Love at first sale? 31 men tricked by 'girlfriend' estate agents in China

31 men in China thought they had found love, only to realise their 'girlfriends' were estate agents using romance to close property deals

In a bizarre twist of romance and real estate, 31 men in Huizhou, a southern city in China, thought they had found true love-- only to discover they had fallen victim to a cunning sales ploy. These men, convinced by their girlfriends to purchase apartments, later realised that their so-called lovers were actually estate agents looking to close deals, not walk down the aisle.

 

Authorities have since launched an investigation, revealing that 15 women, all from the same real estate firm, orchestrated the scheme. The women used a dating app to lure unsuspecting men into their web of deception. A state-run newspaper affiliated with China’s housing ministry warned on March 24 that this scandal might be “just the tip of the iceberg," reported The Economist.

 

 

A market in crisis

 

The case highlights the dire situation of China’s real estate market, which has been struggling through a severe downturn for four years. Once considered a sure investment, housing sales have plummeted, leaving millions of properties unsold. Some developments remain unfinished despite buyers having already paid for them. In the first two months of 2025 alone, new home starts fell by nearly 30 per cent compared to the previous year, while average home prices have declined for 21 consecutive months.

 

The downturn has hit real estate agents especially hard. Since 2021, approximately 10 per cent of agencies in China’s largest cities have shut down, with even steeper declines in smaller towns. In Yanjiao, a city near Beijing, hundreds of agencies have closed. One survivor noted that his income has been slashed in half over the past three years.

 

Desperate sales tactics

 

With competition fierce and buyers scarce, some agents and developers are resorting to extreme measures. To attract customers, firms are offering extravagant incentives. A company in Zhejiang province promised a 10-gram gold bar (worth around $1,000) for every house sold, while a Beijing-based developer dangled a free holiday home in Yantai for anyone who purchased an apartment in the capital with cash. Other promotions have included free iPhones and even stakes in a private-jet company.

 

Some developers have taken price cuts to absurd levels. In Zhongshan, a city in southern China, a builder allowed buyers to secure apartments with a deposit as low as 9.90 yuan ($1.30). In Henan, agricultural products were accepted as down payments, leading one developer, Central China Group, to collect 430 tonnes of garlic in exchange for 30 apartments in 2022.

 

The rise of digital house selling

 

In response to dwindling foot traffic, real estate agents have also turned to livestreaming to attract buyers. Platforms like Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, now host around 500,000 agents who employ creative tactics, from singing and dancing to performing comedy sketches inside unsold apartments. In Wuhan, a robot named “Ubro” recently joined the trend, showcasing properties and answering questions in real-time.

 

Despite these efforts, analysts remain pessimistic about China’s real estate recovery. Government officials are attempting to ease financing issues and promote the trade-in of old homes for new ones, but experts warn that challenges remain. JPMorgan Chase predicts that by 2025, Chinese property developers will account for two-thirds of Asia’s corporate defaults. Many experts don’t expect a market turnaround until 2026.

 

A silver lining for young men?

 

Ironically, the housing crisis might benefit young Chinese men in the long run. Traditionally, societal pressure has dictated that men must own property before being considered marriage material. In late 2019, home prices in Beijing were 44 times the average annual salary, making homeownership nearly impossible for many. That ratio has since fallen to 32 times, presenting a slightly more affordable market.

 

For those who can now afford to buy, the key challenge remains: finding a partner who’s truly interested in marriage and not just in making a sale.