Buying houses on TikTok

Hey it's Ella, remember MTV’s Cribs? Now TikTok has taken up the cheeky mantle and is actually getting houses sold [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Hey there, I’m [Ella Cerón](, an equality reporter here at Bloomberg News covering people, places and lifestyle. What does that mean? I take a look at the [makeup you buy](, the [restaurants you frequent](, the [mezcal you drink]( and [where you live]( through the lens of identity and equity. Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time in a world that is on its face a necessity, but feels more and more like a luxury at every price point: Housing. Specifically, the kind that you own. Or, at least the kind I would like to own one day. Like this London mansion where rockstar Freddie Mercury used to live. (It’s now for sale and Bloomberg had the exclusive.) Photographer: Barney Hindle People trying to enter the real estate market have been having a rough go of it lately. [High interest rates](, [rising housing costs]( and [little to no expected relief]( from that National Association of Realtors class-action settlement only add to the general anxiety over taking out what is often the largest loan of someone’s life. [Rents are high](, too, as is the cost of [just about everything else](, which makes it harder to save for a sufficient down payment. This played out in my life recently as I set out to tour [apartments]( in New York City. Depending on who you ask, I’m right on time for this: I’m 34, just under the average age of [first-time]( female homebuyers [doing it for themselves](. But I’m also 34, which puts me smack dab in the [peak millennial demographic](, which is struggling on every level including in the quest for starter homes. Agents have shown me places both low and high—literally. One spot was a 6th-floor walk-up. The only real conclusion I’ve come to is that it’s far more fun fantasizing about these apartments than it is to plot out how I’ll actually land one. Going Viral: How TikTok Is Changing Home Sales Illustration: Shira Inbar for Bloomberg Businessweek Thankfully, there’s social media for that. Like any millennial who grew up on MTV Cribs, I spend a [redacted] amount of time watching home tours on TikTok. I can spot laminate flooring a mile away, and I have strong opinions about Zellige tile (good) and open-concept rooms (no, thank you). This is knowledge I will use when I buy my own home, I say to myself daily, like a manifestation. But it was when the real estate agents whose videos I consume almost mindlessly began to make me laugh that I sat up and really paid attention. To set themselves apart from the 5.3 million other posts with the #realestate hashtag on TikTok, a new generation of agents are [cracking jokes]( about their listings in order to attract new leads and meet buyers where they’re at. It was refreshing, not least of all after fielding a handful of text threads with agents who kept hyping up the same subway-tile-and-particle-board-cabinet kitchen as a remodel. The bedroom of my dreams will be modeled off this hotel room. Click through for designer tips. Source: Hotel Le Grand Mazarin Cesar Gutierrez, the operator of Milestone Real Estate Group with Keller Williams in Laredo, Texas, told me he’s earned about nine contracts and 60 leads since he began posting his Spanglish-humor videos to TikTok in February. A sample joke? “Here’s where you’ll put your 85-inch TV from the Black Friday sale,” he says in Spanish. Other agents give yards the [“carne asada” seal of approval](, or winkingly appraise the [fairness of a dual-vanity bathroom](. By playing into TikTok trends with [sounds]( and transition techniques, they’re also boosting the likelihood that their listings will go viral, and ultimately connect with a buyer. Have you considered a signature scent to go with your dream home? Illustration: Lucie Langston Not every homebuyer is going to respond well to these tactics—agents have to be both professional and earn their clients’ trust. Humor can go a long way on that second point, however, and I’d rather someone acknowledge just how much money is on the line for me, even if they handle larger deals every day. It won’t help me find my dream home any faster, but the radical honesty couldn’t hurt. Connect with Ella on [Instagram]( and [X](.  It’s what’s on the inside that counts If owning an apartment is my white whale, then thinking about all the stuff I’ll put inside that space is the epilogue to my tale. And while real estate TikTok is an (often) viral force, [interior design]( TikTok is no less powerful. Here are just a few things I’d stock in my home, if money were no object and again, I actually had my name on the deed. [This Supercharged Clothes Steamer Is a Dust Mite Terminator]( I’d stick this bad boy in my (custom-built) walk-in closet for wrinkle-free clothes. [It Started With a Pink Kitchen. Then the Colors Got Even Bolder]( Lately, my decor inspo has been verging on Barbie Dream House, so these painted kitchen cabinets please me. [The Three Cooking Appliances Manufacturers Are Still Banking On]( Is a kitchen complete without an air fryer? I’m beginning to suspect the answer is no. [Rich Coffee Hobbyists Spend $420 Million in Quest for ‘God Shot’]( And I thought my coffee habit was expensive. [Home Influencers Will Not Rest Until Everything Has Been Put in a Clear Plastic Storage Bin]( Do I like my home orderly? Yes. Do I need bins on bins to achieve that? The verdict is still out. Carry on! With travel season inching ever closer, my colleagues have you covered on the [best destinations and hotels](, and I’ll be leaning on them for my own trip to Italy toward the end of April. Where I excel is in the overhead compartment: I’m a pro packer, and I’m already thinking about how to maximize my carry-on bag for the long flight. First, the bag itself: A sleek new [aluminum-hybrid style]( from Monos, which I began to see frequently on the New York City subway. I like the silver tone and the double-lock closure. For more picks, check out [these carry-ons](, which all received kudos from the Pursuits team. The best carry-on luggage, tested. Photographer: Janelle Jones for Bloomberg Businessweek Next, a way to pass the time: I’m an [avid reader]( and rotate through no less than five books at