Renting with TikTok

With COVID-19 complicating in-person tours, many brokers have turned to social media to pitch their apartments. For some agents, TikTok has provided a surprisingly successful means of leasing apartments. The app’s algorithm and emphasis on videos leads to an organic discovery experience where prospective tenants can see how vacant apartments look, even if they live nowhere near the respective city. By allowing users to see many apartments conveniently and intimately, TikTok creates a level of comfort and familiarity that induces rental agreements. The large and active comment sections additionally provide opportunities for easy connection with the agents.

Discussion Question: Is the concept of the in-person apartment tour becoming obsolete? Is social media representation an adequate replacement or is the rise in TikTok tours merely due to the ongoing pandemic and the associated high vacancies?