FEAR & GREED | Business News Q+A: Could this be the answer to Australia's rental crisis?
Jan 27, 2026
Matthew Berg, co-founder and co-CEO of Local Residential, specialises in build-to-rent developments and institutional residential management. He explains what institutionally owned housing looks like and how long-term leases and bundled services work. He compares international models, describes Australian project types and amenities, and outlines who tends to move into build-to-rent communities.
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Build-To-Rent As A New Supply Channel
- Build-to-rent is institutional ownership of housing, a distinct third way to create supply beyond government or mom-and-dad investors.
- Markets like the US and UK show it as an established asset class with potential to fix rental market failures.
Security And Service Fix Rental Pain Points
- Build-to-rent addresses common rental pain points like poor maintenance, weak customer service and insecure tenure.
- It offers tenancy security which many renters value as highly as owning a home, especially in markets with cultural ownership bias.
Swiss Example Of Institutional Renting
- Sean recounts a Swiss friend whose insurer-owned building provided lifetime rental stability and reduced desire to buy.
- Matthew confirms Europe has long accepted institutional rental ownership and similar cultural examples exist.