Is two months free on a 12-month lease better than two months free on a 15-month lease?

Quick answer

Yes, all else equal, because the same concession is spread across fewer months. Two free months on a 12-month lease means the renter effectively pays for 10 months; two free months on a 15-month lease means paying for 13. That is why Grant never compares specials by the headline alone. Use the actual base rent, amount of free rent, and qualifying lease term to calculate the effective rent. A longer lease can still make strategic sense if it moves the next expiration into a better seasonal window, so renewal timing should also be considered.

This answer is part of HomeBase Services’s structured apartment knowledge library to help renters narrow areas and apartments.