It is common in historic areas to see buildings where the brick has been painted. Paint seems to cover a multitude of evils. Paint though does not allow the masonry to breathe. Paint hastens the deterioration of the building, especially in our climate because it keeps water trapped in the masonry unit.
Another common DIY solution people choose, to try to limp a building along, is to seal cracks or joints with caulk. Caulk degenerates far quicker than mortar, pulling away from the brick. It also does not let the mortar breathe. Removing the caulk when tuckpointing is far more difficult than removing mortar. You are actually increasing the cost of repairs when they finally must be done.
Thirdly, historic buildings have been sandblasted by masonry companies. This was a common practice not too long ago. Initially the building looks better. What really happened though, is that if a brick were a loaf of bread, the crust was removed from the outside. The brick is made vulnerable to water. It starts to deteriorate at a shockingly rapid pace. Repairs became much more extensive. Never sandblast.