Final national report 2025
Across affordability, lifestyle, amenities and location, security consistently ranked as “extremely” or “very important” more often than any other factor. This held true across all states, age groups, and apartment sizes.
But the report also highlights something more concerning — security expectations are rising faster than building infrastructure is being upgraded.
Security Is No Longer a “Nice to Have”
According to the survey:
- 72% of residents rate safety & security as extremely or very important when choosing an apartment
- Security ranks above affordability, sustainability, and community
- Nearly half of residents say security is one of the key reasons they like their apartment complex
In simple terms:
If residents don’t feel secure, everything else matters less.
What Residents Expect in 2025
Modern apartment residents expect:
- Controlled access to buildings and common areas
- Secure car parks and storage areas
- Reliable intercom and visitor management
- CCTV that actually works — not just cameras “on the wall”
- Systems that support a true lock-up-and-leave lifestyle
The survey reinforces that apartment living is chosen specifically for low-maintenance and security-led living, not just location or price.
The Risk for Owners Corporations
Many buildings still rely on:
- Legacy fob systems with no audit trail
- Intercoms that can’t support mobile access
- CCTV systems that record but don’t deter
- Poor integration between access control, intercoms and cameras
From an OC perspective, this creates:
- Increased liability exposure
- Higher resident dissatisfaction
- Reputational risk for the building
- Ongoing reactive maintenance costs
A Smarter Approach to Building Security
The most effective Owners Corporations are now:
- Treating security as core infrastructure, not a line-item expense
- Planning integrated upgrades instead of piecemeal fixes
- Prioritising reliability, auditability and future scalability
- Engaging specialists who understand strata environments
The survey reinforces that apartment living is chosen specifically for low-maintenance and security-led living, not just location or price.
Final Thought
The AAA report sends a clear message:
Security is no longer optional — it is foundational to apartment living.
For Owners Corporations, investing in the right security systems isn’t about technology.
It’s about protecting residents, assets, and the long-term value of the building.
If your Owners Corporation hasn’t reviewed its security systems in the last 3–5 years, now is the right time.
Brave Security provides independent security reviews to help committees understand risk, reliability and future planning.