A Sydney tenant who faced the prospect of paying $275 more per week in rent has revealed how rent hikes set in motion a chain of events that propelled her into a better living arrangement.
Muneeba (Nee Nee) Ravat had been renting in Sydney since 2014, an experience she said was “been tough” as she navigated a push out of city centre due to unaffordable prices with her 24 year old son.
“I have had to live very far out of the city in previous homes, just to have a big house,” Ms Ravat said.
“We decided a few years ago to move into the city areas due to our work commitments, only for them to have raised the rental per week from $750 to $1025 within a space of that two years.”
Ms Ravat said in order to stay relatively close to the city she realised they would need to stay in an apartment, she found a build-to-rent development in Sydney’s south west to be th greatest option.
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Muneeba (Nee Nee) Ravat has been renting her whole life and struggled with Sydney’s market. Pictures: Supplied
More renters are opting for build to rent opportunities as an affordable, secure alternative to the traditional rental market as the model affords professionally managed homes, longer leases, without the uncertainty of being asked to vacate due to a landlord’s change in circumstance.
Ms Ravat has been renting at Coronation Property’s Mason & Main BTR development in Merrylands since January 2025.
According to Ms Ravat, it offers a comfortable, secure place to enjoy life and still enjoy having family and friends over while living in an apartment.
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Coronation Property are the developers behind Mason & Main BTR development in Merrylands
“It really does make my life very easy and I have all the amenities that I did not even have living in the big home I had some years ago,” she said.
“I feel like I am resort living and all I have to do is go downstairs.”
Affordability and community were other key factors.
“If you think about how many things are available to you, including 24 hour security I might add, for the same amount of money people are spending on homes with none of that is a pretty great way to live your life,” Ms Ravat said.
Inside the Mason & Main BTR development
Ms Ravat said the rental market in Sydney was “terrible right now” previously looking into properties where “conditions were appalling.”
“People are struggling out there, the competition is scary,” she said.
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Inside the Mason & Main development
“I don’t think I want to move for a while unless I have to because it seems to be getting worse.
“Here, we get to be so comfortable and safe for less than what they are offering elsewhere.”
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