What should have been a glamorous stay at one of California’s most famous rentals turned into a financial nightmare for one TikToker.
Sean Davis, known as @seanmdavis on the platform, told his followers that he was billed $10,000 after taking a selfie at the viral “Invisible House” in Joshua Tree.
His video sharing the ordeal has already drawn more than 1.4 million views.
Highlights
- A TikTok Influencer claimed he was charged $10,000 over a selfie at a viral rental home.
- The “Invisible House” in Joshua Tree has hosted celebrities and Netflix crews.
- Some netizens noted that brand photo fees, while expensive, are normal for viral rental locations.
As it turned out, the viral desert home comes with a hidden catch
Image credits: BACKGRID
The Invisible House isn’t just another rental. It’s a 5,500-square-foot mirrored mansion designed to disappear into the desert landscape.
The property, which costs $2,400 per night, boasts a 100-foot indoor solar pool, luxury smart features, and 90 acres of private land.
Image credits: seanmdavis
It has even appeared on Netflix’s World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals and has attracted celebrities like Demi Lovato, Lizzo, and Diplo.
But Davis said the dreamlike home hides a major pitfall. He claimed that a guest took a selfie in the bathroom and tagged a brand on Instagram, which later got reshared.
Image credits: seanmdavis
That, he explained, triggered a little-known clause in the contract requiring a $10,000 photography fee, according to a New York Post report.
“We rented the invisible house in Joshua Tree for a photo shoot outside. We didn’t let them know we were taking some photos outside and got shook down for 10k over a selfie tagging a brand not even mine.”
Image credits: seanmdavis
“We didn’t actually shoot any brand content in the house,” he clarified. “We shot outside, but they had an issue with a selfie.”
The influencer also criticized the viral home itself, stating that the place was uncomfortable and noisy.
“Sleeping there is the worst part. You can’t see out of the house at night but can see in perfectly. Worst part is it cracks like a skyscraper all night and is so loud,” the influencer wrote in his video’s caption.
Not everyone sympathized with the influencer’s plight, with many stating that brand shoot fees are normal
While the influencer’s criticisms of the Invisible House were notable, some netizens pointed out that brand photo fees are normal, especially for properties like the viral rental.
“My uncle has an Airbnb, and the daily rate is $1,000, but brand shoots are $10k. Seems pretty standard,” one commenter noted.
Image credits: Enes Yilmazer/YouTube
Another added, “As someone who used to run a property with frequent filming, that’s about right.
“It’s industry standard to pay for locations for commercial advertising use. Welcome to the industry! No one makes this same mistake twice!”
Image credits: Enes Yilmazer/YouTube
“Seems like the invisible part was the influencer standing up and taking responsibility,” wrote another.
Other netizens also joked that the Invisible House really looks just like a container home covered in glass.
“So celebs dig staying in a long metal container with mirror glass everywhere… that’s shocking.
“Anyone who actually lives here knows that standing outside that house in the summer is going to be much like sitting inside an oven,” one commenter wrote.
The Invisible House was a minimalist brainchild of its creators
In previous comments, the creators of the Invisible House, Chris Hanley and his wife Roberta, noted that the home was designed to look monolithic, according to the NY Post.
“I just drew a rectangle on paper and said, ‘OK, we’ll build this.’ I thought it could just be a monolithic, reflective, ultra-minimal thing,” Chris said.
The 5,500-square-foot, 225-foot-long smart house features three bedrooms and four bathrooms, and its exterior is fully comprised of reflective glass.
Image credits: Enes Yilmazer/YouTube
Inside, the home is very minimalist, though its 100-foot indoor pool provides incredible views of the landscape.
The Invisible House finished its construction in 2019, and the Hanleys lived in it until it was listed as an $18 million property by Aaron Kirman and Matt Adamo of AKG Christie’s International Real Estate, according to the NY Post.
That’s a pretty high price for such a home, but the Invisible House also sits on an expansive 90 acres of land.
Image credits: Enes Yilmazer/YouTube
As per Kirman, the property’s high price could be justified by the fact that the home itself is pretty much a livable piece of artwork.
“It’s definitely expensive for Joshua Tree. But good pieces of art command premium prices,” Kirman noted.
Netizens weighed in on the influencer’s $10,000 charge from the Invisible House's host on social media
Note: The article originally indicated that the home was booked through Airbnb. An Airbnb representative has since clarified that this was not the case.
