INVESTORS FLIP THE SCRIPT TO HELP FIRST HOME BUYERS
Investors are registering to help first home buyers own sooner while strengthening their own portfolios.
3 min
For years, first-time home buyers have blamed investors for locking them out of the market, snapping up properties, and driving prices sky-high.
But a groundbreaking Rent-to-Sell scheme is flipping the script—turning investors into key allies, helping renters break free from the cycle and step onto the property ladder.
New data from PublicSquare reveals that 500 investors per month indicate their willingness to volunteer their properties, offering a much-needed lifeline to aspiring homeowners struggling to save for a deposit in NSW and QLD.
This groundbreaking model is helping first-time home buyers break free from the rental cycle by turning typical investment properties into a structured pathway to ownership.
Investors, who often face criticism for driving housing demand, are now making homeownership possible—while securing a 50% boost in rental returns and a guaranteed future sale price.
“There’s always been this battle between first home buyers and investors, but this model is proving they can work together,” said Dean Arnold, CEO of PublicSquare.
“We’re seeing investors who were once viewed as the enemy now giving renters the best shot they’ve ever had at owning their own home.
“It’s a win-win—investors get higher returns and a secure exit strategy, while first home buyers get a genuine pathway to ownership without needing a massive deposit upfront.”
With demand skyrocketing, there is now a three-month waitlist for investors eager to participate in the program, which is exclusive to NSW and Queensland. Meanwhile, thousands of pre-approved homebuyers are waiting for their chance to move in and begin their journey toward homeownership.
Making Homeownership Achievable
PublicSquare’s Rent-to-Buy model is proving to be a game-changer in a housing market where many Australians feel locked out.
First home buyers can move into a property with just 1.1% of the valuation upfront—a fraction of a traditional deposit. Instead of struggling to save while renting, tenants pay an additional 50% in rent each week, which goes directly toward their deposit.
Over time, this structured approach helps renters build savings while locking in a pre-set purchase price range, shielding them from future property price hikes.
The program ensures that only financially capable applicants are approved.
In New South Wales, only 41% of applicants meet the eligibility criteria, meaning they can afford both market rent and the additional deposit-building rent premium.
In Queensland, just 28% of applicants qualify, highlighting the program’s commitment to responsible homeownership.
The Investor Shift
With 30% of Australians now owning an investment property and the ATO reporting that 60% of these properties don’t generate enough rent to cover mortgage repayments and upkeep costs, the Rent-to-Buy model is changing the way property investment works. Investors who take part in the program benefit from:
- 50% higher rental income, providing immediate financial relief while helping first home buyers.
- Guaranteed future sale price range, giving certainty for both investors and buyers.
- Long-term, committed tenants, as renters are future homeowners who treat the property as their own.
- Portfolio growth opportunities, using increased rental income to secure more investments.
Arnold says the overwhelming demand shows the model is working.
“We’ve got over 45,000 eager homebuyers ready to take their first step toward ownership. Investors are recognising they don’t have to be seen as the bad guys—they can be the ones giving renters a real shot at owning their home, while securing their own financial future,” he said.
A New Era
Instead of waiting years to save a deposit while paying ever-rising rent, first home buyers now have an opportunity to move in and gradually secure their home while avoiding skyrocketing property prices. Meanwhile, investors have a sustainable way to expand their portfolios and ensure steady, reliable rental income.
“This is about flipping the narrative,” Arnold said. “For once, investors and first home buyers aren’t on opposite sides—they’re working together. Rent-to-Buy is proving that investors don’t have to be the villains of the housing market; they can be the reason renters finally become homeowners.”
As tariffs bite, Sydney’s MAISON de SABRÉ is pushing deeper into the US, holding firm on pricing and proving that resilience in luxury means more than survival.
Early indications from several big regional real-estate boards suggest March was overall another down month.
Sydney’s rental market is hitting new highs, with prime suburbs now topping $2,000 a week.
4 min
Sydney is well and truly on the world map when it comes to luxury residential property, rivalling—and even beating—the likes of Tokyo and Dubai in terms of price per square metre.
The harbour capital has also proven itself to be a powerhouse for luxury residential rental growth. Knight Frank’s Prime Global Rental Index Q4 2024 showed prime rents across Sydney grew 4.7 per cent over 2024, the fifth-highest growth globally.
This has pushed several of Sydney’s top suburbs over the $2,000 per week median rent mark for a house, with surrounding areas fast approaching the milestone.
We’ve wrapped up the most expensive suburbs to live in across Sydney, with data sourced from property data analytics firm CoreLogic.
1. Vaucluse: Median purchase: $8.69m; Median rent: $2,198
Vaucluse has consistently ranked as Sydney’s most expensive suburb for rental properties over the past few years, even with annual rents contracting by over 14 per cent. What sets it apart is its unique geography—it’s the only suburb in the Eastern Suburbs that stretches from the harbour to the ocean. Homes in Vaucluse top the price charts because most either boast Sydney Harbour views or enjoy uninterrupted outlooks over the Pacific Ocean.
