Depending on where you live, there might be dozens or hundreds of apartments available for rent right now. As you look for one that suits your needs and budget, you might want to look for one that offers incentives. This can be very helpful if you are on a tight budget and are looking for the most affordable apartment available. Here are some incentives you might find advertised and others you could ask the property manager about.

Discounted monthly rent for paying upfront

If you are able to pay for six months of your rent up front, the property manager might be willing to give you a discounted rate on your monthly rent. For example, if the apartment is priced at $600 a month, paying a large sum upfront might offer a reduction of the monthly rent to $550 a month. Landlords love receiving rent on time, and they like receiving large sums like this even more. It reduces the risk that they won't be able to collect rent, and it might be worthwhile to them to offer a discount to people who prepay.

Free month of rent

When property managers have a lot of vacant apartments on hand, they might run a special that offers a free month of rent to anyone who signs a one-year lease by a certain date. This is a great type of incentive that will make moving into a new apartment a lot more affordable. In this case, you might only need to pay for your security deposit to gain access to the unit.

Some landlords offer this deal, but they often make you pay upfront and don't offer the free month of rent until the twelfth month. This is a way for landlords to protect themselves, but it can still be a good deal for you to take advantage of.

Electronic payments

There are also a lot of landlords that are now offering small discounts to tenants when they enroll in electronic payments, and this is something you should ask about if the property manager does not mention it. When tenants enroll in this, it reduces the risks the landlord has. Tenants who pay automatically through electronic payments are less likely to skip payments or pay their rent late. The amount of the discount you may receive for this can vary, but any type of discount will help.

If you are looking for an apartment to rent, look around to see if you can find a place that offers incentives like this. To learn more, contact a property management firm like ABA Rental Properties Inc that has vacant apartments for rent.