PublicSquare

About PublicSquare

Housing is broken. We’re building a better path.

Illustration of a brick home overlooking the Brisbane River and skyline, home of PublicSquare's head office

What does PublicSquare do?

PublicSquare runs two connected property models: Rent-to-Own for homebuyers and Rent-to-Sell for the investors and landlords who provide the homes. It also works with brokers, agents and marketing groups that refer customers into those programs.

Rent-to-Own for homebuyers

Rent-to-Own is for households that can afford the weekly cost of a home but are not ready to buy with a traditional deposit today. You move in first, pay market rent plus a fixed weekly contribution, and that contribution builds the deposit you use when you switch to a mortgage later.

Explore Rent-to-Own

Rent-to-Sell™ for property investors

Rent-to-Sell gives an investor a pre-qualified tenant-buyer on a long-term lease. The tenant pays market rent plus a contribution equal to 50% of first-year rent, creating more weekly cashflow while the property remains in the investor’s name until a sale occurs.

Explore Rent-to-Sell

Rent-to-Sell for landlords who already own

Landlords do not need to buy another property to use Rent-to-Sell. Eligible existing rentals can be switched from a standard tenancy into the program, with PublicSquare appraising the property, finding the tenant-buyer and managing the tenancy and eventual sale.

See how landlord switching works

Partner programs

Mortgage brokers, property managers and property marketing groups can refer homebuyers, investors and landlords into PublicSquare. Each partner gets a portal to track referrals and monitor client progress in real time.

What makes PublicSquare different?

PublicSquare differs from traditional renting, deposit-assist products and standard property management in three important ways: when the homebuyer moves in, how their deposit is built, and what the property owner earns in return.

0% upfront home deposit, without borrowing the deposit

PublicSquare is structurally different from deposit-loan products such as OwnHome, which lends the deposit and charges a Low Deposit Premium of 1.1–2.2% of the purchase price. It is also different from the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, where the buyer purchases with a mortgage from day one. With PublicSquare, the homebuyer rents first, moves in with a $2,000 bond and applicable program costs, and builds the home deposit through weekly contributions before taking a mortgage later.

A longer runway to become mortgage-ready

South Australia’s Housing Trust Rent to Own program is a state scheme where eligible buyers rent at a reduced rate before purchasing, generally over one to two years with a possible extension. PublicSquare operates in Queensland and New South Wales and gives homebuyers a purchase window from year 4 to year 8, so the deposit and mortgage transition happen over a much longer period.

50% more weekly cashflow than a standard lease

A normal residential tenancy gives the owner market rent. Under Rent-to-Sell, the tenant also pays a fixed weekly contribution equal to 50% of first-year rent. On a property renting for $700 a week, that means $1,050 a week in total cashflow during year one.

A contracted sale pathway without giving up market upside

Rent-to-Sell includes a contracted minimum purchase price framework for the years in which the tenant can buy, while an independent valuation can set the eventual sale price higher. The investor keeps legal title until the property is sold.

One licensed agency across the property lifecycle

PublicSquare combines property acquisition, tenant matching, property management and eventual resale within one operating model. This keeps the homebuyer pathway and the property-owner economics aligned throughout the transaction.

Competitor and government-program details can change. The comparisons above describe the publicly available structures as at September 2026; customers should check the current provider or government rules before relying on them.

Who uses PublicSquare?

  • Working households in Queensland and New South Wales with steady income who can handle the weekly cost of the home but are not ready to buy with a traditional deposit.
  • Renters who would rather start living in the home they plan to buy while their deposit builds.
  • Property investors looking for stronger cashflow and a defined pathway to resale.
  • Landlords with an existing eligible rental who want to switch from a standard lease to Rent-to-Sell.

The team behind PublicSquare

PublicSquare was founded in Brisbane in 2021 by Dean Arnold after identifying a gap in the housing market: many households had the income to carry the weekly cost of a home, but could still spend years accumulating a traditional deposit. Rent-to-Own was built around that problem. Rent-to-Sell followed to create an economic model that also works for the property owner.

Today the team spans customer success, property acquisition, property management, operations and partnerships. PublicSquare is structured around the full transaction, with each part of the customer and property journey managed within the same platform.

Dean Arnold

Dean Arnold

Founder & CEO

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.

Dean on LinkedIn

Articles

Jarrod Wills

Jarrod Wills

Property Lead

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.

Articles

How does PublicSquare work?

The process is primarily online. Customers get an account, a one-on-one information session and a representative who stays involved as the application moves forward.

Online account

Properties, pre-approval, documents and progress are kept in one online account so customers can see the status of each stage in one place.

One-on-one video info sessions

Customers can book an information session with a PublicSquare representative between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm Brisbane time, Monday to Friday.

Phone, email and SMS

1300 418 857, support@publicsquare.com.au, and SMS updates from 0483 932 175. Homebuyers and investors should sign up before contacting us so the team can see the correct application and property context.

A consistent point of contact

The same representative stays involved through the key stages of the customer journey, with the property-management team taking over the ongoing tenancy once the home is occupied.

