Is the 50% negotiable?

No. The contribution is a fixed term of the program: 50% of first-year market rent, for every property.

Are these figures a quote?

No. The calculator is a general model using the assumptions listed on this page. Your own figures depend on the property, your circumstances and the agreement you sign. The assessment that produces your actual numbers is free.

PublicSquare | Rent-to-Own & Rent-to-Sell Homes in Australia

Weekly cashflow

Initial home value$780,000

Weekly rent (Year 1)$675 / weekAdditional 50%$338 / week

Lease year

Extra cash per week, vs a traditional rental

+$363 / week

The additional 50% is fixed on Year-1 rent and never decreases — distributed to you monthly, alongside rent.

Rent-to-Sell, weekly

$1,013

Rent (year 1)$675
Additional 50%$338
VacancySecure 8-year lease
Cashflow yield6.8%

Traditional rental, weekly

$649

Rent (year 1)$675
Vacancy allowance−$26
Cashflow yield4.3%

Assumptions

Vacancy — weeks per year (traditional)

Rent growth % p.a.

On top of their normal weekly rent, the tenant pays an additional 50% each week into PublicSquare's trust account, distributed to you monthly alongside rent. It's calculated as 50% of the Year-1 weekly rent and stays fixed for up to eight years, or until the tenant buys — whichever comes first. Under the contract it's structured as an interest-free loan from the tenant to you, deducted from the final sale price as their deposit when they buy — and if they walk away, it converts to an exit fee you keep. Rent is reviewed annually with increases of up to 4% p.a. The traditional side assumes the same rent less a vacancy allowance; Rent-to-Sell tenants sign a secure lease of up to eight years. Property management, rates, insurance, maintenance, and mortgage costs apply equally on both paths and are excluded.

General information only — not financial, legal, or tax advice. Results are estimates based on the stated assumptions and your inputs; obtain independent professional advice before making any decision.

How to read the result

Weekly income is the headline; cashflow yield is the one to compare across properties. The gap between the two columns is the contribution plus the vacancy you are no longer carrying. Adjust the vacancy weeks and rent growth to match your own experience of the property.

What the calculator assumes

The contribution is 50% of the first year's market rent, fixed for the term of the lease.
Standard lease: two weeks' vacancy a year by default, editable.
Rent growth 4% a year, the program cap, editable; market rent is 4.5% of value a year for houses.
Finance, tax, management fees and holding costs are excluded on both sides because they depend on your property and loan.

Frequently asked questions

You receive them as cashflow during the term. If the tenant buys, the accumulated contributions are credited towards their purchase price as their deposit. If they do not buy, the agreement sets out how contributions are treated.

Written by

Dean Arnold

Founder & CEO

Licensed real estate agent

I started PublicSquare in 2021 to give homebuyers a real path to ownership without a deposit, and investors a stronger-cashflow alternative to a standard rental. I hold real estate licences in Queensland and New South Wales and personally review every property that enters the program.

Reviewed by

Jarrod Wills

Property Lead

Licensed agent · Former mortgage broker

I was a mortgage broker before joining PublicSquare, so I look at every property and every purchase the way a lender would. I now lead the property side of the program, helping homebuyers from their first info session through to move-in, and working with our buyers agency team on each acquisition for our investors.