Move-in specials, explained

What a special is

Communities use specials, also called concessions, to fill vacant homes faster. Common ones are a number of weeks free, a reduced first month, waived fees or a lower deposit.

Net effective rent

Spread a special across the whole lease and you get the net effective rent: the average you pay per month once the free time is counted. It's the fairest way to compare two buildings with different deals.

Example: $1,800 a month on a 12-month lease with 6 weeks free. Six weeks is worth about $2,492, so you pay about $19,108 over the year, or roughly $1,592 a month on average.

Read the fine print

• Is the special taken off up front, spread across the lease, or credited later?
• Does it require a specific lease length or move-in date?
• Does it apply only to certain floor plans or units?
• What happens to the special if you break the lease early?

Let your locator compare

Specials change constantly. Your locator checks what communities are offering right now, so you can compare the real monthly cost instead of the sticker price.