A TikTok Influencer Bought A Mortgage-Free House At 21 & The Backlash Brought Her To Tears

A British TikTok influencer is facing backlash after announcing that she had bought a mortgage-free house at the young age of 21.

Katylee Bailey usually posts light-hearted and motivational content on her account but put a pause on that with a more serious video addressing the hate she had been receiving since sharing with her followers that she had bought a house.

In her original video, in which she shares the happy news about her home purchase, Bailey is popping a champagne bottle-shaped party popper with confetti in her new and empty home.

“BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT OF MY LIFE,” read the caption on her video. “HERE'S TO MY NEW CHAPTER.”

While many commenters expressed support for the influencer, others were critical, suggesting her post was out of touch and insensitive toward people struggling to afford rent and housing.

One commenter wrote, “So sad the people that work the least get this, and people putting their life on the line can barely afford heating.”

Another wrote, “Meanwhile everyone else has real jobs and struggles to make ends meet.”

Owning a home at the age of 21 is indeed a major accomplishment, and Bailey should be proud of herself. However, it's hard to blame her critics for feeling like they're getting their noses rubbed in it.

Social media influencers have managed to monetize their content creation skills and amassed millions of followers and as a result, can afford a lot of things most people can’t.

While they may seem like they're living the dream, many question the legitimacy of their fame and fortune.

Many commenters on Bailey's video pointed out that influencers make a disproportionate income to the amount of work they do, compared to people in other industries like the care sector and engineering, highlighting the cost of living crisis.

Housing affordability, in particular, has become a major challenge, with many low-income renters struggling to keep up with the rising costs, reported the British nonprofit, Shelter. Against this backdrop, it's understandable that some people might feel resentful when they see an influencer celebrating their new home.

In response to the backlash, Bailey posted a follow-up video in which she tearfully apologized to her viewers but also defended her achievements.

She acknowledged that the system is unfair and that she had been lucky to be able to buy a home at a young age. She also emphasized that being an influencer is not an easy job and that it can be mentally draining.

“I just wanted to come on here to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry to anyone that feels like I’m bragging about the house thing,” a tearful Bailey says in the video.

“Yes, the system is absolutely f*cked (...) It’s like people are trying to make me feel guilty for something that I can’t help,” she continued.

The comments in her second video were far more compassionate and people reminded her that she should be proud of her achievements.