The Neighbourhood
While most Eastern Suburbs have one main beach, Vaucluse is dotted with several secluded spots, such as Parsley Bay, Milk Beach, and the recently reopened Shark Beach, which had been closed for several years due to retaining wall repairs.
2. Dover Heights: Median purchase: $6.38m; Median rent: $2,024
Vaucluse’s immediate southern neighbour, Dover Heights, is the only other suburb in Sydney with a median house rental over $2,000. Dover Heights hugs the cliffs and is well known as one of the most tightly held house markets in the Eastern Suburbs. The homes are perched on the cliffside, and the majority of houses in the area have at least four bedrooms, pushing up prices.
The Neighbourhood
While there are no beaches to speak of, its elevated position provides some of the highest views of Sydney Harbour. It is also home to the Federation Cliff Walk, a five-kilometre clifftop walk with postcard views of the Pacific Ocean from Dover Heights to Watsons Bay.
3. Bronte: Median purchase: $5.64m, Median rent: $1,963
Bronte takes out the title of the most expensive of the ‘typical’ Eastern Suburbs beachside suburbs. Just 30 per cent of homes in Bronte are separate houses, with nearly half being apartments. Houses in the rental pool are typically original homes dating back to the 1960s that have been renovated over the last decade or so.
The Neighbourhood
Bronte has long been a favourite due to its more relaxed beachside lifestyle compared to the busier Bondi, although Bronte is no longer a ‘hidden gem’ anymore. It offers numerous lifestyle perks, from a small high street lined with shops and cafés to several eateries located by the beach, which also features one of the best natural ocean pools in the Eastern Suburbs.
4. North Bondi: Median purchase: $4.81m; Median rent: $1,932
North Bondi has become a hotbed of new homes, with frequent sales of either original houses or older apartment complexes being bought to be demolished and replaced by brand-new contemporary builds. There’s a mix of original cottages and new homes in the rental pool, the latter fetching over $7,000 a week.
The Neighbourhood
North Bondi is situated in a small pocket, just south of Dover Heights and north of Bondi Beach. Starting at the Ben Buckler Peninsula, near where Campbell Parade transitions into Military Road, North Bondi is one of the most secluded areas on the coastline, with Hastings Parade, Brighton Boulevard, and Ramsgate Avenue all offering a southward view over the sand.
5. Balgowlah Heights: Median purchase: $4.13m; Median rent: $1,930
Balgowlah Heights is the most expensive suburb to rent a house in the Northern Beaches. Land sizes tend to be much larger, and you get more for your money in the area compared to the East.
The Neighbourhood
Balgowlah Heights is the harbourside southern neighbour of Balgowlah. The Sydney Harbour National Park occupies half of the leafy suburb, part of the Manly to Spit Bridge Walk, and is home to Tania Park, with a children’s playground and sporting facilities overlooking Manly Cove. Nestled on the northern shores of Sydney Harbour, it offers a serene and leafy environment.
6. Bellevue Hill: Median purchase: $10.63m; Median rent: $1,917
Bellevue Hill stands as one of Sydney’s most prestigious suburbs and has some of the largest houses by median land size.
Given the large gap between median purchase price and median rental price, it is no wonder renters want to live among $10m homes and pay under $2,000 a week, when a $10m purchase means $2m deposit, over $500k in stamp duty, and roughly $12,000 a week in repayments.
Most mansions will never make it to public rental sites and are often snapped up by Hollywood stars, musicians, or even royalty when they visit Australia.
The Neighbourhood
One of the biggest drawcards for those living in Bellevue Hill is the proximity to two of the country’s top schools. While there are no catchment areas for private schools, Cranbrook School and Scots College will always draw affluent families to the suburb. Scots fees start at around $30,000 per annum from Year One and reach nearly $50,000 by Year 12.
Sydney’s Cheapest Suburb: Tregear; Median purchase: $782,000; Median rent: $544
The cheapest suburb to rent in Sydney is Tregear, located on the outskirts of Mt Druitt, approximately 50 km west of the CBD. The median house rental is $544, which is four times cheaper than renting a house in Vaucluse. The median house price in Tregear is $782,000, around 12 times less than Vaucluse.
Sydney’s Best Suburb: Point Piper
If money were no object, it’s hard to look past Sydney’s most affluent suburb as the top pick for the best place to live in the city, in my opinion.
It doesn’t even have an actual median house price, simply because so few properties change hands. Last year, just five houses sold, ranging from $8 million to $51.5 million. Homes on the best streets offer gun-barrel views of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, while the cosmopolitan Double Bay next door provides all the lifestyle conveniences.
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