A Sydney tenant faced with the prospect of paying $275 more a week in rent has revealed how rent increases set off a chain of events that pushed her towards a better standard of living.
Muneeba (No No) Ravat had been renting in Sydney since 2014, an experience she says was “difficult” when she had to leave the city center with her 24-year-old son due to unaffordable prices.
“In previous homes, I have had to live very far out of town just to have a big house,” Ms. Ravat said.
“We decided to move to the city areas a few years ago due to our work commitments, only because they increased the weekly rent from $750 to $1025 within the space of two years.”
Ms. Ravat said that in order to stay relatively close to the city, she realized they would have to stay in an apartment. She thought a new development in Sydney’s south-west was the best option.
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Muneeba (No No) Ravat has been renting all her life and struggled with the Sydney market. Images: supplied
More and more tenants are turning to build-to-rent options as an affordable, secure alternative to the traditional rental market, as the model allows for professionally managed homes and longer leases, without the uncertainty of having to leave due to changing landlord circumstances.
Ms Ravat has been renting from Coronation Property’s Mason & Main BTR development in Merrylands since January 2025.
According to Ms. Ravat, it provides a comfortable, safe place to enjoy life while still entertaining family and friends while living in an apartment.
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Coronation Property are the developers behind the Mason & Main BTR development in Merrylands
“It really makes my life easy and I have all the amenities that I didn’t even have when I lived in the big house I had a few years ago,” she said.
“It feels like I’m living in a resort and all I have to do is go downstairs.”
Affordability and community were other key factors.
“When you think about how many things are available to you, including 24-hour security, I might add: for the same money people spend on houses without all that is a pretty good way to live your life,” Ms. Ravat said.
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Within the Mason & Main BTR development
Ms Ravat said the Sydney rental market was “terrible at the moment”, before looking at properties where “conditions were terrible”.
“People are struggling, the competition is scary,” she said.
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Within the Mason & Main development
“I don’t think I feel like moving for a while unless I have to because it seems to be getting worse.
“Here we can be so comfortable and safe for less than what they offer elsewhere.”
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