If you’ve been scrolling Instagram the last couple of days, you’ve probably seen posts saying “2026 is the new 2016.” This is the most popular trend on the platform right now.
Let me explain what it is (and how agents can hop on it).
2016 was TEN years ago. People on the internet are feeling nostalgic and think 2016 was a better time (because it was… but also ten years ago always feels like a better time).
Swipe through this TodaysYearOld post to explain it:
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As you can see, Fetty Wap, known for his 2016 bangers, got released from jail, the weather was always perfect, and there was just a different, more optimistic energy back then.
Here’s a video explanation by Wangs Journey:
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So what does this mean for social?
The “2016 Instagram” aesthetic is making a comeback (for now): less polished, more spontaneous, and way more personal.
- Flash photos
- Random selfies with friends
- Horizontal uploads
- Nights out
- Sunsets
- Food pics…
All the stuff people used to post before Reels, hooks, and this content strategy nightmare took over.
Keep in mind, this trend will last for about a week until everyone goes back to “HERE ARE FIVE REASONS WHY BUYING IS BETTER THAN RENTING!”
Most importantly, the 2016 trend is about nostalgia and authenticity.
Here’s how the real estate industry is doing the trend
Mia Willie from Utah put her own unique spin on it with “2016 then and now” housing trends.
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Byron Lazine even got in on the action and actually nailed the trend. Peep pic number two of us jumping up and down like absolute clowns at a conference in 2016. I don’t think we’ve ever been that happy since.
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I tossed in my own mix of OG memes and photos of my first-ever videos as the Broke Agent.
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Serhant dropped some old pics and just captioned them with “circa 2016…”
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Look at Jason Cassity’s caption. You can list everything you did that year.
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Even IG itself is doing it.
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Elite Daily (remember them?) also posted about it.
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So how can you do it?
Upload old photos as a carousel. Pull from 2016 real estate pics, headshots, nights out, or whatever you were doing ten years ago. The point is to be random and not calculated. You don’t need a hook or to worry about which photos will perform best. Just photo dump like it was ten years ago.
If you want to put a real estate spin on it, you can do what Mia did, or maybe you do a snapshot of home prices in 2016 vs. home prices in 2026 to show the insane appreciation. Or you can feature a listing you have and the photos from 2016 (if it was on the market back then) vs. now.
We actually have a BAMx template for you on this.
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Oh, and I almost forgot. Use 2016 audios like The Chainsmokers “Closer.”
Have a great three-day weekend that I know none of you have off.
