NAB Morning Call Weekend Edition: Build to Rent – the way of the future?
Mar 27, 2026
Bill Halmarick, NAB’s Head of Real Estate, backs financing and policy solutions for social and modular housing. Matthew Berg, co-founder of Local Residential, builds and manages large-scale build-to-rent projects. They discuss how institutional long-term ownership, five-year leases and professional management change renter security. They cover financing tools, mixed-impact and affordable housing allocations and modular construction.
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Build To Rent Aligns Owner Incentives With Tenants
- Build-to-rent keeps ownership and long-term alignment with tenants by holding entire buildings rather than selling individual units.
- Matthew Berg explains this is speculative (no pre-sales) and attracts institutional investors focused on stable rental yields, not quick flips.
From Developer To Owner At The Commonwealth Games Village
- Local Residential acquired the Commonwealth Games Village, an early Australian build-to-rent asset they originally helped develop.
- The site has 1,250 units plus a shopping centre and sits near the Gold Coast health and knowledge precinct.
Smaller Private Units Plus Shared Amenities Increase Value
- Build-to-rent designs smaller private units but expands shared amenities to give renters more usable space and lifestyle options.
- Berg cites examples: gyms, coworking, pools, cinema rooms, Kensington creative space and Box Hill mahjong room.