• The ruins of the Napa Soda Springs Resort are for sale for the first time in 40 years.
• The resort first opened in 1856 on the site of natural springs that drew visitors from around the country and closed in the early 20th century. It has never been restored.
• Now, the 857-acre property is on the market for around $50 million.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Bay Area tech billionaire looking for a project with some history would be smart to look at the Napa Soda Springs Resort, which went on the market in November for the first time in 40 years.

Though it hasn't sold yet, listing agent Gerry Rohm told Business Insider that "there is significant interest from a broad array of buyers and investors due to the unique opportunity the property presents."

Home to 27 mineral water springs, the property was once the site of a legendary resort. Historically, natural springs were seen as potential cure-alls, and resort towns popped up on spring sites around the country. By the 1930s, there were over 2,000 spring resorts in the US.  

At the same time, the owners of the resort also had a factory where they bottled and sold Napa Soda, and they won the exclusive rights to use the Napa name in court. In 1897, San Francisco saloons reportedly ran out of Napa Soda, necessitating overnight shifts at the factory to restock. The drink was a 19th century Bay Area food trend, an early precursor to kombucha and Soylent trends of today.

Here's some history about the resort, and photos of what remains on the site after over a century.

SEE ALSO: A parking space in a garage in San Francisco is selling for $100,000

In 1856, a lawyer from San Francisco opened the resort. Over the next decade, he added amenities like tennis, billiards, horseback riding, and citrus groves for visitors. The rest of the century saw a pool, music hall, and pagoda added as well.

As spring resorts went out of vogue, the hotel shut down after World War I. Two later fires destroyed much of what was left of the property.

The resort was a place for wealthy 19th-century vacationers to soak in healing springs and breath mountain air.

The resort has never been renovated, and the remaining shells of the stone buildings are all that's left of what was once a popular vacation destination. They could be restored by a wealthy buyer willing to pick up the $50 million tab.

The 75-foot-tall Rotunda, introduced with a formal ball in 1877, was once a highlight of the property. Only the shell has survived multiple fires.

Because it has never been renovated, the remaining structures have an eerie quality.

The sale will be one of the largest Bay Area land deals, with 857 acres, several springs, and an 80-foot waterfall.

Despite the large size and remote feel, the property is only about 15 minutes from downtown Napa, and close to several wineries.

The property is listed with Gerry Rohm of JLL Capital Markets.

• The median monthly rent price for a one-bedroom apartment in New York in 2020 is $3,000, according to Zumper.
• This can be out of reach for the average millennial and Gen Zer. Based on the average millennial's yearly income, millennials should only be spending around $998 a month on rent. 
• Millennials and Gen Zers are still making their way to metropolises like NYC and San Francisco, and some of them are doing it thanks to a modern twist on an old trend, co-living spaces, where strangers share a home.
• Outpost Club is a co-living company with houses in New York, Jersey City, New Jersey, and San Francisco. Its residents, which Outpost calls "members," share living spaces and, in some cases, even bedrooms. It's one of the cheapest co-living options in New York. 
• Around 50% of members are international, and members say the living arrangement helps them transition not only financially, but also mentally and socially, for life in NYC, but that it takes an extroverted person to get the most out of the co-living experience.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

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When 30-year-old Sean Finn was moving from Prague to New York, he said he was prepared for his new accommodation to be a scam.

"I thought it couldn't possibly be this easy," he told Insider, "and then it was."

Finn lives in an Outpost co-living space in upper Manhattan. Co-living spaces are essentially homes where strangers live together.

Outpost Club was started by three Ukrainians that struggled to move to NYC themselves because of issues like credit checks, scams, and agent commissions, so they made a business to accommodate people in similar situations.

Source: Brick Underground 

Modern co-living is just the latest version of a trend that's more than 200 years old — cohabitation, or people living together.

Source: Business Insider

At Outpost, there's an average of 16 people living in each house. While some of them are apartments, others are multi-story houses.

The spaces are decorated like homes, but they feel like dorms.

Filled-in chalkboards and dry-erase boards on the walls that seemed to assign responsibilities and advertise community events reminded me of life in college.

People live in shared spaces and, in some cases, even shared bedrooms.

Residents say they were surprised to find large living spaces in their homes. "All my friends overseas said I'd be living in a shoebox," Finn told Insider.

There can be up to two beds in a bedroom, which typically range between 70 to 170 square feet in size.

Source: Outpost

Kira Hooks, 26, moved into a shared bedroom in Outpost's Bed-Stuy house in August 2019.

She told Insider that Outpost supplying amenities made the transition much easier.

Hooks said that co-living helped her transition from Nashville to New York mentally and socially.

"New York initially can feel very lonely," Hooks told Insider. "Coming from a place like Nashville, geographically everyone is together, whereas New York is really spread out."

Other Outpost residents from different houses said similar things.

"I come home every day and it's like a party," resident Mira Ciganek told Insider. "I look forward to actually being with people."

Ciganek, who lives on the second floor of Outpost's East Bushwick house, said she shares a room with two other people.

But this is no longer an option in 2020. Outpost said it's phasing out rooms with three beds to keep its residents safer, cleaner, and happier.

"When we were first starting out, we wanted to maximize the usable housing space in an effort to keep rents low for our tenants," Outpost told Insider.

Ciganek is a student at Baruch College and said that Outpost was an ideal housing option compared to the alternatives.

"Compared to a dorm, it's like a third of the price. And it's about the same commute," Ciganek told Insider.

But cheaper rent isn't the only selling point for these co-living spaces.

Since they're typically used as transitional accommodations, Outpost offers short-term leases. You can stay for just a month.

"I took the 2.5-month option," Finn told Insider.

Finn said a lot of the other co-living spaces in New York only offered 3-month and 6-month lease options.

Outpost provides all the necessary amenities. All you need to bring with you is a suitcase.

Nicolas Raposo, 21, is the host at the Central Park house. Raposo said hosts welcome new guests, let them know about events, help with events, and solve problems in the house in exchange for accommodation. Outpost declined to comment on the details of the host program.

Raposo told Insider that the experience has helped him meet people. Raposo moved to New York from Brazil last February.

"You wake up listening to people talking in the living room," Raposo told Insider. "There's this family thing — you feel like you have people to rely on."

Raposo and Finn have developed a solid friendship through Outpost even though they live in different houses.

Outpost hosts community events at different houses and sometimes other locations to help members get to know one another.

According to Finn, this is especially helpful for international members.

"When I was living in dorms in Australia, no one really spoke to each other," Finn told Insider. "They just did their study and went home on the weekend."

"But here, because there's no real home away from home, it makes it better to be together," Finn said.

"I think it's because you're forced into this situation where you have to make friends," Finn said. "So you make very strong bonds quite quickly."

But according to some members, co-living may not be for everyone.

"I've found that I'm an extroverted person, and I think this living situation requires being that — at least to get the most out of it," Ciganek told Insider.

Ciganek also mentioned that the social experience at Outpost varies depending on which house you're in and who is living there.

"The floors where people hang out kind of shift depending on who's living there," she continued.

"When I first moved here, the third floor was the party floor. Everyone would just hang out there," Ciganeck told Insider.

"But a lot of the people who made it like that have left," Ciganeck told Insider. "So I pretty much just hang out on my floor now."

"Each roommate I've had has been really cool," Hooks told Insider.

"We're each working at different hours," Hooks told Insider. "So as a musician I'm there during the day and they're at work so I get to have the house during the day."

Overall, each member seemed to agree that co-living is the ideal housing option for them in New York at this time. "It's much less of an adjustment than I thought it was going to be," Ciganeck said of co-living.

And some members even think it can help you grow as a person. "I think people should try this. It's good to have people around because they can let you know how you can improve yourself. I think that's the best thing about co-living," Raposo said.

• Online investment platform Rally has partnered with luxury reseller Privé Porter to allow people to "invest" in rare and new Birkin handbags.
• The first bag goes on sale today and has no minimum or fee to invest. There are 2,000 shares available, and each share costs $26.25, which values the bag at $52,500.
• Rally and Privé Porter are two companies that pride themselves on changing the investment and retail landscapes, respectively.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Ever wanted a Birkin bag? Of course you have. And now you can actually afford one — sort of. 

Online investment platform Rally Road has partnered with luxury reseller Privé Porter to allow people to invest in rare and new Birkin handbags. The partnership will make partial ownership of what is deemed a pinnacle of affluence more accessible to the general public.

"People are always going to be buying and selling Birkin bags, and the concept of Rally is to not have that go away," Rob Petrozzo, cofounder of Rally, told Business Insider. "The concept of Rally is to let the 99% benefit from the appreciation that typically only the very wealthy have now."

The first bag to be offered is a Hermès 35cm Bordeaux Porosus Crocodile Birkin. Porosus Crocodile is one of the rarest and most expensive materials in the world, making this bag, well, one of the rarest and most expensive in the world. It's valued at $52,500 — a steal when compared to the Hermès Exceptional Collection Shiny Rouge H Porosus Crocodile 30cm Birkin Bag with 18k white gold and diamond hardwear that, in 2011, sold for $203,150.

"Our task for Rally is to continue to find pieces that are very unique, very rare — what you would call an heirloom piece — that would be passed from generation to generation," Jeffrey Berk, cofounder of Privé Porter, told Business Insider. "What we're bringing to Rally are pieces that the most sophisticated collectors in the world are still dying to get their hands on."

The first bag is available today, with no minimum or fee to invest. There are 2,000 shares available, at $26.25 a share. As reported by Sharon Edelson at Women's Wear Daily, Rally plans to offer 20 handbags as part of its partnership with Privé Porter this year, giving those interested in the concept of handbag equity plenty of opportunities to invest. 

The future of luxury resale is here

Both Privé Porter and Rally are changing the way people buy and invest in luxury goods. Launched in 2017, Rally takes high-valued, tangible assets and splits them into shares, offering people equity in the pieces. As Berk told Business Insider, Rally is able to sell "shares" of goods that not even sophisticated collectors can get their hands on; they even sell equity in cars that haven't been seen in person. 

"This company would not have been possible five years ago," Petrozzo said. "We've turned this into an experience where you can literally make an investment in three minutes on your phone [whereas it] used to be 30 pages of printed out paper and you had to go into a broker." 

At the same time, Privé Porter, which launched in 2013, has become a reliable source for Hermès buyers and sellers and has twice beaten the world record sale price for a handbag — an Hermès Gris Cendre Diamond Himalaya Birkin hit the market last spring for a record $500,000.

"Our whole business is really based off Instagram," Berk said. "We've never had a store, we've never had an ecommerce site. We've just become so ingrained within the Hermès [community] around the world. Collectors know that we're the one with the biggest supply, and unlike pretty much everybody else in the sector, we buy everything we sell."

SEE ALSO: Louis Vuitton and Gucci are the only 2 luxury companies to consistently rank among the world's most valuable brands for the last 20 years. Here's how they grew to dominate the high-end retail sector.

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Join the conversation about this story »

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• The head of Delta Air Lines said in an interview with CNBC on Friday that passengers should ask before they recline their seat.
• CEO Ed Bastian said that while passengers have the right to recline, proper etiquette is to ask first.
• A video that went viral this week showed an angry passenger berating a woman sitting in front of him for reclining her seat.
• Delta has been testing reduced-recline seats on some of its narrow-body aircraft in part to prevent arguments about reclining seats.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The CEO of the second-largest airline in the world says passengers should ask permission before they recline their seat.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in an interview with CNBC on Friday that a passenger should make sure it's all right with the person behind them before reclining.

"The proper thing to do is if you're going to recline into somebody that you ask if it's OK first and then you do it," Bastian said.

The question was in response to a viral video of an American Airlines passenger berating the woman in front of him for reclining her seat. The angry passenger repeatedly punched the back of the seat, sparking a debate about whether passengers should recline their seats if there is someone behind them.

Reclining a seat greatly reduces the amount of space for the person behind and may prevent them from doing things like working on a laptop. It often has a ripple effect, leading passengers down the line to recline their seats to salvage any remaining space — which ultimately has an adverse effect on those in seats that can't recline or have a limited recline.

Bastian, however, said that while passengers do have a right to recline, they should use discretion. He said of the arguments about reclining seats, "We generally do not see that issue on Delta flights."

The Delta CEO also said he never reclines his seat or objects when someone else does it to him, despite his height.

"I never recline, because I don't think it's something that, since I'm the CEO of the airline, I should be reclining my seat," Bastian said. "And I never say anything if someone reclines into me."

