A college student was in tears after finding out from a realtor that her landlord is selling the home she lives in and would need to kick her out.
In the video, which has nearly a million views, a teary-eyed Jordan (@jordan_kristine) explains that when she got home that weekend, there was a “random realtor” at her door.
The realtor explained that Jordan’s landlord decided at the last minute to sell the house, and it would need to be ready for showings by Wednesday. This gave Jordan, a full-time college student with a full-time job, just a few days to process the news and get the house in order. She ended up skipping class to get the house ready.
While the landlord promised Jordan’s dad that he would sell to people who also wanted to rent out the space, Jordan soon discovered all the buyers weren’t interested in a long-term tenant.
One couple told her they wanted to turn the home into an Airbnb.
“I was heartbroken that what I’ve considered to be a good home to me for two years now could be turned into an Airbnb of all things,” Jordan said in an email.
“The city of Auburn already has a housing issue. Auburn University does not have enough on campus housing to accommodate even the freshman class, let alone its entire student body. In my opinion, to turn a home in a city like this into a temporary rental is greedy and distasteful.”
Jordan explains in a follow-up video that she was adamant about taking the time to clean the home ahead of the showing because she was hoping the new owners would want to rent out the place and her cleanliness would be a positive indicator that she was a good tenant, so they’d let her keep renting the place.
But she notes that even if the home was sold to people looking to rent it out, given the location and amenities, she doubts that they would keep her rent at the current rate, which she says is “just ridiculously low.”
Jordan says she was surprised by the amount of mean comments she got under her viral video but appreciated those who were supportive and offered advice.
“If this was suddenly sprung on you, and you had already discussed with your landlord plans to continue to live here for the next couple of years, you would be upset, too,” Jordan says in a follow-up. “It’s a really sudden thing, and it sucks.”
Many people in the comments section noted that people putting their homes on the short-term rental market instead of renting to people long-term were negatively affecting their neighborhoods by driving up rents and displacing community members.
It’s gotten to the point that some states and cities have enacted laws that virtually ban Airbnb, with New York City being one of the latest.
@jordan_kristine i am in fact not having a good week #fyp ♬ original sound – jordan🪩🪐🤍🌸
“Oh my god I’m so sorry you’re going through this Air BNB costs are ruining rental and housing communities everywhere,” a commenter wrote.
“Air bnb ruined my neighborhood :(,” another said.
Others urged Jordan to double-check her state’s rental rights laws, noting that there may be protections in her situation.
“Bro they have to give you 30 day notice at least,” a person said.
“Isn’t your landlord obligated to keep your lease until it ends, even if there’s a transfer of ownership?” a commenter asked.
However, in another video, Jordan says she didn’t have a formal lease for her second year at the apartment. While she tried to get her landlord to send a lease agreement multiple times, he avoided sending one.
In an email, she told the Daily Dot that the realtor is working to help make sure she gets a lease in writing before the house is sold so Jordan is safe to live there under her current rent rate through July 31 of next year.
“This has been the first place in Auburn I have lived in that has actually felt like a home to me- I had housing and roommate situations previous to this one that were absolute nightmares to me and this was the first place I felt at home and in love with where I lived,” Jordan said.