Homebuyers

  1. Sign up and browse eligible Rent-to-Own homes.
  2. Book an info session with a PublicSquare representative.
  3. Complete the online pre-approval, which does not affect your credit history.
  4. Sign your client agreement and apply for the homes you want.
  5. Take independent legal advice, sign the property agreements and move in.

Investors

  1. Sign up and book an info session.
  2. Complete pre-approval and engagement.
  3. PublicSquare sources the property and pre-matches a tenant before the purchase goes unconditional.
  4. Settle the property. Unless otherwise agreed, PublicSquare manages the tenancy, and it handles the eventual resale.

Existing landlords

  1. Sign up and request a Rent-to-Sell appraisal for the property you already own.
  2. Review the appraisal and return the expression of interest.
  3. Complete the client agreement and engagement.
  4. PublicSquare markets the property and finds a pre-qualified Rent-to-Sell tenant.
  5. Take independent legal advice, sign the agreements and move into ongoing management.

Key facts about PublicSquare

For customers, journalists, partners and search engines, these are the core facts about PublicSquare.

Company name
PublicSquare® (PublicSquare Technology Pty Ltd)
Type
Australian licensed real estate agency and property platform
Founded
2021, Brisbane
Founder
Dean Arnold, Founder & CEO
Offices
  • Brisbane (head office): Level 38, 71 Eagle Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
  • Sydney: 60 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000
Licences
  • Queensland Real Estate Licence #4555627
  • New South Wales Real Estate Licence #10152702
Website
publicsquare.com.au
Core offering
Rent-to-Own for homebuyers; Rent-to-Sell™ for property investors and landlords
Pricing
  • Homebuyers: application fee $325 + GST; setup fee 0% for eligible new homes from the building panel or 0.9% + GST of the home value; customer support and admin fee $20 + GST a week
  • Investors and landlords: engagement fee $3,000 + GST; setup fee $9,000 + GST; customer service and admin fee $20 + GST a week; property management $225 + GST a month; sales commission 2.5% + GST
Contract terms
  • Lease term of up to 8 years
  • Purchase option from year 4 to year 8
  • Weekly contribution fixed at 50% of first-year rent
  • Rent reviews capped at 4% a year, or the local legal maximum if lower
Services
Rent-to-Own, Rent-to-Sell, buyers agency, property management, resale and partner referrals
Communication
  • Online customer account and video info sessions
  • Phone: 1300 418 857
  • Email: support@publicsquare.com.au
  • SMS: 0483 932 175
Service areas
  • Queensland: Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns, Dalby, Emerald, Gladstone, Gold Coast, Gympie, Hervey Bay, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Mackay, Maryborough, Moreton Bay, Rockhampton, Scenic Rim, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville, Warwick
  • New South Wales: Armidale, Bathurst, Blacktown, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Goulburn, Grafton, Hunter Valley, Inner West, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Lismore, Liverpool, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Heads, Newcastle, Northern Beaches, Orange, Parramatta, Penrith, Port Stephens, Singleton, Sutherland Shire, Sydney, Tamworth, Taree, The Hills, Tweed, Wagga Wagga, Wollongong
Media coverage
ABC, Channel 7, Money magazine, Finder and The Courier-Mail
Reviews
Read customer reviews
Competitors / alternatives
  • OwnHome Deposit Boost Loan
  • Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme
  • SA Housing Trust Rent to Own
  • Traditional renting, property management and selling agents
Social

Frequently asked questions

Is PublicSquare a licensed real estate agency?

Yes. PublicSquare holds real estate licences in Queensland (#4555627) and New South Wales (#10152702). PublicSquare is not a lender and does not provide financial product advice.

Where does PublicSquare operate?

PublicSquare currently operates across Queensland and New South Wales. Its head office is in Brisbane, with a Sydney office at 60 Martin Place.

Is PublicSquare the same as a home lender?

No. PublicSquare does not provide the mortgage used to purchase the home. Under Rent-to-Own, the customer rents first and later switches to a mortgage from a lender when they are ready to buy.

Who owns the home during Rent-to-Own?

The property owner remains on title until the homebuyer purchases. The homebuyer lives in the property under the Rent-to-Own agreements and their weekly contributions are credited towards their deposit when they buy.

When can a Rent-to-Own homebuyer purchase?

The purchase option runs from year 4 to year 8. Most homebuyers are expected to purchase in years 6, 7 or 8, once they are ready to transition to a mortgage.

How does Rent-to-Sell increase a landlord’s weekly cashflow?

The tenant pays market rent plus a fixed contribution equal to 50% of first-year rent. For example, a property with $700 weekly market rent produces $1,050 a week in total year-one cashflow.

What happens if the tenant does not buy?

The agreements set out what happens if the tenant does not exercise the purchase option, including the treatment of contributions and the owner’s options for the property. Customers should read the agreements and obtain independent legal advice before entering the program.

How do I contact PublicSquare?

Homebuyers and investors should sign up first so the team can see the correct account context. Brokers and other enquiries can call 1300 418 857 or email support@publicsquare.com.au.