A Gen Z real estate agent from Maine has revealed how he’s using crazy TikTok tactics to sell more homes.
Mitchell Tebo, 23, has posted a series of videos showing him doing backflips in lakes, doing cartwheels during property tours, and performing bizarre stunts that most real estate agents would consider untraditional, to say the least.
But he claims there is a method to his madness and he has seen a real increase in sales.
Tebo told DailyMail.com: “Some estate agents will just list it and hope it sells, and I make it very clear on social media that I’m not the right person to do that.”
“I guess what sets me apart is my willingness to change things and be quite eccentric.”
Mitchell Tebo, 23, plans elaborate parodies to promote houses to people on social media
Tebo’s signature double backflip has appeared at the beginning of most of his TikToks.
After obtaining his real estate license in January, Tebo decided to combine his love of entertaining people and selling homes into his unique marketing strategy.
About 54 per cent of the properties featured in his videos have gone “under contract” within a week, Tebo told DailMail.com based on his own calculations.
“One home seller openly told me, ‘We’ve been watching you closely and it seems like every house you’ve done a video on seems to go under contract right away, even if it’s been on the market for months before,'” he said.
The young real estate agent grew up in a “real estate family,” with his parents owning real estate franchises in Massachusetts and his older brother also entering the field.
Tebo said: ‘I have always seen the power of investing in real estate to generate capital and increase your net worth.
Tebo was standing in a crop top during one of his skits (pictured). The real estate agency stated that the ‘hook’ of the videos is the most important part
Tebo discovered that the best way to get views and sell houses was to do backflips in lakes, do cartwheels during tours, and perform spectacular stunts.
‘When I see the value in something, I want to help others see it too. That’s what I was passionate about.”
In one of his high-energy videos, Tebo ran off the edge of a bridge and into the water. The video shows him landing on the lawn of a York home valued at $599,000.
“Let’s take a look inside,” he said before running towards the house. ‘Hey! Take off your shoes!
Other videos, which he started making in June, show his trademark double backflip into a lake while wearing work clothes.
He learned this trick a few years ago and mastered it after “failing really hard” for a couple of tries.
“When I started creating TikTok videos of listings in June, I didn’t really get much traction because I wasn’t doing anything crazy,” Tebo said.
“I decided I’m going to combine investments and sell houses and see if that ends up getting the views.”
The cinematic TikToks are filmed with the help of his girlfriend, Lexi.
Tebo’s TikToks are filmed with the help of his girlfriend, Lexi
Tebo opened a video jumping off a bridge and cut the camera to make it look like he landed on the lawn of a property (pictured).
He said: ‘What we really plan is the hook because it’s the most important part.
“We planned a couple of costumes and the general theme, but we just went with the flow while we were there.”
One of his quirky skits was called a ‘shitty singing tour’ in which he ran around a house singing ‘You’re the One that I Want’ by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
In one of his previous videos, Tebo started by drinking directly from the edge of a sink.
‘Hey baby! It’s rolling, it’s rolling,’ his girlfriend is heard saying, which prompted him to start his playful speech for the house.
Tebo said: ‘Hey guys, tired of sleeping on the couch? It’s National Girlfriend’s Day and what better gift to receive here than a new kitchen, in a new house, with all this delicious countertops?’
He also posts his videos on Facebook and Instagram to reach more people.
His TikTok content typically attracts a younger audience of people in their late twenties and early thirties.
But Tebo said his clientele is not limited to a specific age group: One of his current clients is in his 80s.
There have even been late teens who found his videos and referred him to their parents.
Tebo said he learned to do a flip a few years ago and failed before mastering his technique.
Real estate agents have invaded TikTok in recent years to try to reach a younger generation of home sellers and buyers.
According to the National Association of Realtors‘2024 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report, Millennials have become the largest group of home buyers in the country, representing 38 percent of those who will purchase properties in 2023.
The same report revealed that Generation Z represented only 3 percent of all buyers.
About 18 percent of Gen Zers own a home or are married to someone who does. axios reported.
Bangor Daily News reported that less than 4 percent of Maine real estate agents are under 35 years old.
Even though skeptics say social media can’t trump experience, Tebo said his age has yet to hinder his career.
‘I expected people to be more reserved about my youth. “I guess my mustache helps me look a little older,” he joked.
With around 2,500 followers on TikTok and less than 900 friends on Facebook, Tebo hopes to build his brand and help more people find their dream home.
He said, “I can do both with these videos, which is great!”