Bastian said the airline was testing reduced-recline seating to help mitigate these issues. Skift reported in April that Delta's Airbus A320s were the first to receive the new seats, which offer a 2-inch recline instead of the standard 4 inches in economy and about 3 1/2 inches instead of 5 inches in first class.

The seats are still being tested, meaning the final amount of recline per seat may change depending on the results and passenger feedback.

Delta offers extra-legroom seats in coach in its Comfort Plus section that economy customers can buy for an additional fee.

Pre-reclined seats are another alternative, though Delta hasn't gone that far. The immovable seats are common on ultra-low-cost airlines in the US, allowing them to fill their aircraft with as many seats as possible to increase revenue.

Delta did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

SEE ALSO: I took 3 Delta flights in one day after finally getting elite status to see if it's really worth having — here's what I discovered

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Join the conversation about this story »

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• Couples who meet online are more likely to be interracial, a 2019 sociological study conducted by the University of New Mexico found. 
• And respondents from a large Tinder survey found that people are more open to interracial relationships when online dating.

• But other research suggests people's attitudes toward interracial relationships differ from their behavior.

• Still, the rate of interracial marriages has increased as online dating has become more popular and studies suggest online dating will increase the rate of interracial coupling.

• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Couples who meet online are more likely to be interracial than couples who meet in real life, according to a 2019 sociological study by the University of New Mexico. And that's a promising sign, given that meeting online is now the most common way couples (heterosexual, at least) are meeting each other. 

"Online dating has changed the way people meet their partners not only in America but in many places around the world," the study's author, associate professor of sociology Reuben Thomas, wrote. "We conclude that there is evidence suggesting that online dating is causing more interracial marriages, and that this change is ongoing." 

But there's a difference between correlation and causation. Has more online dating directly resulted in an increase in interracial couples? So far, the answer is yes, a little bit, according to the study.  

"Population-level estimates suggest that only a small part of the recent changes in couple diversity can be directly attributed to couples meeting online, but there is the potential for more Internet-induced change if it continues to expand as the modal source of romance," Thomas wrote. 

The study confirms the main finding of a 2017 paper by Josué Ortega at the University of Essex in the UK and Philipp Hergovich at the University of Vienna in Austria. It suggested that online dating should increase the number of interracial relationships as well.

And it certainly doesn't seem that the likes of Tinder, Bumble, OkCupid, or Match.com are going anywhere anytime soon. Not to mention, Facebook recently rolled out its own dating service to its 2.45 billion active users. 

Online daters say they are open to interracial dating. A 2018 Tinder survey polled 4,244 people (not just Tinder users) ages 24 to 25 living in the US, the UK, Australia, and France. As many as 63% said they've felt more confident about dating people from different races or ethnicities when online dating.

And 66% said that online dating services have made it easier to meet potential partners of a different race or ethnicity. As for Tinder users specifically, 79% say they've been on a date with someone of a different race, compared to 62% of non-Tinder users.

It's important to note, however, that the survey focused on people's attitudes toward interracial dating and their own assessments of their behavior — not on their actual behavior.

While people express positive attitudes toward interracial dating, there is some research that says that the reality of how online daters actually behave may not be as promising. 

Data from OkCupid, described in a 2014 blog post, suggests that people's attitudes and behavior around interracial dating can differ drastically.

OkCupid found that, among its users, the number of people who said they strongly preferred to date someone of their own race dropped from roughly 40% to roughly 30% between 2008 and 2014.

But as OkCupid founder Christian Rudder wrote, in that same time frame, "OkCupid users are certainly no more open-minded than they used to be. If anything, racial bias has intensified a bit."

Consider: In 2009, Asian men on OkCupid rated black women 16% less attractive than the average woman. In 2014, Asian men rated black women 20% less attractive.

A 2018 NPR article described the racial discrimination many people still face while online dating. One black woman in her late 20s said she met a white man on Tinder, and when they went on a date, "He was like, 'Oh, so we have to bring the 'hood out of you, bring the ghetto out of you!'" 

There is also research that shows people are more likely to message and respond to other people of the same race or ethnicity, the same religion, and the same education level. 

Will online dating really change the landscape of love and marriage in the US? That remains to be seen, according to Thomas. 

"Expect more public attention to how the most popular sites and apps operate, how their algorithms and interfaces sort users, and what data they keep, share and sell," Thomas writes for NBC News. "And as the stakes of this social change become clearer to everyone, expect online dating to become more politically contentious even as it becomes a more taken-for-granted part of social life."

SEE ALSO: 9 ways millennials are approaching marriage differently from their parents

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A psychologist explains how to tell if you're ready for a committed relationship

• It's normal for every relationship to have some degree of conflict.
• Though every couple goes through relationship challenges, psychological research suggests there are some hurdles that can ruin your relationship for good. 
• Business Insider compiled a list of 11 research-backed signs that your relationship is headed toward a downward spiral.
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

Every romantic relationship goes through ups and downs. Even if you just had a massive fight about who stained the living-room couch with coffee (we know: It wasn't you), it's not the end of the world.

However, certain behavior patterns can weaken a partnership over time, leaving one or both people wanting out.

Psychological literature is rife with examples of such behaviors, including avoiding new experiences, not being honest about finances, or even texting too often. Noticing one or more of these patterns in your relationship doesn't necessarily mean you're headed for a breakup, but you should hash it out with your partner as soon as you can. Use this opportunity to take a step back and see what you can do to not only work it out, but also strengthen your couple bond.

Here are 11 relationship hurdles that can ruin your romantic relationship for good. 

SEE ALSO: The most insidious type of cheating isn't physical. Here are 11 signs your partner could be guilty.

Distancing yourself from your partner

A 2016 study, published in the journal "Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice," found there's a deadly combination of characteristics that predict relationship dissatisfaction: sensitivity to rejection and the tendency to cut your partner off emotionally.

People who are really worried about getting hurt might distance themselves from their partners, which ends up making the relationship less satisfying in the long run. In other words, they effectively create what they fear.

If this sounds like you, try telling your partner about your fears. You might be surprised to learn that they share some of those concerns, and you can work through them together.

Closing yourself off to new experiences

A growing body of research suggests that couples who try new things together are happier in their relationship.

The inverse might be true, too: Writing in Psychology Today, clinical psychologist Lisa Firestone says when you stop being open to developing shared new interests, it can hurt the relationship and create resentment between partners.

So take up your partner's offer to try a new restaurant or go hiking instead of spending Saturday at the movies — at least once in a while.

Hiding your finances

In one 2018 poll for the National Endowment for Financial Education, 44% of adults said they've lied to their partner about money (financial infidelity), which can lead to fights, distrust, and in some cases divorce.

The problem is that money isn't just about numbers — it can symbolize power and love. So insecurity about what your partner's doing with his or her money means insecurity about the relationship in general.

Before you decide to combine (or even partially combine) finances with your partner, it helps to have a conversation about budgeting and your financial histories, and to come up with guidelines for making big individual purchases.

Giving your partner the silent treatment

A 2014 study, published in the journal Communication Monographs, suggests that couples engaged in "demand/withdraw" patterns — i.e. one partner pressuring the other and receiving silence in return — are less happy in their relationships.

The lead study author, Paul Schrodt at Texas Christian University, says it's a hard pattern to break because each partner thinks the other is the cause of the problem. It requires seeing how your individual behaviors are contributing to the issue and using different, more respectful conflict-management strategies.

Forming a "fantasy bond"

Psychologist Robert Firestone coined the term "fantasy bond," which describes the illusion of connection with your partner.

You replace genuine feelings of love and passion with the idea of being a couple, or a unit. Emotional closeness is often replaced by adherence to routines.

The real danger, according to Firestone's daughter, Lisa Firestone, is that you start to lose your individuality in your attempt to find safety in the relationship.

If you feel like you've entered into a fantasy bond, Robert Firestone says it helps to explore your fears of individuation and separation from your partner and work toward developing a more honest communication style.

Hashing out tough topics via text

A 2013 study, published in the Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, found that while women tend to be happier in relationships the more texts they send, men are less happy.

The lead study author, Lori Cluff Schade, told NPR that for men, texting may be a way to withdraw from the relationship.

In some situations, texting may not be the best alternative for either partner. The study author advises couples to consider moving conversations offline. She told NPR: "You may need ways to say, 'This is getting too heated for me. I need to talk with you later about this in person.'"

"Kitchen thinking"

That's a term for when you and your partner are fighting and you remember something else hurtful they did, even if it's not directly related to the conflict at hand.

Psychologist Douglas LaBier shares an example in Psychology Today: You're arguing about your summer-vacation plans and suddenly you start talking about that ugly chair your partner purchased the other day.

A 2016 study published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that people who reported kitchen thinking also reported having more frequent and intense conflict and feeling worse about their relationship.

The study didn't establish that kitchen thinking caused more conflict; it could be the other way around. Either way, watching a mental parade of your partner's flaws and transgressions probably isn't so productive.

Showing contempt for your partner

As Business Insider's Erin Brodwin has reported, couples who display contempt are more likely to split up.

According to relationship expert John Gottman, contempt — a mix of anger and disgust that involves seeing your partner as beneath you — is the No. 1 predictor of divorce. That's because it becomes harder to see things from your partner's perspective.

The first step to resolving the problem is cultivating appreciation and respect from both partners, and finding a more positive way to express your feelings.

Speaking negatively about your partner to others

A 2017 study of heterosexual married couples, published in the Journal of Family Psychology, found that "social sabotage" is one form of aggression that can hurt a relationship.

As psychologist Susan Krauss Whitbourne writes in Psychology Today, social sabotage involves behaviors such as going behind your partner's back and sharing private information, as well as trying to embarrass your partner in public.

Interestingly, though women in the study were more likely to be guilty of social sabotage, men's use of social sabotage was more damaging to the relationship.

Krauss Whitbourne writes: "Instead of creating the toxic environment caused by going outside the marriage for support, the authors recommend that couples address their problems directly or seek professional help."

Breaking up for the wrong reasons

According to marriage therapist (and Courtney Love's mom) Linda Carroll, breaking up with someone takes a lot of emotional and mental energy. Often, deciding whether to break up can be the hardest part. 

But breaking up with someone because they're not exciting anymore is not a legitimate reason, says Carroll. Just because they're ordinary doesn't mean being with them is a waste of time. All relationships, in the long term, settle down into a comparatively dull phase after the "honeymoon phase." But, Carroll says, only you know whether a breakup is right for you.

"You know, for your own reasons, that you really are done," Carroll said on the Art of Charm podcast. "It's probably less to do with the other person than with you." 

You buy into "happily ever after"

Life isn't anything like "Cinderella," and there is no such thing as a Prince Charming. Yes, marriage is about being in love, but it's also about hard work, writes Ellen McCarthy in her 2015 book, "The Real Thing: Lessons on Love and Life from a Wedding Reporter's Notebook."

McCarthy writes: "The collective wisdom seems to be: 'Sometimes you will be miserable. This is the reality of long-term intimacy. Carry on.'"

She also found that, according to research by relationship expert and author Iris Krasnow, one group of women tended to be satisfied in their marriages: the ones that never believed in the idea of "happily ever after."

• A luxurious retreat in the Maldives has once again been named the world's most romantic resort.
• Baros Maldives offers 75 villas, each with its own open-air bathroom and rain shower.  Many villas also have their own private pools.
• The resort has been dubbed the "World's Most Romantic Resort" by World Travel Awards for seven years in a row.
• A night's stay ranges from about $1,248 to $5,380 for the most luxe private residences.
• It opened more than 44 years ago, making it one of the oldest resorts in the Maldives.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Baros Maldives, a retreat in the Indian Ocean, has been named the world's most romantic resort for the seventh year in a row — and it's not hard to see why.

Guests at the resort can choose from 75 villas, each of which comes with a private deck, beach sun loungers, an in-villa bar, yoga mats, a pillow menu, and an outdoor rain shower. Many have their own private pools. There are multiple fine dining options to indulge in, as well as boat and sea excursions, a spa, and traditional Maldivian vow renewal ceremonies.

The Maldives has long been a high-end resort destination. Kudadoo, a solar-powered, adults-only resort in the Maldives, was named the world's best new luxury resort in 2019.

Here's a look at Baros Maldives, the most romantic resort in the world.

SEE ALSO: Here's an inside look at life on the French Riviera's 'Peninsula of Billionaires,' an exclusive seaside community beloved by royalty and tech tycoons

DON'T MISS: I stayed at New York City's top-rated hotel, which charges up to $35,000 per night and has an iconic cocktail bar that was featured in 'Gossip Girl.' Here's what it was like.

