Elena Botella

Senior Contributor
Personal Finance
ABOUT

I write about banking, finance, and consumer issues for outlets like American Banker, TalkPoverty and Slate.


My first book, "Delinquent: Inside America’s Debt Machine," is being published by University of California Press in October 2022. As a principal at

...

I write about banking, finance, and consumer issues for outlets like American Banker, TalkPoverty and Slate.


My first book, "Delinquent: Inside America’s Debt Machine," is being published by University of California Press in October 2022. As a principal at Omidyar Network, a philanthropy and social change venture, I work with grantees and partners on our Corporations, Capital Markets, and the Common Good agenda.


My writing and research is informed by my background in the financial sector. At Capital One, I was a Senior Business Manager in the credit card division and taught credit risk management. I’m interested in how consumers navigate a challenging economy and how that affects their retirement prospects— I’ve interviewed people across the country about how they make financial decisions. I know the financial system can either help American families build wealth and achieve stability, or undermine a family’s hard-earned progress. I graduated from Duke University, where I studied math and economics. I now live in Washington, D.C.

Read MoreRead Less
5,983 views  |  
Jul 23, 2021

If You Can’t Buy A Home, Should You Still Invest In Real Estate?

"If you invest in REITs, you're almost never investing in home price appreciation,” said Dan Egan, vice president of behavioral finance and investing at Betterment. Although 2020 was a boom year for housing prices, the REIT sector fell 2% in 2020, while the S&P 500 was up 16%.
July 2021 (5)
June 2021 (1)
May 2021 (5)
December 2020 (5)
November 2020 (1)
May 2020 (1)
March 2020 (1)
February 2020 (6)
January 2020 (5)
September 2019 (2)