Gen Z real estate influencers are selling homes on TikTok one joke at a time

Merek Greene gives plenty of home tours IRL.

But when the 24-year-old luxury real estate agent decided to post a virtual tour of one of his properties on TikTok this July, he gave the video a silly, topical spin.

Casting himself as a “Love Island” contestant who has just received a text about a listing, Greene describes the San Diego apartment as a new bombshell who “won’t stay single for long.” “He’s stunning, move-in ready, and turning heads,” Greene says. “Let’s see if this is your perfect match.” The video ends with a callout to schedule a private showing.

A former theater kid and an agent with Compass in San Diego, Greene posts property tours, snippets of his daily life, dance videos, and real estate comedy sketches to his more than 19,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok.

As part of a generation that grew up online, he knows that social media is a powerful tool for his career — not just for translating listings into sales, but for building his brand and reputation to attract the attention of future clients.

But unlike the average agent posting self-serious slideshows of glossy listing photos, Greene is part of a cohort of Gen Z real estate agents making a name for themselves online with humor.

The real estate content creators are here, and, to the chagrin of their more traditional elders, they’re landing clients and making sales one joke and dance video at a time.

For Greene, having a presence on social media is a way to be more relatable to prospective clients. “People may think of a Realtor as an old guy in a suit — not necessarily energetic or fun,” Greene told me.

He wants his followers and potential clients to see that he’s a real human being — one who also “just sold a $2.1 million home.” “I’m building exposure,” he said, comparing each video he makes to holding an open house. “I’ve gotten many referrals just by staying top of mind from posting.

I think that’s the biggest power of building your brand on social media and showing your authentic self.” It’s paying off: Since 2022, he has closed more than $22 million in real estate deals. 📲 I got a text!

Attention islanders, a new bombshell has entered the villa🌴 Welcome to 5444 Zeil Pl.

This bombshell understood the assignment🤏🏼 Will your head be turned?👀 He won’t stay single for long.

Let’s schedule your private showing today😉 . . .

Merek Greene Compass Real Estate DRE: 02151109 📧merek.greene@compass.com 📱 714.944.1864 @merekgreene merekgreene.com . #JustListed #sandiegorealestate #loveisland #GenZRealtor #merekgreenerealtor In an unstable job market, real estate has become an increasingly popular career path for Gen Z, who are drawn to the opportunity to make serious cash outside a traditional 9-to-5.

NAR’s Member Profile shows that the share of Realtors under 30 rose from 1% in 2023 to 4% in 2024, before settling at 3% in 2025.

For these digital-native agents, TikTok and Instagram are important platforms for building a following.

But with countless agents competing for attention in an endless scroll, standing out is paramount.

One way to stand out is to make people laugh.

Tampa-based agent Breanna Banaciski, who describes herself as a “comedian disguised as a Realtor,” roasts the homes she sells.

In one tour, she jokes that Martha Stewart’s jail cell was larger than the home’s 800 square feet.

Trenton Miller has built a following of more than 2 million with his comically nauseating high-speed home tours, while Maine agent Mitchell Tebo does literal backflips into lakes and rivers before showing properties. “We’re seeing more agents lean into humor, trends, and relatable moments because they know another ‘Just Listed’ post isn’t necessarily going to stop someone from scrolling,” said Katie Lance, a social media consultant who has taught real estate marketing online and at national conferences for nearly 20 years. “People do business with people they know, like, trust, and relate to, and humor is relatable.” Being funny online can pay off, but several agents told me there’s a downside to making yourself part of the entertainment.

Toni Marmo, a former real estate agent from New Jersey, told me she faced judgment from coworkers for making fun of herself in her Reels.

In one of her videos, she pokes fun at being a Gen Z realtor and pretends to be friends with a client, dropping Gen Z slang and references to “Love Island.” The video received more than 247,000 likes and 14,400 shares on TikTok, but Marmo said not everyone in her office was a fan. “It wasn’t buyers, sellers, or anyone like that who was getting upset,” Marmo said. “It was more other agents who were like, ‘Who is this young girl making a fool out of herself, making a joke out of what we do?'” MJ Maitland, a 25-year-old agent with eXp Realty from North Texas, told me no one at her brokerage has qualms about her content.

In fact, her signature shtick — suddenly sprinting through gorgeous midcentury modern homes — has become so expected by her nearly 14,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok that she said they get mad when she doesn’t run in her videos.

Still, Maitland said some agents outside her brokerage don’t understand the bit. “Honestly, thank goodness the agents that I’ve met in person have been great,” she said. “But I’ve had not-so-great experiences with agents who just don’t know me or get what I’m doing.” After building a sizable following through her videos, Marmo left real estate in 2025 to be a full-time content creator.

She now posts lifestyle and business videos aimed at helping her more than 70,000 TikTok and Instagram followers navigate their 20s.

Marmo, who’s done deals with brands like Wawa, Dairy Queen, the skincare brand Tower 28, and the movie “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” told me she now earns more from content creation than she ever did in real estate sales. “Each paid brand deal brings in the equivalent of half to a whole real estate check,” she said, adding that she’s typically paid from $1,200 to $3,200 and above for a single brand deal, depending on the deliverables.

Marmo said other young agents are also starting to see posting online as a source of income — and, in some cases, a new career path. “I see a lot of them realizing they can make just as much money from posting content,” Marmo said. “I still get a ton of DMs from people who got into real estate and are struggling.

They ask me how I transitioned out of the industry, and I think they follow my journey because it shows them that other options are possible.” Comment “1979” for more info!

This 3,619 sqft home is packed with character!!

About an hour drive to Dallas! 💰 $389,500 🛏️ 3 bed 3 bath 🏊🏼‍♂️ Pool + pool house 🌳 Large yard 🚪 All bedrooms have balcony access 🙅🏻‍♀️ No HOA Link in bio to schedule a consultation, lets find your next home!📲 #dfw #realestate LA: Rita Greer For Maitland, expanding her online brand to incorporate her interests in architecture, history, and thrifting isn’t about building an off-ramp to a different career.

She plans to stay in real estate and appease her fans by sprinting around midcentury houses in Dallas, but emphasized that she doesn’t want her page to be “sales-y.” “People want to see something more than just being an agent,” she said. “Being funny is my niche.