Baros Maldives, a luxury retreat on an island in the Indian Ocean, has won the "World's Most Romantic Resort" award for the seventh year in a row.

Source: World Travel Awards, Baros Maldives

Baros opened more than 44 years ago, making it one of the first resorts to open in the Maldives. To get there, guests take a 25-minute speedboat ride from the Maldives' international airport.

Source: Baros Maldives

The resort offers different types of villas ...

Source: World Travel Awards, Baros Maldives

... all of which come with a private deck, beach sun loungers, an in-villa bar, a pillow menu, and an outdoor rain shower.

Source: Baros Maldives

Guests can choose from several different types of villas, starting with one of the 24 Deluxe Villas, which offer 958 square feet of living space ...

Source: Baros Maldives

... and open-air bathrooms. Rates for Deluxe Villas start at about $1,248 per night for two people in the high season.

Source: Baros Maldives

Then there are the 1,108-square-foot Baros Villas with their soaking tubs and outdoor rain showers.

Source: Baros Maldives

They come with a private pool, a canopied daybed, and sun loungers on the private deck, and cost about $1,541 a night.

Source: Baros Maldives

Rates for the newly built Baros Suites run around $3,900 per night during the high season.

Source: Baros Maldives

Each one includes a king-size bed, a day couch, and a suite-assigned butler on call 24/7.

Source: Baros Maldives

Each suite also comes with its own private infinity swimming pool and both a hot and cold Jacuzzi.

Source: Baros Maldives

Then there's the Baros Residence, the most secluded of the villas.

Source: Baros Maldives

Its 2,885 square feet of living space includes a separate bedroom and living room, as well as a bathroom with designer toiletries. It also comes with its own private infinity pool. Rates for the Baros Residence can go up to $5,380 per night.

Source: Baros Maldives

The resort offers plenty of romantic dining and drinking options. Guests can enjoy a meal at the Piano Deck prepared by a private chef.

Source: Baros Maldives

The Lighthouse Restaurant sits out in the lagoon and offers a variety of seafood dishes.

Source: Baros Maldives

Then there's Sails Bar, which offers drinks like mojitos ($15), classic Manhattan cocktails ($14), or a "smoking cocktail" that combines tobacco mixes and fruit cocktails ($48-$161).

Source: Baros Maldives

Its lounge area blurs the line between beach and bar.

Source: Baros Maldives

The Lime Restaurant serves seafood and Maldivian curries along with snacks, salads, pizzas, and sandwiches.

Source: Baros Maldives

And if those options aren't enough, guests can also opt for a secluded beach picnic.

Source: Baros Maldives

The Baros Maldives spa has four private spa suites for couples treatments.

Source: Baros Maldives

Spa services range from manicures ($95) and pedicures ($115) to full-body mud wraps ($205) and 12 different types of massages ($175-$215).

Source: Baros Maldives

Resort guests can embark on various boat excursions, from a cruise on the resort's yacht, Serenity ...

Source: Baros Maldives

... to a sailing expedition on the Nooma, a traditional Maldivian sailing vessel.

Source: Baros Maldives

Guests can go diving and paddling the clear blue waters in a translucent canoe.

Source: Baros Maldives

Baros also offers private vow renewal ceremonies, complete with a traditional Maldivian Bodu Beru dance procession and a memorial palm tree planting.

Source: Baros Maldives

• Backstage Capital founder and venture capitalist Arlan Hamilton's productivity trick is to forgive other people for their wrongdoings.
• Forgiveness will keep you from dwelling on what other people say about you or their unfair treatment toward you, Hamilton told Business Insider. That way you can focus more on your job.
• We named Hamilton one of our 100 People Transforming Business earlier this year for shaking up the venture-capital world by investing only in underrepresented founders.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Arlan Hamilton's trick to getting stuff done isn't jotting things down on a planner or drinking more water: It's forgiving others. 

Hamilton, the founder of Backstage Capital and one of the few queer black women in venture capital, found that agonizing over the unfair ways she had been treated in the past kept her from doing her job. 

Earlier this year, for example, Hamilton said she spent days thinking about an instance where she had been "unfairly portrayed" online. She soon realized she was spending more time thinking about other peoples' actions than getting her job done.

Hamilton made a decision to forgive the people who she felt wronged her — that way, she took control of the situation and wasn't as affected by other peoples' actions.

"Once I did what was in my power to do and forgave them, I was back in control," Hamilton told Business Insider. "I got a lot of work done, and we're stronger for it as an organization."

Hamilton created Backstage Capital in part to counter the effects of unconscious bias in venture capital. Founders who are women, people of color, or people in the LGBTQ community are less likely to get venture-capital funding, according to a 2019 study. Hamilton herself recalled being told she must work twice as hard to be taken seriously in venture capital, she told Fast Company.

Queer people of color face greater barriers at work, like getting passed up for promotions and having to deal with unconscious bias

Hamilton's experience isn't uncommon. Women and queer people face greater sexual harassment in the workplace, and research shows racial minorities tend to get passed up for promotions or big projects because of unconscious bias. The New York Times' Alan Henry recently said productivity advice is meaningless for people dealing with injustice at work.

"That's the real factor determining whether you can take productivity advice at face value: privilege," Henry wrote. "Ultimately, if your boss or co-workers believe that women shouldn't be in the workplace, or that African-Americans are unmotivated, no 'productivity hack' will force them to objectively look at your accomplishments and decisions the way they would employees they view without biases."

Hamilton says forgiveness can help you overcome other peoples' unfair treatment. Forgiveness helps you stop dwelling on the wrongdoings of the past and take control to move forward at work, she said.

"It's really important to understand that a part of valuing yourself is knowing when and if you're being treated poorly but that you can also repurpose that by internally forgiving people of certain things," Hamilton said. "This allows you to let go of that time that you would have spent letting it consume you, and you can now use it for more productive things."

SEE ALSO: 19 of the most powerful women in global finance

Join the conversation about this story »

• A four-story home on San Francisco's Macondray Lane is for sale for $4 million.
• Its owner is Facebook Australia's former head of operations, Paul Borrud, who left the company in 2012 but remained in Sydney.
• Macondray Lane is one of the most romanticized parts of the city, having been fictionalized in Armistead Maupin's book series "Tales of the City."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Nestled in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood is a pedestrian street surrounded by foliage and homes called Macondray Lane. 

It's an idyllic part of the city that was fictionalized as "Barbary Lane" in a series of books set in San Francisco and penned by author Armistead Maupin starting in 1978. It was made into a TV show in the 1990s that starred Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis, and Netflix rebooted it last year.

Macondray Lane, or "Barbary Lane," has come to represent San Francisco in its most romanticized form, what newcomers envision the city to be when they first arrive.

The lane and the alcove it forms were added to the city's National Register of Historic Places in 1988 as the Russian Hill-Macondray Lane District. It's a bit of a rarity to snag a home along the strip — there are only a few.

But the one at 36 Macondray Lane is for sale for $4 million. And its owner once helmed one of the biggest companies in the tech hub region — and the world. 

Here's what it's like inside Facebook Australia's former head Paul Borrud's idyllic San Francisco home.

SEE ALSO: Inside a $21.8 million San Francisco mansion that's been home to a tech media mogul, a squatter, and almost — according to rumors — Taylor Swift

Paul Borrud is the former head honcho of Facebook's operations in Australia and New Zealand.

He was one of Facebook's earliest hires at the now-behemoth social media company. He set up shop in Australia in 2009 to run Facebook's operations, but in 2012, he quit Facebook and opted to remain in the country.

Despite his decision to stay in Australia, Borrud turned to San Francisco's Macondray Lane for a place in the city in 2013.

Source: SF Gate

The idyllic pathway runs east to west between Taylor and Leavenworth Streets.

He scooped up this four-story home in 2013 for $2.8 million.

Source: Redfin and SF Gate

The exterior is wooden, and sits just off the pathway.

The home features four bedrooms and three bathrooms.

Source: Compass

There are 3,373 square feet of living space.

Source: Compass

It was built in 1900 and saw a major remodel in 2013, according to Zillow.

Source: Zillow

There's the main floor where an open concept layout holds a dining room and high ceilings.

The kitchen is on this level as well. It's a "chef's kitchen" with bar seating and high-end appliances.

There's a living room, where stunning views overlooking the bay to the north are afforded.

The home comes with two outdoor terraces.

The views from them are stunning.

Borrud didn't buy the home back in 2013 for its ties to "Tales of the City," according to SF Gate.

Source: SF Gate

He was enamored with the views, with the Bay Bridge, Coit Tower, and Alcatraz all in the distance to admire.

Source: SF Gate

A spiral staircase leads upstairs.

There's a den just off the stairs of the upper level.

And then there's a solarium-style living room just off the stairwell that has pane after pane of glass letting in natural light.

Source: Compass

A sweeping view of the bay is also visible from here.

Down on the lower floor is a space for laundry and storage.

Source: SF Gate

As much as Borrud loves the home, he doesn't get to use it often since he lives in Sydney, Australia.

Source: SF Gate

"I love everything about the property and hate to see it go," he told SF Gate.

Source: SF Gate

There isn't a garage with the property, but a 12-month lease for neighborhood parking comes with the sale.

Source: SF Gate

The listing is a far cry from Borrud's Australian property, which hosts a massive bash he throws each year, complete with a 100-meter water slide.

Source: Daily Mail

• Alexander Allen is a fashion stylist and costume designer who has now signed on to work as a stylist with Amazon's new Prime Wardrobe service.
• Allen says that, over the course of his past 20 years in the industry, he's dressed everyone from Shakira to Beyoncé, worked on Madonna's tour, styled artist Takashi Murakami, and worked with designers including Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, and Dsquared2.
• Allen has also worked extensively in entertainment, with wardrobe and costume department credits on the movies "Ocean's 8" and "Second Act," the TV show "POSE" (starring Billy Porter), and Broadway's "Iceman Cometh" (starring Denzel Washington).
• In an exclusive interview with Business Insider, Allen discusses his career and shares his insights into the ever-changing fashion industry. 
• This is part of Business Insider's "The Style Series" highlighting fashion entrepreneurs and businesses across the globe. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Fresh off working on wardrobe and costuming for Madonna's tour, stylist Alexander Allen is now poised to work with Amazon Prime Wardrobe as a stylist, where he will assist the tech giant with its foray into the fashion retail sphere. But before he started working with the tech giant, Allen was a veteran stylist within the hip-hop industry and says he's worked with everyone from Eve to Beyoncé to Shakira – and even Denzel Washington. 

He's also worked in film, television, and theater, with wardrobe, costuming, and styling credits on "Ocean's 8," Fox's "Almost Family," Ryan Murphy's "POSE," and "Network" with Tony Goldwyn. In an interview with Business Insider, Allen spoke about how he developed his career and how he feels about the way the industry has changed over the years.

"I grew up here in Brooklyn, New York."

I'm a native New Yorker — and it's not too many of us, it's quite rare. I was always fascinated with entertainment, music, fashion. I just didn't know in what capacity I would proceed with that. It wasn't until I went to college — Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, where I studied telecommunications with a concentration in public relations — that's where my love for entertainment increased even more.

"Upon graduation,I came back homeand secured an internship at Marie Claire magazine in the fashion department."

My boss at the time, she got a job over at Donna Karan and she brought me along with her. [There] I befriended a stylist, and our very first project was with P!NK, who was virtually unknown at the time. It was there that I realized, 'Okay, I want to do styling,' because it was entertainment, it was music, it was fashion [all combined]. It was me creating my own schedule. It was also great compensation. It was everything that I wanted, and I just proceeded from there.

"My career has been self-financed."

I was the first entrepreneur in my family, so it's always a huge undertaking doing anything new and not having anyone to ask questions. Luckily enough for me, I had a great (and still have a great) accountant, and he was the one who helped me formulate my business plan and the ways that I should go about handling my finances.

"The very first celebrity that I can remember stylingis Ananda Lewis, a former MTV video jockey."

I [styled Lewis for] Time Inc.'s Teen People magazine. [And] it was thrilling. I was like, 'Whoa, look at me. I'm published in Time's Teen People!' — which was a big deal back in the day. It was the magazine where all of the up and coming celebrities were on that cover and on the inside. So it was like, 'Wow, not only am I working with Ananda, who I was watching on a daily basis and who was part of my pop culture, but now I'm styling her.' It was a win on so many levels ... And it helped establish me as [a stylist].

