November 12, 2025

Barings and Aware Super Launch New BTR Brand, Encompassing A$2bn Pipeline

Barings, one of the world’s leading investment managers, and Australia’s third largest superannuation fund Aware Super, have announced their $2 billion-plus Build-To-Rent (BTR) pipeline will now be housed under a stand-alone brand, WeAreLiving.

With a current pipeline of 2,000+ BTR dwellings either under management or in planning across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra – and aspirations to grow the WeAreLiving BTR portfolio to $2 billion in the next five years - the WeAreLiving platform is now one of Australia’s biggest BTR players.1

The portfolio comprises one completed and operational asset located in Dickson, ACT, four assets under construction - two of which are set to reach completion by the first half of 2026 – and a further two in planning.

From this week, an initial seven BTR buildings will now also be represented by the new WeAreLiving brand.

The hallmark of WeAreLiving’s assets will be functional and include amenities such as co-working spaces and bookable rooms, a 24-hour gym and yoga zone, a wellness hub with steam room, sauna and cold plunge, resident lounges, communal kitchens, rooftops, pet friendly facilities and more.

Barings, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, has had a long-standing relationship with Aware Super since 2013, acting as an investment, development and asset manager for the super fund across the residential, mixed-use, industrial and retirement sectors and having managed 33 unique assets with a value of c. $9 billion.

The new brand marks a strengthened partnership between the two, with Barings continuing its active role as investment, development and asset manager across the BTR portfolio, managing acquisitions and operations.

Current WeAreLiving portfolio:

  • Dickson, ACT (140 dwellings – operational, 97% leased)
  • Preston, VIC (292 dwellings – under construction, completion in Q1, 2026)
  • Queensland TBA - (366 dwellings – under construction, completion in Q1, 2026)
  • Zetland, NSW (135 dwellings – under construction, completion in Q2, 2026)
  • Queens Road, VIC (434 dwellings – under construction, completion in Q3, 2026)
  • Waterloo, NSW (214 dwellings – in planning)
  • Bankstown, NSW (350 dwellings – in planning)

Barings Head of Asia Pacific Real Estate Alastair Wright said the WeAreLiving platform is focused on delivering high quality housing and liveability at competitive rents compared to other BTR operators, with the aim to appeal to as many segments of the market as possible.

“Our aim with WeAreLiving is to deliver quality rental stock where it is needed most. Aware Super has a long history of delivering affordable yet premium product, so this philosophy has remained top of mind when positioning the WeAreLiving assets to the market,” he said.

“We want our buildings to be accessible to a diverse variety of market segments whether they be young professionals, nurses, trainees, healthcare workers, students or downsizers, and we have crafted our assets with accessibility and inclusivity in mind.

“We are excited about the next chapter in this long-standing partnership with Aware Super, and are keenly assessing opportunities for new sites, given our mandate to grow the pipeline and with significant capital to deploy.”

Aware Super Head of Property, Alek Misev said the $200 billion Fund continued to be committed to not only sourcing the strongest long-term returns for its 1.15 million members, but also contributing to the national housing shortage.

“The launch of WeAreLiving is the latest chapter in our pioneering involvement in the build-to-rent sector,” he said.

“We were the first institutional investors into Australia’s Build-To-Rent sector in 2018, and alongside our partnership with Barings, we continue to see strong opportunities as the market matures and assets stabilise.

“Today’s announcement sends another signal to the communities where are members live, work and retire, that a new brand is dedicated to providing them a housing solution.”

For more information on the WeAreLiving portfolio visit www.weareliving.com.au

  1. BDO “The state of Build to Rent” Report Q2 2025.

About Barings
Barings is a $470+ billion* global asset management firm that partners with institutional, insurance, and intermediary clients, and supports leading businesses with flexible financing solutions. The firm, a subsidiary of MassMutual, seeks to deliver excess returns by leveraging its global scale and capabilities across public and private markets in fixed income, real assets and capital solutions.

*As of September 30, 2025

About Aware Super
Aware Super is one of Australia’s top-performing and largest profit-for-member super funds with a core objective of delivering the strongest risk-adjusted returns for its 1.2 million members. Our Australian and London-based investment teams currently originate and manage A$200 billion AUM on behalf of our members. As one of the top 50 institutional investors globally, we typically take an active management approach across alternative assets, including infrastructure, real estate and private equity, and additionally allocate to liquid markets. Returns for Aware Super’s A$12 billion property portfolio are driven by a globally-diversified program which focuses on living, industrial, office upgrades, life sciences and cold storage.

Media enquiries
Helen Sanderson
Director, Marketing
E: helen.sanderson@barings.com
Ph: (+61) 477 350 448

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