routines that bring comfort, especially during long workdays or rushed mornings. But here's the thing: when those routines become habits, they quietly start stealing from your future. Spend $5 a day at Starbucks and you're out $100 a month—which doesn't sound like much until you realize that same $100 could be building you passive income, quarter after quarter, from real estate. Shop Top Mortgage Rates Personalized rates in minutes A quicker path to financial freedom Your Path to Homeownership Yes, real estate. You don't need to buy a whole house, take out a mortgage, or become a landlord. A new platform backed by Jeff Bezos called Arrived makes it possible to invest in actual rental homes for as little as $100. You earn income from rent. You get a cut of the profits when the property appreciates. And the best part? You don't have to do anything. Arrived handles everything—repairs, tenants, property management—while you collect passive income. So the next time you tap your card for a $6 latte, ask yourself: what if I invested this money instead? What Can $100 Actually Do? Let's zoom out. If you redirected just $100 a month—roughly the cost of 20 lattes—you'd have $1,200 saved by the end of the year. With Arrived, that's enough to buy shares in 10+ different properties. And each one could be paying you quarterly rental income, even while you sleep. That money doesn't just sit there—it works for you. Properties on the platform have targeted annual returns of 5.4% to 7.2%, based on a mix of rental income and property appreciation. Over time, that $100/month doesn't just replace your coffee budget. It builds into something much more powerful: a growing stream of passive income tied to real assets. And unlike a savings account or a 401(k), you don't have to wait decades to see the results. Once the home you invest in is leased, you start receiving your portion of the rent. It hits your Arrived dashboard every quarter. You can reinvest it, cash it out, or let it accumulate. You're not just buying a stock. You're owning a slice of a real, income-generating home. Don't Miss: 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. You can invest today for just $0.30/share. Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." Here's how you can earn passive income with just $100. Why Arrived Makes It So Easy The brilliance of Arrived is in how simple they've made it. You don't need to be a real estate expert. You don't need to scout neighborhoods or deal with mortgages. You just create an account, browse available homes, and invest as little as $100. You can filter by location, rental strategy (long-term or vacation rental), or return profile. Every listing includes detailed projections: how much rent it'll bring in, what your annual yield might look like, and what the target hold period is (usually 5 to 7 years). After you invest, Arrived handles everything. They work with vetted local property managers, maintain the home, collect rent, and send you your share of the income. You get quarterly updates, performance reports, and full transparency. No spreadsheets. No tenants calling about broken garbage disposals. Just clean, steady rental income without the stress of ownership. The Latte Factor You've probably heard of the "latte factor"—the idea that small daily purchases can add up to thousands over time. But most advice stops at guilt: skip your coffee, save your money. That's fine, but it's only half the story. What matters more is where that saved money goes. Saving for the sake of saving can feel demoralizing. But investing those same dollars into something tangible—something that grows, pays you back, and gives you a sense of ownership—feels empowering. That's what makes Arrived so different. It turns a budget cut into a real opportunity. You're not just tightening your spending. You're building a portfolio of real estate—something previous generations needed tens of thousands to access. You're earning rent. You're participating in appreciation. You're becoming a real estate investor... without the landlord lifestyle. From Coffee to Cash Flow Let's do the math: If you invested $100 a month in Arrived for five years and averaged a 6.5% return, you'd end up with $7,000+, including both contributions and growth. That's without even factoring in rental payouts along the way. Reinvest those quarterly dividends, and you could accelerate your gains even further. Keep it going for a decade, and you're now sitting on a meaningful chunk of income-producing real estate—built one month at a time. Will it replace your full-time income tomorrow? No. But it's a real, compounding source of wealth that grows each time you make a choice to invest in your future instead of spending on something forgettable. And the more consistent you are, the more powerful it becomes. See Next: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: Schedule your free call with a financial advisor to start your financial journey – no cost, no obligation. It's no wonder Jeff Bezos holds over $250 million in art — this beloved alternative asset has outpaced the S&P 500 since 1995, delivering an average annual return of 11.4%. This article Why You Should Stop Spending $100 on Starbucks a Month and Invest in Real Estate Instead originally appeared on Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data