"Back in the day, hip-hop wasn't where it is now."

We always knew hip hop was electric and was the voice of the streets and street style. [But] these major fashion brands and fashion houses, they weren't so willing to work with us. Once [I found] a specific [fashion] house [to work with me], I made sure to always reach out to them for each project. That goes back to my PR skills and [knowing the importance of] strengthening relationships.

That was one of the things I was trying to tell Eve is 'you know, you don't see it because you're the face and you're the celebrity, but it's not easy pulling Gucci for you.' Back in the day, it wasn't easy pulling certain designers for her.

"I honestly do not pay attention to trends."

Because when you pay attention to trends — and I get it, it's a whole business and everything — [but] the trends are coming from fashion editors. They're coming from designers, they're coming from everyone. So why would I listen to what they have to say? It's no disrespect, but I like to keep my palate clean and fresh. And to do that, I limit what I see, what I hear, and I just keep it authentic to what I'm feeling. And that's where I operate from.

"Back in the day, men's style was more conservative."

It was always the same silhouette, the same patterns ... Now, it's a whole 'nother level where, because of fluidity in reference to sexual preference and gender, the silhouettes have changed even more. It's good to see men taking risks and also designers taking risks — like with Alessandro Michele at Gucci, how he's really revitalizing that house. I really love what he has done and what he's doing.

"The major difference between LA style and New York style ..."

In New York, we have sidewalk culture. [In LA], they don't. They drive everywhere. So where you'll see their style is in a mall, maybe you'll see it at a festival, maybe you'll see it at an awards show. But really New York is where you're going to see people walking up and down during four different types of seasons. 

"I am all for social media influencers."

When I was starting out, before influencers, there were bloggers, and the bloggers were the ones interrupting fashion. You had bloggers who just created a blog who were sitting next to or right behind or in the vicinity of, like, these esteemed and revered fashion editors. So everyone was like, 'wait, how did this happen?' Now with influencers, I just see it and I'm not mad.

"I was always comfortable being behind the scenes and letting my clients lead."

But with influencers and with social media, you have to be in front of your talent or be right next to it. I mean, that's just the way of the world today. So that's something that I had to readjust to.

SEE ALSO: The Style Series: How a millennial entrepreneur turned her knitting blog into a million-dollar business

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• Meghan Markle and Prince Harry officially announced via their Instagram and website on January 8 that they were stepping back as "senior" members of the royal family and intended "to become financially independent."
• On January 18, Buckingham Palace released further details of the separation, announcing the couple would step back from their royal duties entirely and no longer use their royal titles beginning in spring 2020.
• Though Harry and Meghan are estimated to be worth about $30 million already, experts say the two could easily create a billion-dollar global brand.
• It appears they could already be working toward that goal. They've reportedly laid off their UK staff, made a February appearance at a JPMorgan event in Miami, and held talks with Goldman Sachs— and they could potentially be in breach of their deal with the palace.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Queen issued a rare personal statement on January 13 addressing the news that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would be taking a step back from royal life: "My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan's desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family."

Part of that "more independent life" would involve funding their own lavish lifestyle rather than depending on the money from a sovereign grant.

"Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives," the Queen said.

In another statement made January 18, the Queen announced Buckingham Palace had come to an agreement with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, determining the specifics of their stepping down. 

"I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family," the statement read. "It is my whole family's hope that today's agreement allows them to start building a happy and peaceful new life."

A companion statement released by Buckingham Palace shared some terms of that agreement, which noted the couple would cease using their royal titles, step back from official military appointments, and will no longer receive public funds for royal duties. 

The duo will be expected, Buckingham Palace said, to pay back the Sovereign Grant they used to renovate Frogmore Cottage, the residence that will remain Harry and Meghan's home in the UK — though having reportedly laid off their UK staff and shuttered their Buckingham Palace office earlier this week, it's unclear whether (or how often) they'll be in the country at all.

Ultimately, it would probably be relatively easy for the couple to support themselves. They could maybe even build a billion-dollar brand in the process.

David Haigh, the CEO of Brand Finance, an independent brand-evaluation consultancy firm in London, told WWD's Rosemary Feitelberg on January 12 that he would be surprised if Harry and Meghan couldn't leverage their celebrity into a billion-dollar brand. He even cited Kylie Jenner's billion-dollar cosmetics company as a replicable position for the royal couple.

From book deals and speaking-engagement opportunities to branded merch, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are poised to build an empire

Kristen Meinzer, a royal commentator and author, told Business Insider's Taylor Nicole Rogers that the royal couple has "great earning potential" when it comes to book deals and speaking engagements. She compared their popularity to that of Barack and Michelle Obama and said the value of their book offers would likely be in the neighborhood of the Obamas' $60 million advance for their 2017 memoirs.

WWD's Feitelberg also reported that 100 trademarks were secured last year covering a wide variety of Sussex Royal branded apparel and other merchandise, but those applications covered use of the trademarks only within the UK.

Haigh posited that those trademarks were originally "defensive," i.e., filed so that others couldn't profit off their name. The Guardian reported that a global trademark application was submitted to the World Intellectual Property Organization in December seeking to register the Sussex Royal brand in Australia, Canada, the European Union, and the US. The international filings mention items and services including stationery paper and the "organizing and conducting of emotional support groups," according to The Guardian.

"It's noticeable that every time [Meghan] dotes a particular clothing brand or wears anything, they instantly crash the websites and sell out," Haigh told WWD, suggesting that any Sussex-branded goods would surely sell well and any future fashion collaborations would too.

Other opportunities could include leveraging their celebrity status on Instagram

Fame sells. Haigh said the pair's 2018 wedding gave a billion-pound boost to the British economy and brought in an additional 3 million tourists to the UK.

The marketing platform Inzpire.me, which connects brands like Coca-Cola and UNICEF with potential influencer partners, told Business Insider that Harry and Meghan could expect to earn as much as $105,000 per singular sponsored Instagram post, should they choose to monetize their social-media presence. The estimate is based on the engagement rate of the pair's @sussexroyal Instagram account— which saw 190,000 new followers in the 24 hours after their initial statement in January, more new followers than the account gains in a typical month.

For comparison, Jenner, who Haigh highlighted as a particular social-media success story, has an estimated maximum post fee of $1.5 million, according to Inzpire.me. Meanwhile, the Obamas, who Meinzer directly compared the royal couple to, are projected to have a maximum post fee of $230,000.

Inzpire.me's cofounder Marie Mostad suggested that Instagram influencing may not be far off for Meghan and Harry, adding that their initial Instagram announcement in and of itself was "a big departure" from the way royal news is typically announced. "This may be the first of many modernizations we see in the royal family," she said.

Rogers previously reported for Business Insider that other royal experts didn't expect the couple to hit peak millennial and fully commit to an Instagram side hustle. It's just one of the many lucrative options to grow their brand.

It looks like Harry and Meghan are already pursuing new ventures — and that might breach the terms of their agreement with the Queen

It appears the couple has already started in their pursuit of private work. Though it's unlikely that Markle will return to acting as a full-time gig, reports have already surfaced that she signed a voice-over deal with Disney. While neither the royals nor Disney have confirmed the news, The Times of London reported that payment for the deal would take the form of a direct donation to Elephants Without Borders, emphasizing the couple's commitment to using their celebrity for philanthropy. 

Last week, the pair made an appearance at a JPMorgan event in Miami, which a palace representative confirmed to Insider's Darcy Schild. Harry made a speech regarding mental health, but it's unclear whether it was a paid appearance.

Separately, the Mirror reported that Harry has taken meetings with Goldman Sachs, but it is similarly unclear whether or not he's been (or will be) paid by the company.

If these potentially lucrative deals go through before Harry and Meghan stop receiving public funds, it could breach the terms of "Megxit."

"The agreement with the Queen technically starts in the spring," Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal commentator told Business Insider's Mikhaila Friel. "It is not known whether they were paid for their JPMorgan appearance, but obviously this area is where their future lies," he explained.

"Connections with Goldman Sachs are likewise likely to be lucrative as the couple are obviously keen not to have to rely on Charles for their funding and also to build their Sussex Royal brand into one of the world's most successful, and heighten their profile as charitable activists as well," Fitzwilliams added.

Charity will surely take center stage in the global brand Harry and Meghan are poised to build — their initial statement included a callout to the future launch of their "new charitable entity," and their philanthropic causes have been a focal point of their work as "senior royals" in the past.

SEE ALSO: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle want to become 'financially independent,' but they're already worth about $30 million — and none of that money belongs to the crown

DON'T MISS: Here's how much money Meghan Markle and Prince Harry could need to maintain their lavish lifestyle if they plan on becoming 'financially independent'

Join the conversation about this story »

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• Meghan Markle and Prince Harry appear to already be working toward actualizing their financial independence after announcing in January plans to step back as "senior" members of the royal family.
• But if they take on paid private work before officially resigning from the royal family in the spring, this could jeopardize the terms of "Megxit."
• Once they officially resign, they will no longer receive money through the "sovereign grant" the royal family receives and will have to earn income as professionals.
• They'll need millions to maintain their lavish lifestyle, which has included $200,000 baby showers and multimillion-dollar home renovations.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry appear to already be working toward financial independence after announcing in January plans to step back from their royal duties and titles.

They reportedly fired their 15-person staff in the UK and are closing their Buckingham Palace office. Last week, they made an appearance at a JPMorgan event in Miami, a palace representative confirmed to Insider's Darcy Schild. And Harry has also held talks with Goldman Sachs, reported the Mirror.

But it's unclear whether they were paid. If the royal couple takes on any private, paid work before officially resigning from the royal family in the spring (when they would stop receiving public funds), it could jeopardize the terms of "Megxit."

Most of the British monarchy's wealth is derived from inherited lands and investments. British taxpayers also support the royal family through a "sovereign grant" issued by the treasury.

That setup prohibits royal family members from earning income as professionals, according to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's website. By choosing financial independence, Meghan and Harry will no longer receive money through the sovereign grant and will be able to work professionally, once their resignation is final this spring.

Together, Meghan and Harry are worth $30 million. Meghan's net worth is estimated to be about $5 million from her acting career, and Harry's net worth is reportedly at least $25 million, comprised of an inheritance from Princess Diana and an annual allowance from Prince Charles. It's unknown how much of this comes from the crown.

Here's how much money they'd need to maintain their lavish lifestyle, based largely on the millions they've spent in the past year alone.

SEE ALSO: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are taking a 'step back' from the royal family after months of rumors. Here are 12 ways the couple has modernized the monarchy.

DON'T MISS: Together, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are worth about $30 million — and none of that money belongs to the crown

BABY: Meghan and Harry dropped hundreds of thousands on baby-related expenses, which could be telling if they have another baby.

While interviewing Jane Goodall for the September 2019 issue of Vogue UK, Harry said that when it comes to having children, he wants "two, maximum."

Meghan's Manhattan baby shower was worth about $200,000, Katie Nicholl reported for Vanity Fair. Serena Williams hosted and paid for the shower, Nicholl wrote, but it stands to reason Meghan may want a similar-caliber shower in the future and might intend to foot the bill herself once she and Harry are "financially independent" of the rest of the royal family.

The Duchess also spent about $11,000 on acupuncture and numerology in the months leading up to baby Archie's birth, Jess Lester reported for The Sun.

The Duke and Duchess also went on a $43,000 babymoon at Heckfield Place, Lester added.

That's not to mention the costs of education, food, and clothing once the baby is born — as well the cost of as a nanny. Meghan and Harry have reportedly gone through three nannies since Archie was born. Graduates from the famous Norland College, which teaches aspiring nannies, can earn between $36,000 and $59,000 in London. It's likely that a nanny for members of the royal family would earn more.

HOME: Meghan and Harry reportedly spent nearly $4 million on home renovations.

Meghan and Harry spent up to $3.8 million in 2019 renovating their home, Frogmore Cottage, Valentine Low reported for The Times. That includes $60,000 to include a green-energy unit and add fireplaces, staircases, and a floating floor.

According to the duke and duchess' official website, Frogmore Cottage was already undergoing mandatory renovations before they moved in — and they cost half of the $5.2 million in renovations necessary for them to live at Kensington Palace, which wouldn't have been available for them to move into until late 2020.

That's more than the $1.9 million the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent renovating Anmer Hall in Norfolk, Low wrote.

The couple spent an estimated $65,000 renovating the nursery, Lester reported.

Part of Buckingham Palace's January 18 statement noted that Meghan and Harry "have shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage."

