It is safe to say that apartment hunting is one of the most tiring and least fun activities an adult can engage in. It is time consuming, expensive and exhausting, and that’s just a few of the things we can say about it! So it is human nature that when we find the apartment complex we want to call home, we rush through the lease signing process at breakneck speed; anything to stop the search! One thing we should take a moment to think about before we sign is if we want a six month lease or a twelve month lease. Let’s take a look at both options.

With a six month lease, you often have much more flexibility, and you have an “out” if it turns out that the apartment complex you picked is a dud. Many people who have demanding jobs that require them to travel a lot use six month leases since they are able to stay on the move if they have to. On the downside, a six month lease can often discourage someone from even bothering to decorate or improve the space they are living in since they figure they will be moving some place else in just a few months anyway. Also, with a six month lease, you may end up paying more in the way of rent since some apartment complexes give discounts to people who choose to stay for twelve months.

It may seem like a basic decision at first, but you should think twice about what kind of lease works for you.