How a TikToker Brought Hundreds of Transplants to a Midwestern City
Mariela Munguía was idly browsing TikTok when something piqued her attention, prompting her to double back mid-scroll: a video about a two-bedroom house for sale in Peoria, Ill., for less than $50,000. “The idea of a $50,000 house was not anywhere on my radar.
It was not something that I knew could even exist,” said Ms. Munguía, 30. “I showed my partner and was like, ‘hey, would you ever consider moving somewhere else?’” It was 2020, and Ms.
Munguía and her partner were living in the Seattle suburb of Renton, Wash. Life felt like a slog — the rent for their 800-square-foot apartment was $2,000 a month, and the thought of ever owning a home seemed implausible.
After doing more research online, Ms. Munguía applied to jobs in Peoria, and the two moved into a short-term rental there. In April 2021, they decided to make the move permanent and began to tour houses for sale.