CLOTHING: While Meghan mixes high-end and low-end pieces, she reportedly spent more on her wardrobe than other royals in the past year.

Meghan is a style icon — her clothes often sell out as soon as she wears them. It's known as "the Meghan Markle effect," Leah Bourne wrote for Glamour.

She's been spotted in a $2,000 Stella McCartney dress and a $1,390 Sentaler coat, as well as a $116 Banana Republic dress and a $123 Everlane jumpsuit. She's also reworn some of her outfits.

But according to several estimations, she spent more on clothing than other royals in the past year — Kate Middleton, for example, reportedly spent $85,000 on clothing. Meghan, meanwhile, is said to have spent up to $500,000 on maternity clothes during her pregnancy.

Harry was spotted wearing the same $170 J. Crew blazer 24 times last year.

TRAVEL: Meghan and Harry travel widely, recently vacationing in a multimillion-dollar mansion off Vancouver Island.

Instead of spending Christmas at the Queen's Sandringham estate, Meghan and Harry took a six-week vacation in the US and Canada with Archie.

According to the Mirror, they stayed in a $13.3 million waterfront mansion on Vancouver Island spanning over 10,000 square feet, with several bedrooms and bathrooms and a kitchen with a pizza oven.

In the past, they've traveled to Botswana, Jamaica, and Norway. In Norway, they reportedly stayed at the remote Tromvik Lodge, which is available to rent on Airbnb for $408 a night.

FOOD: Meghan is known to enjoy healthy food and $100 wines.

There aren't any reports on how much Meghan and Harry spend on food, but Meghan is said to eat pretty healthy. Her go-to breakfast is an acai bowl, she loves green juice and veggie quinoa, and she snacks on carrots and hummus, Mikhaila Friel reported for Insider.

Meghan's favorite wine, according to Friel, is Tignanello, which can cost as much as $130 a bottle.

Meghan also enjoys cooking and entertaining.

"Whether we're eating lamb tagine, pot roast, or a hearty soup, the idea of gathering for a hearty meal with friends and family on a Sunday makes me feel comforted," she told the "Today" show in 2012. "I enjoy making slow-cooked food on Sundays, like Filipino-style chicken adobo."

This hasn't changed since becoming a member of the royal family. A friend of hers told People magazine in 2019 that Meghan cooks for herself and Harry every day.

CHARITY: Meghan and Harry have been heavily involved in charity work.

Last year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they would leave the Royal Foundation to start their own charity, Sussex Royal, in 2020.

In August 2019, they promoted the work of smaller or lesser-known charities, which they dubbed Force for Change charities, on their Instagram page.

But in addition to inspiring others to donate, they make donations themselves. In September 2019, Meghan and Harry donated $5,000 toward building a swimming pool in Guinjata Bay, Mozambique, to teach locals how to swim, Omid Scobie reported for Harper's Bazaar.

They've also both traveled to Africa for charity work several times.

• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have already begun fielding gigs for their post-royal careers, Vanity Fair reports.
• Meghan and Harry will step back entirely from their royal duties, stop receiving public funding, forgo their HRH titles, and be able to earn their own money starting in the spring, Buckingham Palace announced last month.
• The Duke and Duchess of Sussex could take on jobs similar to those of former presidents — writing books and giving speeches — in their quest to become "financially independent," one royal commentator told Business Insider.
• Although the former actress's return to the screen is unlikely, it wouldn't be unprecedented.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Sussexes may have already started looking for jobs for their post-royal lives.

Prince Harry recently held discussions with Goldman Sachs while Meghan is considering doing voiceover work for Disney in exchange for a charitable donation, Vanity Fair reported Wednesday. News of the couple's potential gigs comes less than a month after they came to an agreement with the Queen to completely step back from their royal duties starting in the spring. Buckingham Palace also said in a statement the Sussexes will stop receiving money from the sovereign fund and cease using their HRH titles.

Harry and Meghan announced via Instagram on January 8 their intention to take a "progressive new role" within the royal family — starting with footing their own bills.

How will Meghan and Harry make money now?

Royal commentators told Business Insider that the royal couple will likely use book deals and speaking engagements to fund their luxurious tastes going forward.

Even though Harry has never had a job outside of his military service, it likely won't take much effort for them to start raking in multimillion-dollar paychecks. The Sussexes have "great earning potential," royal commentator and author Kristen Meinzer told Business Insider.

"We could easily compare them to any former presidents," Meinzer said. "My mind keeps going to Barack and Michelle Obama and how [they] make money. The reason I compare the two is that they're already friends with each other and I would put them on the same level in terms of fame."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will likely start receiving book offers as soon as they are cleared to generate their own income, and the value of those offers will likely be in the neighborhood of the $60 million advance that the Obamas were reportedly paid for the rights to their memoirs in 2017, according to Meinzer.

The Atlantic's Joanna Weiss theorized that the couple could leverage their massively popular @SussexRoyal Instagram account with sponsored content, but Meinzer says she doesn't expect that the couple will be hawking Sugar Bear Hair vitamins like Kylie Jenner and the Kardashians.

Will Meghan start acting again?

Similarly, "Suits" fans shouldn't get their hopes up that the Duchess will return to the small screen, according to Meinzer. "I'm not certain that that would make sense for her at this point," Meinzer said. "So much of what she seems to want to do seems to be related to diplomacy, creating a fair and more equitable world, and the environment … and it's not that you can't support those causes through acting, but they would likely want to support those causes more directly through their work."

While there's no guarantee Meghan will return to the big screen, the Duchess reportedly signed a voiceover deal with Disney to benefit the organization Elephants without Borders. The report followed the couple's initial January 8 announcement to "step back" from royal life, according to The Sunday Times.

Nonetheless, it's not unprecedented for "senior royals" like Meghan and Harry — those in the top 10 in the line of succession — to have full-time jobs. Prince Harry's cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who are ninth and tenth in line for the throne respectively, both pursued careers instead of doing royal engagements full time. Beatrice works at software company Afiniti, while Eugenie is the director at the London art gallery Hauser & Wirth, according to Good Housekeeping.

Harry and Meghan already have a sizeable fortune to their names, even if they delay earning money for themselves. The Duke and Duchess have an estimated net worth of $30 million from a combination of the Duke's inheritance from his mother and the Duchess's earnings from her acting career, among other income, Business Insider's Tanza Loudenback and Taylor Borden reported.

That may not be enough to support the lavish lifestyle they're accustomed to, however. The Duchess' maternity wardrobe was worth an estimated $500,000, while the acupuncture and numerology treatments she received during her pregnancy cost an estimated $11,000, Business Insider's Hillary Hoffower reported — though some of their most extravagant expenses, such as Meghan's $200,000 baby shower, were funded by the couples' famous friends (like Serena Williams, who footed the bill for the shower).

Meghan and Harry's security team may still continue to be publicly funded

Former royal personal protection officer and Director of Operations and Training at London-based security firm Trojan Consultancy Simon Morgan previously told Business Insider that the couple would need to renounce their HRH titles to have their security details withdrawn. The palace's most recent statement confirmed that Meghan and Harry will no longer use their HRH titles once their resignation is formalized this spring.

The statement continued, saying: "Buckingham Palace does not comment on the details of security arrangements. There are well established independent processes to determine the need for publicly-funded security."

Morgan told Business Insider that if Meghan and Harry were to pay for their own private security contractor, it could cost "thousands of pounds a day on a day-to-day basis, or hundreds of thousands of pounds on an annual basis" to maintain their current level of protection.

As it operates today, the entire royal family costs approximately £1 per taxpayer per year, according to the Duke and Duchess' website. Mounting criticism over the cost of their lifestyle to taxpayers may have been a driving cause behind the decision to include their goal of financial independence in their shocking January announcement, Meinzer said.

SEE ALSO: Fans are begging for Meghan Markle to land acting roles on 'The Crown,' 'Succession' and more after leaving the royal family with Prince Harry

DON'T MISS: Here's how much money Meghan Markle and Prince Harry could need to maintain their lavish lifestyle if they plan on becoming 'financially independent'

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Every moment you need to see from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's royal wedding

• Samsung's $1,380 Galaxy Z Flip is the company's latest foldable phone.
• As its name implies, it has a bendable screen and hinge that allows the phone to snap shut just like an old-school flip phone.
• The phone's hinge and flexible screen enable you to prop it up on a table or flat surface, making it easy to watch videos hands-free or use it as second miniature display throughout the workday.
• But there aren't many apps available to take advantage of the Z Flip's unconventional design, and it's still noticeably pricier than other standard smartphones despite being cheaper than other foldables. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Despite last year's mishap with the Galaxy Fold, Samsung isn't giving up on foldable phones yet.

The company launched the Galaxy Z Flip on Friday, a $1,380 phone with a foldable screen that snaps shut like an old-school flip phone. When opened, the Galaxy Z Flip has a lot in common with many standard smartphones. It has a 6.7-inch screen similar to the Galaxy S20 Plus, for example, and two 12-megapixel main cameras: one with a wide-angle lens and another with an ultra-wide-angle lens.

But thanks to its flexible glass display and hinge, it's able to snap shut just like a flip phone  — hence the name Z Flip.

Before spending some time with the Z Flip, I was apprehensive about the advantages that foldable flip phones like the Z Flip and its closest competitor, the $1,500 recently-launched Motorola Razr, would bring to the way I use my phone. But after spending roughly an entire work day using the Flip, I'm starting to see the potential in having a phone that bends in half. For example, being able to keep the phone open with its screen propped up on my desk throughout the day made it much more useful as a second screen at the office.

But it's not perfect, of course. Most apps aren't optimized to take advantage of the Flip's unconventional design. And although its hinge is useful, it would be much more helpful if the phone's top half could be set at a variety of angles.

Here's a closer look at what it's been like to spend some time using the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. 

SEE ALSO: 10 features Samsung's Galaxy S20 phones have that Apple's latest iPhones are missing

First, perhaps the most obvious benefit of using the Z Flip is its compact size when closed.

When closed, the Galaxy Z Flip was much easier to fit in my jacket pocket than my longer, rectangular iPhone. But it's noticeably thicker than your average smartphone when closed. In terms of thickness, it's about as chunky as two phones stacked on top of each other.

This didn't bother me too much, though, since the fact that it can fold in half when not in use already makes it compact enough.  

But what I loved the most about the Z Flip, after my limited time using it, was how useful it became when opened halfway.

During its launch event on Tuesday, Samsung showed how the bottom half of the Galaxy Z Flip can be used as a tripod for the top half of the display when taking photos — a feature that's intended to help the phone take more stable shots.

But I found myself really enjoying using the Z Flip in this mode in other ways, too. For example, I kept the phone opened half-way, with the top portion of the display propped up so that the phone makes an "L" shape, while watching a video on YouTube at work alongside my computer screen.

I could easily see this being useful in a variety of circumstances: imagine propping the phone up on a nearby table while showing friends photos and videos from a recent vacation, rather than having to hold the phone or hand it over. Or imagine using the Z Flip in this mode to watch videos or make a video call while at the airport.

These are use cases that make me see the potential for flip phones, beyond the portability and novelty behind it. 

However, most apps aren't optimized to work in this way yet.

I'd love to use the top half of the Z Flip's screen as an secondary display during the work day. But unfortunately, since the Z Flip is so new, most apps aren't optimized for it yet. Many apps run just like standard smartphone apps on the Z Flip and aren't tailored to utilize its offbeat design, such as the Google Play Store as shown above.

Launch Slack with the Z Flip's screen opened halfway, for example, and the entire chatroom will stretch across the top and bottom of the screen, just like it would on a regular smartphone. I'd much prefer to see the most recent messages in my work Slack channel on the top portion of the display that's propped up, so that I can easily glance over while typing to make sure I'm not missing any important alerts.

I did work around this, however, by launching Slack in Samsung's split-screen mode, which evenly splits two apps above and below the screen's fold. It's the best use case I've found yet for Samsung's split-screen mode. 

And I do wish the hinge was more flexible.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip's ability to stay halfway open on its own makes it very useful when propped on a table or similarly flat surface. But when holding it, you're best bet is to open the phone up entirely so that it can be used like a standard smartphone.

I wish the hinge was slightly more flexible, making it possible to adjust the top half of the display when held to allow for a comfortable reading angle. The "L"-shaped angle it takes when opened halfway is just a bit too rigid to use comfortably when holding the device. 

That being said, the hinge does feel durable, and the fact that Samsung used glass for the screen rather than plastic made it feel premium and polished. During my time using the Z Flip, I didn't notice any creaks or bumps. 

