TikTok is a place to share the latest trends along with tips and tricks for everyday life—but now it’s also the place to share the latest real-estate deals.
Key Details
- Younger users on TikTok like to use the app for recommendations on restaurants and travel locations.
- Now real-estate finds are among the items users search for.
- Through TikTok accounts, real-estate agents are able to cultivate an online following, making clients more inclined to buy from an agent users feel like they know personally.
- Some users are taking advantage of the video platform by showcasing apartments and homes through video rather than photos alone.
- The social media app can also help sellers reach out-of-state buyers.
Why it’s news
TikTok is predominantly popular among a younger generation of customers, leading to sellers coming up with creative ways to reach their customer base.
One way some realtors are connecting with clients is by cultivating an online persona and giving viewers a “behind the scenes” look at what a day looks like for a realtor.
Gavren Dochterman is one Nashville realtor who sells luxury real estate. Through his quick video tours and behind-the-scenes looks, he has been able to produce videos that gain hundreds of thousands of views, The Tennessean reports.
Through his social media presence, Dochterman has gained thousands of followers and been able to cultivate connections with clients he may never have reached before.
Video tours of real-estate listings are a popular way to show off a space. One prospective buyer, Sarah Lynn, began making TikTok videos of every apartment she toured while looking for a space in Nashville. She used the videos as a way to help herself track the pros and cons of each apartment, but she wasn’t the only one who appreciated the videos.
Lynn shared the videos, hoping online followers would help her make an informed decision. Some of the viewers who saw her apartment break-downs used the information to their advantage. One viewer even found an apartment in the same building as Lynn thanks to the information Lynn shared.
Other realtors are using walkthrough video tours and behind the scenes looks to build an online following and reach out of state customers.
New home builders are hopping on the TikTok trend as well, using the videos to answer questions and share tips and tricks with potential customers.
If realtors and builders can tap into the algorithm and find a way to connect with audiences, they have a good chance of expanding their reach.
Backing up a bit
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Brendan Carr has called for a complete ban of TikTok in the U.S.
The social-media app’s close connection with the Chinese government has been a growing security concern debated by U.S. officials.
While the FCC does not possess any authority to enforce a TikTok ban, Congress has followed recommendations from Carr in the past.
“Chinese companies are required to essentially … do whatever the Chinese government wants them to do in terms of sharing information or serving as a tool of the Chinese government,” FBI Director Christopher Wray says.
FBI officials are concerned that the app could be used by the Chinese government to collect data from its users.
Additional dangers include the possibility of a controlled algorithm used to influence users’ flow of information.
Devices with the app are also potentially susceptible to being compromised if ByteDance developers control the device’s software