once. Among my stack will be [Lost & Found: 9 Life-Changing Lessons About Stuff from Someone Who Lost Everything]( by my London colleague [Helen Chandler-Wilde](. It’s out in the UK now, with a US release date in July. Mask on: I wear two kinds of masks on planes, every time I fly: An N95 mask to keep germs at bay in those tiny cabins, and a skincare mask to ward off that dry environment. Lately, I’ve been loving [Super Saturated by Experiment](, a humectant goo with a formula that’s 30% glycerin. Race to the gate: If [wearing athleisure]( to the airport is wrong, I don’t want to be right. And showing up in my running shoes saves precious suitcase space for souvenirs and other things, while still ensuring I can jog my way around any city. My [Nike Pegasus 40s]( are comfortable, cobblestone-friendly (I’ve tested!), and come in a bunch of fun colorways. You can even get your tracksuits custom made these days. Source: Richfresh More from Bloomberg Equality While I’m a sometime contributor to Pursuits, my home is on the [Equality Desk]( at Bloomberg News. Here are just a few of the stellar stories my colleagues have put out in recent weeks. [Luxury Postnatal Retreats Draw Affluent Parents Around the US]( [Don’t Worry, Rover, That Starbucks Pup Cup Isn’t Going Anywhere]( [Caitlin Clark Is the Best Thing to Happen to Women's Basketball]( [The Elite Group of Women Keeping Big Tech in Check]( [Business Schools Still Lag on Diversity, Despite Stated Goals]( You had questions… So here are some answers! This week they’re all about beauty, but our [Bloomberg Pursuits Instagram]( and [e-mail inbox](mailto:askpursuits@bloomberg.net?subject=I have a question) are open for any topic. When I tell people about my love for all things beauty, I get a lot of questions. In a past life, I covered [new product launches]( in the $250 billion business all the time—[and still do](, through the lens of equality—and it’s fascinating to see how trends shift. (Who could have predicted that Gen Z would [revive luxury fragrances](?) Most commonly, friends and acquaintances want my opinion, whether it’s on what they have stocked in their medicine cabinet or how I feel about their favorite new foundation. Here’s what readers like you wanted to know. Beyoncé is joining a storied list of Black female entrepreneurs who cater to the beauty needs of women of color. Source: Cécred I hate looking overly made-up most of the time, and I want to look like a glass-skin K-pop star. What lightweight glowy foundation do you recommend? I’ve had various skin conditions like rosacea and [keratosis pilaris]( my whole life, so having super clear skin may never be in the cards for me. And that’s OK! Zits and texture are a normal side effect of your skin’s functions—it is, after all, a bodily organ with its own quirks and irritations. But given that my skin is always on the dry side, I’ve found that if you want a glowy finish, it does and doesn’t matter how good your foundation is: You should start with skincare that makes you glow, too. No, this isn’t me trying to upsell your cart. Lightweight foundations are more likely to let your skin show through, and they perform better if your skin is healthy. I’d make sure you’re using a gentle chemical exfoliant two or three times a week—I love [Sunday Riley’s Good Genes]( serum—as well as a hydrating moisturizer, face oil and sunscreen. A primer is optional, but it does help foundation last longer. I like [Tatcha’s The Silk Canvas Primer](, as well as [Embryolisse’s Lait-Crème Concentré](, which is a moisturizer and primer in one. To even your skin tone or hide blemishes, buildable skin tints give you control over coverage. The [Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint Foundation]( comes in 18 shades, while the [Yummy Skin Soothing Serum Skin Tint Foundation]( from Danessa Myricks Beauty is available in 16 tones. The Tower 28 Beauty [SunnyDays SPF 30 Tinted Sunscreen Foundation]( is a creamy mineral-based tinted sunscreen that gives me just enough coverage on days I don’t want to wear foundation but want sunblock with a little extra boost. Here’s 11 other sunscreens that were vetted by Pursuits Source: Vendors What’s the best way to reapply sunscreen in the middle of the day without messing up your makeup? First of all, thank you for wearing sunscreen. You should always slather it on, [even in the dead of winter]( and on days when you barely leave your apartment. SPF mists and powders come in handy when you do leave your apartment in full face.Coola’s [Organic Makeup Setting Spray]( has an SPF of 30 and provides the added benefit of refreshing your makeup after a long day, while Vacation’s [Super Spritz SPF50 Face Mist]( smells like capital-S sunscreen (if you’re into that kind of thing). Supergoop!’s [100% Mineral (Re) Setting Powder]( and its [(Re) Setting Refreshing Mist]( are also good options—I love the brand’s [Unseen Sunscreen](, and its other formulas have never steered me wrong. For a prestige option, try Soleil Toujours’s [Clean Conscious Set + Protect Micro Mist](. If you’re looking for a multitasking hero, opt for a tinted sunscreen over a foundation or other makeup product that offers SPF. Trust me, it makes a difference. The best overnight beauty products for your face and hair. Source: Vendors What splurge-y product is actually worth the high price tag? My gut response to this question: Whichever product you use to the last drop! My makeup bag and medicine cabinet are both full of products from the drugstore, the grocery store and the beauty counter alike. If it works for you, and you use it before it goes bad, then it’s probably worth the investment. More practically, I’ve been trying to find a new go-to perfume, and the ones on my radar aren’t cheap. That includes [Victoria Beckham](’s new line of perfumes, and the scent [Suite 302]( in particular because I’m a sucker for a black cherry note. Byredo’s cotton candy-citrus blend, [Sundazed](, would be perfect for the sticky months ahead. Meanwhile, what dermatologists really think about those anti-aging products ... Illustration: Lennard Kok for Bloomberg Businessweek New for subscribers: Free article gifting. Bloomberg.com subscribers can now gift up to five free articles a month to anyone you want. 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