Being able to close your phone also makes it feel more private.

Since the Galaxy Z Flip snaps shut like a flip phone, the main screen isn't visible when the phone isn't in use. That certainly feels more private than having my phone's lock screen light up with notifications, letting the world around me know when I've received a new text message. 

The Z Flip does have a small screen on its cover for viewing the time, notifications, and other information. But it's too tiny for onlookers to see from a distance. 

But these benefits do come at a cost that's considerably high compared to the average smartphone.

The Galaxy Z Flip costs $1,380, making it noticeably pricier than the $1,000 Galaxy S20, $1,200 Galaxy S20 Plus, $1,000 iPhone 11 Pro and $1,100 iPhone 11 Pro Max. It is cheaper than other foldable phones, like Samsung's $1,980 Galaxy Fold and Motorola's $1,500 Razr.

But before you buy, it's worth considering whether the perks that come with a screen that bends in half are worth spending roughly an extra $200-$400 more than the average smartphone. That's especially important considering that the crease in the display is still fairly noticeable, and the Z Flip is lacking some modern smartphone features — like a triple lens camera. Instead, it has a dual-lens 12-megapixel camera. 

It's also not dust and water resistant like most of today's smartphones.

After what happened with last year's Galaxy Fold, Samsung is eager to prove that its new foldable smartphone is adequately durable. The company says the device's hinge uses nylon fibers to keep debris out of the phone, and when unveiling the device it said that it can withstand being folded and unfolded more than 200,000 times.

But the customer care directions that come with the Galaxy Z Flip also warn that it's not dust or water resistant and urge owners to avoid exposing it to liquid or small particles. That would make me wary about regularly using the Z Flip as my everyday phone without using a case.

Other modern smartphones that are cheaper than the Z Flip, like the iPhone 11 Pro and Galaxy S20, are IP68 certified, meaning they can withstand some exposure to water but aren't advised for use in the pool. 

Overall, the Galaxy Z Flip feels like one step closer to what the next evolution of the smartphone could look like.

The Galaxy Z Flip may not be perfect, but it certainly feels more practical thank the Galaxy Fold. That phone offers the benefit of functioning as a tablet and a phone in one, but the phone experience wasn't quite polished enough.

When closed, the Fold's cover screen was too thin and awkward to use for more than checking notifications or the time, and when opened its screen was too large to comfortably use with one hand.

But even after just a few hours with the Z Flip, it feels like it checks two important boxes: it brings something new to the smartphone experience, but also performs well enough as a standard smartphone. 

• Delta Air Lines is committing $1 billion to be carbon neutral by 2030. 
• Aviation emissions account for 2% of the world's total CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, with 98% of Delta's emissions coming from its aircraft.
• With demand for air travel only growing, the emissions will inevitably rise and airlines are becoming the target of protest due to their role in climate change.
• One way airlines have been fighting back against emissions is by acquiring more efficient aircraft. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Thousands of flights criss-cross the skies over our heads every day, transporting millions of people to destinations near and far. Powering those flights, however, are fossil fuel-burning engines that greatly contribute to the amount of CO2 in Earth's atmosphere.

With concerns for the environment growing, airlines have been among the most attacked for the part they play in global climate change. They're easy targets for environmentalists as after all, their aircraft constantly leave reminders of their environmental impact whenever they fly overhead with the white puffy contrails that trail an aircraft's engine.

In response, airlines have been taking a look at their flight in climate change and taking measures to combat it. 

Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways in the US have both announced measures to drastically cut their emissions, with the former pledging $1 billion to do so. 

Here's how the aviation industry is fighting back against climate change. 

SEE ALSO: Airlines are working to cut down on emissions to secure their future business model, but the technology to make a real impact is still years away

In 2018, the International Council on Clean Transportation reported that commercial aviation operations including airline flights accounted for 2% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions that stemmed from utilizing fossil fuels.

In Sweden, a movement began in 2017 to boycott air travel, with famous Swedes spearheading the movement to grow awareness, according to the BBC. The trend continues today under the moniker "flight shame," or "flygskam" in Swedish.

The protest appears to be working, with the BBC reporting that Sweden's airports saw a reduced amount of traffic in the previous year. While 2018 saw approximately 42 million passengers for Sweden's aviation industry, according to BBC, 2019 saw a 4% decrease in that number, though Swedish authorities cited other reasons for the drop.

Delta Air Lines announced that it aims to be carbon neutral in the next 10 years with a $1 billion investment in reducing and offsetting emissions.

Starting in March, the airline will commit an average of $100 million per year over the next decade to doing its part in environmental protection. Already ranked as the top airline for sustainability by Barrons, according to a company press release, Delta is doubling down through various initiatives centered around driving new technologies and innovations in the environmental sector. 

One way Delta promised to help reduce its carbon footprint is through a fleet renewal program that will see it take on more fuel-efficient aircraft, with the airline stating in a press release that 98% of its emissions come from its aircraft. Among those that will be more prominent in Delta's fleet are the Airbus A350-900 XWB, A330-900neo, and A220, all of which are currently in service with Delta today. 

The focus won't only be on the skies, however, as Delta will also be investing in ways of lowering its footprint on the ground by working with businesses in its supply chain to similarly become more eco-friendly. 

American low-cost carrier JetBlue Airways also took its environmental commitment a step further earlier this year when it announced recently that it would be going green but offsetting the emissions from all of its domestic flights.

Working with organizations such as Carbonfund.org that help offset emissions, JetBlue has already offset almost 3 billion pounds of CO2 emissions, according to a company press release, and planes to bring that number up to as much as 20 billion pounds.

As part of a fleet renewal, the airline is also acquiring Airbus A321neo, Airbus A321neoLR, and Airbus A220 aircraft that will offer greater fuel savings compared to its current generation fleet. Its longest route, New York-Guayaquil, is currently operated by the Airbus A321neo in a high density, all-economy configuration.

In Scandinavia, where the flight shame movement began, Scandinavian Airlines is also altering its business model to reduce its environmental impact.

The airline announced that it is seeking to cut 25% of its emissions by 2030, according to the Associated Press, and would be making adjustments to its operation to do so. Among the ways the airline has been doing so is by cutting the sale of duty-free items onboard its aircraft to lower their weight and by purchasing new fuel-efficient aircraft.

Scandinavian Airlines' most recent purchase included an order for the Airbus A350-900 XWB to replace its aging Airbus A340 quad engine aircraft and Airbus A320neo to complement its narrowbody fleet. The use of electric aircraft is also being considered. 

Another milestone in its sustainability goals is to have intra-Scandinavian flights fueled by biofuels, which are an emerging alternative to jet fuel. Most airlines that use biofuels, however, are restricted in terms of how many flights they can provide biofuel for due to its limited availability.

Aircraft manufacturers are making aircraft more efficient and airlines are gobbling them up.

The plane that largely started the trend of next-generation aircraft that used modern technology to aid in fuel efficiency was the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The twin-engine aircraft offered better fuel efficiency by 20% compared to previous generation aircraft, Boeing touted, enabling airlines to fly further while using less fuel.

The fuel-efficient widebody trend continued in Europe with Airbus debuting the Airbus A350 XWB, which boasted similar numbers of fuel efficiency and was largely acquired by the same airlines that bought the Dreamliner.

Airlines such as British Airways, LATAM Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic Airways now operate the aircraft types side by side on long-haul routes where their performance is enhanced. Both are also very well represented on the top ten list of the longest flights in the world, with the Airbus A350 XWB just narrowly beating the Boeing 787 Dreamliner in terms of the number of longest routes served. 

The Airbus A350-900 XWB can also be seen operating the world's longest flight between Singapore and Newark on Singapore Airlines. 

Airbus then took a look at its existing aircraft to see if they could be made more efficient.

Airbus chose to refit its popular widebody aircraft, the Airbus A330 family, with new, modern engines and redesigned aerodynamic features to make the aircraft more efficient. The first of its kind, the Airbus A330-900neo, first flew with TAP Air Portugal when it took delivery of the aircraft in November 2018. 

While airlines have been slower to purchase than the Airbus A350 XWB, notable purchasers include Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways that plan to use the aircraft to supplement current aging A330 aircraft in their fleets. 

Widebodies weren't the only category of aircraft to ride the wave of fuel efficiency as manufacturers came up with ways of making existing narrowbody aircraft more environmentally friendly.

Airbus spearheaded the charge with its Airbus A320neo family of aircraft that saw new engines and aerodynamic-enhancing features that reduced overall fuel consumption. Airlines have eyed the Airbus A321neo, the largest variant in the family, to replace the notoriously gas-guzzling Boeing 757. 

The big three US carriers - Delta, American and United - have all placed orders for variants of the A321neo, in part, to replace their Boeing 757s. 

Boeing soon followed with the Boeing 737 Max program, which added similarly fuel-efficient engines and aerodynamic features onto what was largely the same airframe as its existing Boeing 737 Next Generation product line.

Existing users of the Boeing 737 were thrilled with the new fuel efficiency that the aircraft would offer, especially because the planes could fly on longer routes. Norwegian Air had used the aircraft to operate transatlantic flights to secondary destinations in the US and Europe which wouldn't have been profitable without the aircraft. 

The Max project, while living up to its promise of fuel efficiency, was largely detrimental to airlines following two fatal crashes attributed to one of the aircraft's systems that grounded the aircraft worldwide to this day. 

Regional aircraft producers also took part in the trend with both creating next-generation aircraft of their own that offered airlines greater fuel efficiency.

The Western Hemisphere saw the most action on this front with Canada's Bombardier and Brazil's Embraer both working on next-generation aircraft products of their own. While Airbus and Boeing were focused on the medium-haul aircraft market with their new aircraft, Bombardier and Embraer were focused on the sub-150 seat market that hadn't yet been touched by the new wave of next-generation aircraft. 

The result was the Bombardier C Series - later Airbus A220 - and Embraer E190-E2, both offering greater degrees of efficiency. 

With the flood of new fuel-efficient aircraft flooding the scene, airlines had to make room for them somehow and made their fleets leaner as a result.

Among those first to be retired were the quad engine aircraft that were some of the most inefficient such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380. More engines meant more fuel burn and with the new next-generation twin-engine aircraft offering comparable ranges, they quickly became obsolete.

Current operators of both types are slowly retiring them from their fleets. Qantas Airways, for example, which has operated Boeing 747 aircraft for around 50 years, now uses the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for most of its ultra-long-haul routes, though it still does operate the Airbus A380 on routes that require the capacity.

In the age of next-generation twin-engine aircraft, four-engine, double-decker aircraft have proved to be not needed by the world's airlines.

Gone are the days when those behemoth, gas-guzzling aircraft were desired by airlines. As younger, modern aircraft offer airlines better fuel performance than those that are aging, the skies will become cleaner as newer aircraft become commonplace.

When it comes to reducing aviation's footprint, airlines and environmentalists largely have the same goals, bringing emissions down.

The means and reasoning by which both are going about doing so, however, differ greatly.

With more flights expected to be taking off in future years, the world is certainly better off with these aircraft in the skies than the inefficient fuel hogs that once did. 

• Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg is worth nearly $62 billion, according to Forbes.
• That is about 13 times the combined net worth of everyone else running for president this year.
• We made a chart illustrating just how much Bloomberg's cash trove outweighs everyone else in the field.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Mike Bloomberg has a lot of money, and he is running for president.

Both of those facts are pretty well known to anyone following the US presidential election and the first two contests in the Democratic primary over the last couple weeks.

But what's really hard to appreciate is just how extremely wealthy the business media mogul and former New York City mayor truly is.

Forbes maintains estimates of the net worth of everyone still in the presidential race, based on "financial disclosure statements, scouring local real-estate records, and calculating pension benefits."

According to those estimates, Bloomberg is worth $61.8 billion. The bulk of that wealth comes from his ownership stake in his eponymous business information and media company, Bloomberg LP, according to Business Insider's Katie Warren and Emmie Martin.

Bloomberg's fortune is nearly 20 times Forbes' estimate for the wealth of the next-highest contender, incumbent Republican President Donald Trump and his estimated net worth of $3.1 billion (although it's worth noting that Trump's exact wealth is unknown, as he has not released any of his tax returns as is traditional for presidents and candidates). 

To get a sense of just how much richer Bloomberg is than anyone else in the field, we put Forbes' candidate net worth estimates into the following chart. The area of each candidate's circle represents his or her wealth.

