“What rent do you pay?” and “Can you show me your apartment?” – two questions that are not easily answered. But such questions are being asked by influencer Caleb Simpson from New York, who currently has 8.6 million followers on TikTok. His videos always have the same central idea: Simpson finds people, asks them about their rent, and then gives a tour of their home.

What’s special about these short videos is that they allow viewers to “peek” into the private apartments of various people, each with their own story. Like a look through a keyhole or the crack of a door.

Simpson has uploaded tons of videos to TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, with footage shot in locations all over the world – an artist’s penthouse in New York, a photographer’s apartment in Paris or an architect’s home in Hong Kong Kong.

Simpson’s special idea

Simpson doesn’t consider himself to be the inventor of this particular idea – but he remains one of the most well-known content creators on TikTok.

About two years ago the influencer had seen various videos of passers-by asking them “only” about their rent. “Then an idea came to me and I thought: What if I did the same but also entered the apartment of the person I was talking to?”, recalls the 32-year-old American. On the one hand who lets a stranger into their home? But on the other hand, if the idea succeeded, then the whole world would be talking about it.

On the first day Simpson asked about 100 people before anyone was found to let him see his apartment. After the first videos, however, the influencer immediately became very well-known, especially in New York – and from then on it was much easier for him to make videos in various other houses in the city. Today he even receives invitations from various people who want to show him around their homes, while some famous personalities, such as Scarlett Johansson, appear in his videos. Although the actress only gave Simpson a tour of her office, the video has garnered more than 50 million views.

A trend that is also coming to Germany

The fashion created by Simpson has traveled around the world. In France Samuel and Victoria shoot videos in expensive apartments in Paris, Toulouse and Marseille, in Texas Spencer Moore asks strangers about their rent, while in Germany “Mr. Unreal Estate”, Leon Zandhove visits “unreal” houses and apartments.

As Zandhove says, “there is nothing more personal than one’s home – except perhaps one’s thoughts. Each house tells us a lot about its owner.” The smartly dressed young man in the white shirt, black bow tie and suspenders also makes videos like those of Caleb Simpson. “I got the idea because it seemed really cool to me and I realized that it’s something that no one has done yet in Germany,” says the 27-year-old from Potsdam.

Meanwhile Mr. Unreal Estate has over 240,000 followers on Instagram and also uploads other videos showcasing luxury villas for sale.

The secret of success

But why does this idea seem to fascinate millions of people?

According to communication expert Josephine B. Schmidt, such videos meet completely different psychological needs: “Many people find it fascinating to see and learn things that would otherwise be unknown to them.” And by taking “sneak peeks” at apartments they would otherwise never see, they can satisfy their curiosity.

In addition, in this way they are also compared to other people, in a “social comparison”, as Schmitt says, which can have two effects: the viewer feels affirmed (thinking, for example, “my apartment is nicer”) or a desire to improve (saying “I want a table like that too”). And of course this process is even more charming when the viewer can even compare himself to famous personalities.

How easily do you let someone into your home?

When it comes to which people are receptive to showing off their home to a stranger, Simpson doesn’t see any particular pattern—certainly, people who are active on social media, meaning those in their 30s or younger, are more willing.

Zandhove says for his part that there are very few such people in Germany. “Here in Germany it’s also a matter of difference in mentality,” explains the 27-year-old – Germans are not so open to sharing things from their private lives.

Edited by: Giorgos Passas