R
eal estate investor Corvon Burgess, 24, started his business after discovering a TikTok video two years ago. He's now seeking funding to convert a South Carolina hotel into affordable apartments. To raise money for the renovation while keeping rents low, Burgess turned back to TikTok.

    Burgess first learned about real-estate investing on TikTok in 2023, where he found videos about wholesaling, a strategy that involves scouting under-the-radar properties and reselling contracts to other buyers for a profit. His first deal was finding an auction-listed home on Zillow in Clinton, South Carolina, selling the contract to another buyer through Facebook Marketplace for a $5,000 profit.

    This initial success opened Burgess' eyes to the potential of real estate investing. He's since sold 10 contracts and expanded his investment firm, Burgess Legacy Investments, into short-term rentals and local businesses. His next project is buying a rundown motel in Manning, South Carolina, and converting it into 40 studio apartments with rents under $950 a month.

    Burgess launched the Affordable Housing Project Initiative to address the need for affordable housing in his hometown. He's currently under contract to buy an 80-room motel for $2.3 million, with a down payment of $150,000 set aside from other investing streams. To raise additional funds for the renovation, Burgess is seeking support from local religious groups and has partnered with TikTok content creator Peyton Vanest to promote his GoFundMe campaign.

    As of May 8, the campaign had raised $345,329 towards its goal of $500,000. Some of Vanest's followers have expressed interest in replicating Burgess' model in their states, highlighting the potential for affordable housing initiatives to spread through social media and community engagement.