Behold:

The chart loosely resembles a scale model of the solar system, with a giant sun dwarfing even the largest planets in its orbit. Bloomberg's money hoard outclasses even his fellow billionaires in the race, and on this scale, most of the net worths of the other Democratic candidates — most of whom are millionaires — appear as small dots.

Indeed, Bloomberg's net worth is about 13 times the combined wealth of the rest of the presidential field.

What does all that money get you? Bloomberg has hired an elite campaign staff working on an unorthodox strategy, ignoring the early primary states and focusing on the massive delegate haul available in the Super Tuesday contests on March 3. As Politico put it in their Playbook Audio Briefing podcast on Thursday, "the goal here is to create an aura of professionalism and invincibility."

Bloomberg has been investing heavily in advertising, running TV ads for months, including an $11 million Super Bowl spot gunning directly for Trump. According to CNN's Brian Stelter, as of February 9, Bloomberg had spent over $350 million on ads, nearly twice what fellow billionaire candidate Tom Steyer had spent, and several times what any other Democratic candidate had bought on the airwaves.

And it's not just TV — earlier this week, several popular Instagram meme accounts suddenly started posting pro-Bloomberg images as part of a campaign push to target younger, social-media-friendly voters. 

It appears the media-heavy strategy could be working. Despite sitting out the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, Bloomberg is in third place in Real Clear Politics' national polling average of the Democratic primary behind former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders. 

We will see if Bloomberg's outsize wealth and unorthodox strategy will lead to electoral success, with the next voting happening in the Nevada caucuses on February 22, the South Carolina primary on February 29, and over a dozen states and territories holding contests on March 3.

• Read more:
• We did the math to calculate how many hours it takes America's top CEOs to make what their workers earn in one year
• Millennials and boomers voted very differently in New Hampshire, and neither preferred Mayor Pete. The rest of the Democratic primary race could be similar.
• Oscar Best-Picture-winner 'Parasite' isn't just a Korean story — taking care of rich people is America's hottest gig, too
• Trump boasts the US economy is the best it's ever been under his watch. Here are 9 charts showing how it compares to the Obama and Bush presidencies.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 5 things about the NFL that football fans may not know

• Amy Morin is a psychotherapist, licensed clinical social worker, mental strength coach, and international bestselling author of "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do."
• In the internet age, you can shop for almost anything online: groceries, vacations, cars, and even romantic relationships.
• While enlisting someone else to find your perfect match may seem like an effortless option, psychotherapist Morin cautions that paying a complete stranger to find you a partner probably won't work out. 
• Most successful couples meet through friends or acquaintances, as these people are already likely to know what kind of partner you would be compatible with.
• Offering money to someone in return for romance can also unearth ulterior motives and make dishonesty a potential issue.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Kansas City man recently made headlines for his $25,000 offer to anyone who can find him a girlfriend. At the age of 47, Jeff Gebhart says he's content being alone but is still looking for a special someone to share his life with.

Since online dating wasn't working out well for him, he launched his own website vowing to give a successful matchmaker a cash reward — and he promises to donate an additional $25,000 to a no-kill dog shelter

While Jeff gets kudos for his creativity, paying a stranger or service to find you a girlfriend might not be the best way to find a lifelong partner. Here's why:

SEE ALSO: How to stay emotionally strong when you're alone on Valentine's Day

SEE ALSO: 5 common mistakes couples make that can hurt or end their relationship, according to a psychotherapist

1. The best relationships are based on compatibility, chemistry, and commitment

One of the main reasons dating apps aren't as successful as you might think is that users choose partners based on pictures and initial impressions formed by reading profiles. But initial impressions offer little information about how compatible two people will actually be.

Granted, if you're not necessarily looking for a long-term commitment, paying to find a partner might work. Similar to dating apps, you'll likely have a pool of potential mates to choose from based on a little online information and a picture. But dating apps cost a lot less and are just as likely to help you find someone looking for a short-term fling.

One big hurdle, however, is that offering a financial incentive to anyone who finds you a partner is likely to lead to a lot of interest. And while sorting through hundreds or thousands of potential mates might sound like a dream come true, making a decision could actually be quite stressful. You might struggle to commit to one person if it means excluding the rest of the dating pool.

2. Dishonesty is likely to be a big issue

Creating a website and paying someone to find you a partner runs the same risk as other online dating apps. When trying to attract a partner, you're most likely going to show all your positive qualities. This is to be expected. After all, who wants to go on a date with someone who reveals they're messy, irritable, and deeply in debt?

In addition to leaving out a few unflattering details, you might also be tempted to stretch the truth. According to research conducted by eHarmony, 53% of people lie on their online dating profiles. Women are more likely to make themselves look more attractive in photos, while men are more likely to lie about their jobs to appear more successful.

Asking people to submit potential partners to you in exchange for money might attract even more deception. Rather than say, "My friend is unemployed, lives with her parents, and has several restraining orders against her from past partners," those nominating someone in hopes of getting a $25,000 reward might be more motivated to say something like, "Once you meet her, you'll never forget her."

3. Most successful couples meet through friends

Meeting someone through an online matchmaker means you're going to strike up the conversation with your potential suitor online. And online communication can easily give a false sense of intimacy.

Whether you send text messages or emails, you're likely to "fill in the blanks" about that person. You might make assumptions about them based more on wishful thinking than reality, and your in-person meeting may not live up to those expectations.

Your best bet for finding a partner is through the network you already have in place. According to survey results reported by Bustle in 2018, 39% of couples meet through friends. That may not come as a surprise since your friends know you — the "real you." They're likely to understand what sort of person is likely to be compatible with you. 

So if the people who know you well can't find anyone they think is a good match for you, asking a complete stranger to find someone you'll connect with is a tall order.

4. Money may lead to the wrong motivation

Reality dating shows have proven that many people can fake falling in love for the wrong reasons. Whether a musician is secretly seeking fame, or a bachelorette is hoping her TV debut will launch her career as a reality star, you can't always tell who is genuine when there are additional perks earned by romance.

Who's to say that someone won't pretend to be interested in you just so they can split half of the $25,000 with the friend who nominated them (a deal that might be privately hatched behind the scenes)?

Consider it an adventure, not a sure-fire way to meet "the one"

There's always a chance that a creative endeavor could beat the matchmaking odds. But if you decide to pay someone to find you a partner, you may want to look at it as an adventure that might work out, rather than a strategy that is definitely going to find you a soul mate.

• Amy Nobile founded Love, Amy in April 2019 to help people find love on dating apps after meeting who she calls "the love of her life" on Bumble post-divorce.
• Nobile conducts photoshoots for dating app profiles, holds sexting consultations, and "ghost banters" with clients' matches. 
• Less than a year in, Nobile has built a full-fledged business from word-of-mouth, transforming a side-hustle into a service that charges clients $5,000 for three months.
• But Nobile insists she's more "mirror" than matchmaker, helping clients first find love within before finding it in a partner.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The best way to make someone fall in love with you on a dating app is with a photo featuring a dog — even if that means borrowing your neighbor's tiny Maltese.

On a recent Saturday afternoon in downtown Manhattan, a 30-something, Ivy League-educated consultant did just that, curling up on her couch, cuddling a toy dog as his owners cooed at him encouragingly.

Amy Nobile, a petite, fit, blonde in a red sweater, furiously snapped away on her iPhone in an attempt to capture the perfect photo to send send suitors swiping in the consultant's favor.

Nobile charges $5,000 to help people find love on dating apps. The 50-year-old founded the high-end dating concierge service Love, Amy in April 2019 after finding "the love of her life" on Bumble post-divorce. Based in New York City, her clients range in age from 25 to 75, and are of various genders and sexual orientations across the country.

I joined her and the consultant a week into their working relationship for the wardrobing and photoshoot included in Nobile's three-month package. The consultant, whose name is not being published for professional reasons, posed in a black and tan wrap dress and jeans paired with a simple tee at various locations including Washington Square Park and a local café.

"It's important the clothes make them feel good," Nobile said. "It's all about showing off their figure in a way that's not too sexy."

The only accessory missing was a dog.

"Dogs are a great conversation starter," according to the dating concierge. Luckily, the consultant happened to cross paths with her neighbors during the shoot — and they were eager to lend their pup to the cause.

The power of manifestation

Some may call running into the tiny Maltese a coincidence, but Nobile would call it manifestation — the concept of making something happen with your thoughts and beliefs. Growing up outside of Detroit, Nobile said she began "manifesting from an early age."

"When you look back, you can connect the dots," she recalled. "During childhood, I loved to imitate people, I was the friend girlfriends would turn to for advice."

A graduate of Albion College in Michigan, Nobile studied communications and ended up interning at NBC in New York City. That spawned a career in public relations, where she met her now-ex-husband. The couple relocated to San Francisco when Nobile was 26, where she navigated motherhood — she's the mother of two teenagers — with best friend Trisha Ashworth, whom Nobile had met in an NYC acting class.

"I loved Amy immediately because I could tell she was authentic with no pretense," Ashworth said. "She is super goofy and brings out the goof in me."

The two began hosting Starbucks meetings with other moms to dive into the struggles of motherhood. From those conversations came three books the pair co-authored about empowering women and, eventually, a spot on Oprah's couch. The duo, who also founded a jewelry company called Ash + Ames, penned a fourth book about reinvention after 40.

Nobile, by this point back in NYC, said she couldn't write the final tome without taking a look at her own 20-year marriage. After realizing she and her husband had grown apart, they decided to amicably separate. She then took on what she called a social experiment: making dating her job. Re-entering the dating world post-divorce, she said, "was like landing on Mars or learning Mandarin."

"I'd heard of some of the apps, but the only resource I had were a few single girlfriends who had nothing but negative things to say about them," Nobile said.

She cast her net wide and went on up to six dates a day until she met her current partner. Her friends, discouraged by dating apps and impressed by Nobile, asked for help. Nobile took over one of her friend's profiles and, as she tells it, landed the friend more dates in a month than she'd gone on all year. Nobile transitioned her cupid side hustle into a full-time job within three months. And that's how Love, Amy was born. 

Finding a hole in the dating scene

On the kitchen counter of Nobile's apartment — a luxury high-rise with picturesque views in Manhattan's Financial District — sit eight iPads, one for each of her current clients. 

Since her clients are located across the country, not needing to log in and out of separate dating app accounts lets her give clients undivided attention while also tricking location services. Nobile says she's had 66 clients since launching her business 10 months ago, typically juggling seven at a time.

A number of those clients are members of the 40-plus crowd who are diving back into the dating world post-divorce and are skeptical of using technology to do so.

"It's frustrating, time-consuming, and exhausting," Sally, 52, said of trying dating apps after her marriage dissolved. When she first started working with Nobile, the dating expert took one look at Sally's profile and told her, "You need better pictures." And so Nobile marched over to Sally's apartment with a stylist friend in tow.

"Amy made it manageable," she said. "I wanted someone to just help me stay in the game."

Nobile says she's been surprised by the number of  millennials, nearly 40% of her clients, who have prioritized their careers over finding a relationship and need a professional to help them flirt.

As the consultant explained to her neighbors as she scooped up their dog: "I like to outsource all aspects of my life."

The art of ghost bantering

In the age of digital everything, Love, Amy is something of an exception. The business doesn't have a Facebook page. It has an Instagram account, but its following isn't very big — a mere 384  — and it's mostly dedicated to reposting famous love quotes.

I first heard of Love, Amy the way most of her clients have, through word of mouth. I soon found myself in Nobile's apartment listening in on a wrap-up call with a 33-year-old woman working in finance who, as Nobile told me in the pre-call debrief, had "found the one."

"I never would have swiped on him — he was a little nerdy and I was vain," said the 32-year-old. "I'd rather meet someone authentically, and you changed my mind on that."

"It's human nature to have a type," Nobile responded. "I needed to nudge you ... The turning point was when you became vulnerable."

Between ongoing coaching and post-date analysis, Nobile spends at least four to six hours a day on the phone with her clients. She's always on-call, even if the client is frantically texting mid-date from the bathroom.

Spending time with clients, whether in person or over a video call, helps Nobile get a better sense of their vibe and build a rapport. It also helps with what Nobile calls "ghost bantering" — impersonating clients on their dating apps.

It's a process that draws on what she identified as an early knack for imitating other peoples' voices and style of speaking, and one that helps draw clients, particularly some of Nobile's shyer clients, out of their shells.

"I'm such an introvert," said Sally, a writer. "Amy turned that around and made it an advantage. I don't think of it as deception, because Amy helps you be true to yourself."

As we spoke, Sally announced she was sitting next to her boyfriend of six months. She met him on Hinge with Nobile's help.

Personal happiness, good energy, and self-care

"Finish this sentence: My best friends who really know me would say that my 'dirty little secret' is..."

It's one of the 70-plus prompts on the seven-page intake form Nobile sends all clients after their initial meeting. The form is part of their homework, along with reading two books — "The Happiness Advantage" by Shawn Achor and "Manifesting Made Easy" by Jen Mazer — and taking a character strength survey.

It doesn't just give Nobile an idea of a client's personality, history, or the type of love they seek, but also allows her to see if they're prioritizing themselves. "You can only meet someone as deeply as you've met yourself," said the dating concierge.

"You can only meet someone as deeply as you've met yourself."

But not every singleton who applies gets accepted.

Nobile told me if she thinks a client is "blocked" — spiritually, physically, or mentally — she turns them away with tips on self-care and tells them to come back. Someone who feels emotionally stuck in the past might receive contacts for meditation, energy work, or therapy. Once they're "clear and ready," she puts together a dating strategy.

It's not surprising coming from someone who describes herself as a bit "woo-woo" when it comes to her spirituality. Nobile, who mediates and does pilates daily, begins every morning blasting music and dancing around in her underwear, giving thanks for her life.

"As adults, we get so boxed into behaviors adults should have," said the love guru. "I was given advice by a shaman once to look at life through the eyes of a child. When you're a child there's no restrictions."

"The profile isn't the person"

While Nobile found success by tapping into a niche market, she isn't the only one to do so. Meredith Golden of SpoonMeetSpoon coaches customers on perfecting profiles and, like Nobile, impersonates them on the apps. Alyssa Dineen of Style My Profile helps style clients' wardrobes and craft profiles.

April Davis of the traditional matchmaking service, Luma Search maintains that matchmakers like herself have an advantage because they actually get to meet the suitors in person. But, she said, there is a market need for online dating consultants. "Dating apps are a part-time job," she said, and online dating concierges "are experts at communication and more efficient."

As Nobile puts it, dating apps have "shifted the dynamic of dating in the way we begin relationships and the way the seeds are planted."

Nearly 40% of heterosexual couples in 2020 met their partner online. Since 1980, when dating first hit screens, the percentage of couples meeting in person has decreased, with one exception: Those who met in a bar or restaurant. 

"I'm the bridge that marries the technology with the energy and connection of a real relationship ... it's this chasm that people are missing," Nobile said. 

The toughest hurdle her clients grapple with is that the process is impersonal. Nobile said when it comes to online dating, chemistry often doesn't ignite until you're comfortable in the second or third date.

She admits that there's a perception that online dating is less romantic because people think it's inorganic. But, she noted, it's all about infusing flirtation. 

"We have to figure out a way to communicate our essence, charm, and warmth [online]," Nobile explained, adding that people often mistakenly feel as though they can only introduce flirting once the date is taken offline.

"I have supersmart clients — doctors, lawyers, CEOS — and when I really drill down in my third meeting with them, I find out they have a sixth sense of humor but they're withholding that," she said.

She recalled working with one client, a doctor, who communicated very formally over text and email. "The minute I entered her home, I figured out she had a kooky sense of humor. I infused that in her profile and bantering, and now she's attracting guys who understand her humor."

People are frustrated by technology, but they need it to succeed in love; that dichotomy is baffling to a lot of people.

Nobile described the relationship between romance and technology as a complicated one.

"The more technology proliferates, the lonelier people feel and the need and desperation for love grows," she said. "People are frustrated by technology, but they need it to succeed in love; that dichotomy is baffling to a lot of people."

More than a wingwoman

You may think Nobile is a modern-day matchmaker, or a "wingwoman" or "fairy dating godmother," as some clients refer to her. But she's quick to tell you differently.

"I'm more of a mirror, so people can take a look at who they are, who they want, and meet quality people." 

And if the instant success of Love, Amy says anything, it's that she's a savvy business woman. She landed early press in The New York Times, bringing in an initial wave of business. In 2020, Nobile said she will increase rates twice, though she refuses to comment on specifics regarding earnings.

No matter what, Nobile — who fondly discusses the breast cancer survivor she walked through her first intimate experience after reconstructive surgery and the man in a wheelchair who she'll soon be working with — is adamant that the human touch can't be lost as business expands. While she envisions eventually having ambassadors or a team, right now, she said, it has to be her.

"It takes a certain type of person," Sally said. "Amy understands human nature in a way most people wouldn't and she's got the energy."

After all, Nobile says, everyone is searching for a soul mate.

"At the end of the day, how many people are like 'Oh, I had a crazy awesome career?'" she asked. "No, you're ruminating on love."

Nobile told me she has an 85% success rate in helping clients find someone special, which she defined as exclusively dating — and whether they've met that person or not, she's given them tools to succeed on their own. It may sound like marketing hype, but everything I've heard from clients has screamed newly acquired confidence.

I accompanied Nobile to a check-in meeting with a 60-something female client re-entering the dating scene. While recapping recent dates and Bumble prospects, she reiterated, with a smile, "I've realized I'm really ready to meet someone."

As for the consultant, she's still looking for that special someone. Meanwhile, inspired by Nobile, I decided to try my hand at playing matchmaker. On a weeknight not long after my visit to Nobile's apartment, I demanded that my roommate hand over her phone as she complained about her Hinge prospects. Within one week, I had set her up on three dates. She's now been seeing one of those guys for three months, the longest she's ever dated someone from an app.

The icebreaker I used to kick off their initial banter? It was inspired by no other than a photo of him and a dog — which, it turned out, he had borrowed from a coworker.

SEE ALSO: Millennials, boomers, and Gen X are all paying one woman in NYC for dating app advice — here's where each generation struggles most to find a partner

DON'T MISS: Juice, sex, and Google: The 3 rules everyone should follow when they start swiping, according to the NYC woman getting paid $5,000 to fix clients' dating apps

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• JD Power released its 2020 dependability study on February 12.
• Overall, automakers got the best reliability score in the study's 31-year history.
• Toyota won more vehicle-segment awards than any other automaker.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Cars are becoming more reliable, according to the 2020 version of JD Power's annual dependability study.

Overall, automakers received the best score in the study's 31-year history, with an average of 134 problems per 100 vehicles during the past 12 months.

The study broke down the most reliable vehicles from model-year 2017 by category, naming a winner in 20 segments. 

These are the most reliable SUVs, pickup trucks, and sedans, according to JD Power.

SEE ALSO: The latest version of Honda's popular Civic Type R hot hatch has arrived — here's what's new for 2020

Small SUV: Buick Encore

MSRP: $23,300

Small premium SUV: Mercedes-Benz GLA

MSRP: $34,250

Compact SUV: Chevrolet Equinox

MSRP: $23,800

Compact premium SUV: Porsche Macan

MSRP: $50,900

Midsize pickup: Nissan Frontier

MSRP: $19,290

Midsize SUV: Toyota 4Runner

MSRP: $36,120

Midsize premium SUV: Lexus GX

MSRP: $53,000

Minivan: Toyota Sienna

MSRP: $31,640

Large SUV: Chevrolet Tahoe

MSRP: $49,000

Large light-duty pickup: Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra

MSRP: $28,495

Large heavy-duty pickup: Chevrolet Silverado HD

MSRP: $28,300

Small car: Honda Fit

MSRP: $16,190

Small premium car: BMW 2 Series

MSRP: $35,300

Compact car: Nissan Leaf

MSRP: $31,600

Compact "sporty" car: Mazda MX-5 Miata

MSRP: $25,730

Compact premium car: Lexus ES

MSRP: $39,900

Midsize car: Buick Regal

MSRP: $25,370

Midsize "sporty" car: Ford Mustang

MSRP: $35,630

Midsize premium car: Genesis G80

MSRP: $42,550

Large car: Toyota Avalon

MSRP: $35,875

• Read more:
• These are the 64 safest cars you can buy in 2020
• The largest electric coach bus in the US is this 45-foot long double-decker that can seat 77 and go 230 miles on a single charge
• Mercedes-Benz collaborated with a boat maker to create this 59-foot speedboat and matching G-Class SUV
• The new Aston Martin Vantage Roadster has 500-plus horsepower and a super-fast convertible roof — here's a look at the luxurious new drop-top

• For those trying to buy into a co-op building in New York City, the application process can be lengthy and stressful.
• Going before a co-op board for an interview is the last step of the process and an opportunity for prospective buyers to show their future neighbors that they will make a strong addition to the building's community.
• Business Insider caught up with real-estate broker Steven Goldschmidt, who has been serving on the board of his building for 15 years, to find out his advice for those preparing for a co-op board interview.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Getting approval to buy into a co-op building in New York City can be a lengthy process.

Buyers have to find a building they like that fits their price range. They have to get their offer preliminarily accepted. And they have to fill out a board package, which usually requires reference letters and a deep dive into personal finances. Sometimes, these steps can take weeks, even months, to complete.

Once the board package has been submitted and an applicant is called in for an interview, they're nearing the finish line, but the next step isn't exactly easy, either. That's because New York City is notorious for its strict co-op boards. In fact, boards in New York City do not have to tell applicants why they were rejected unless the board violates the city's Human Rights Law. So, while interviews with co-op boards are often considered a formality, they are, nonetheless, important. 

All this can make the interview process extremely tricky.

How to nail a co-op board interview

Co-op board members are volunteers who live in the building and are voted in. These boards are in charge of dealing with things like the physical status of the building, the financial status of the building, and the vetting of prospective buyers. Board members use the interview time to address any questions they may have and to determine whether or not the applicant will be a good fit. 

Showing up to an interview will likely be the board's first in-person impression of an applicant, so it's important that they're prepared. To find out the best way to prepare for a co-op board interview, Business Insider caught up with real estate professional Steven Goldschmidt.

Goldschmidt has been working in the industry for over 40 years and is currently the senior vice president and director of sales at Warburg Realty. He's also been a member of his building's co-op board for 15 years. While Business Insider can't disclose the name of the building, units there range from $500,000 to $3 million.

SEE ALSO: A New York woman turned her passion for old homes into a business that has more than 1 million followers on social media. Here's how she did it — and her 3 tips for anyone trying to do the same.

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1. Show up 15 to 25 minutes early.

Goldschmidt suggests showing up early to your interview.

"Co-op boards usually meet in the evening. They are volunteers, and they meet on their own time," he told Business Insider. "Take it seriously and treat the process respectfully."

For Goldschmidt's board in particular, interviews are usually conducted after board meetings, so applicants are advised to arrive around 25 minutes before the interview is set to start.

However, if an applicant isn't given guidance by the board on how early to show up, Goldschmidt says getting there around 15 minutes before the interview is a safe bet.

2. Don't show up wearing jeans.

Goldschmidt suggests keeping with the style of the building you are trying to buy into.

For a building like Goldschmidt's, business casual is appropriate. However, if the applicant is looking to buy a $10 million apartment, Goldschmidt advises dressing it up a bit — "maybe add a tie," he said.

"Certainly no jeans," he added. "Again, you want to treat the board members with respect."

3. Keep the questions to a minimum.

Goldschmidt explained to Business Insider that the purpose of the interview is for the board members to get to know the buyer, not the other way around.

"This is not for the buyer to gather information. This is for the board to learn whatever it is they still have to learn about the people," he said.

Any questions the buyer has about the building should be asked during the purchase process. They should already know the building's rules and requirements by the time they show up for the interview.

4. Don't just answer each question with a "yes" or a "no" — have a conversation.

Goldschmidt says that an applicant doesn't need to go overboard with their answers, but they should respond to the board's questions with more than just "yes" or "no." 

For example, if the board asks an applicant if they are planning to do renovation work, they shouldn't just say "yes." Goldschmidt explained that while it's not necessary to go into detail about the renovation plans, the applicant should tell the board when they plan on renovating and reassure them that they will abide by the rules of the building. 

"You don't need to go overboard, but have a relaxed conversation," he said.

Goldschmidt also advises that the buyer maintain consistency between what they say in the interview and what they said in the board package. It is also important not to talk negatively about the state of the building or how it is being managed. 

5. Don't feel like you need to fill dead air.

While having a conversation is encouraged, buyers shouldn't feel like they are the ones who have to carry the conversation.

Sometimes, the board package checks out and the board can tell that the applicant is going to be a good fit in the first five minutes. In these cases, the interview is more of a formality than anything else.

"Don't feel like you have to fill dead air. The board members are usually as nervous and awkward-feeling as the people they are interviewing," Goldschmidt said.