In the old days, the only real criteria most people used to determine where to live was location and rent prices, and while those factors are still extremely important today, you should also take incentives into account, as well. Thanks to the explosion in apartment construction that has taken over most major cities, there is a glut of apartments in most areas. To compete against each other, many apartment complexes will offer perks or incentives so you will choose them over their competition. Let’s look at some of the most common perks you will find.

The most common, and most popular, perk is free rent for the first month you live there. Depending on where you live and how much you were planning on paying for rent, this perk alone can save you $1,000 or more. However, you still need to take other factors like the condition of the apartment, the location and the rent into account before making a decision.

Another popular perk that many apartment complexes offer is a free apartment upgrade. Often times, apartment complexes will charge a base rate for rent, and then charge extra for things like vaulted ceilings, a water view or living on the top floor of a building. You can find complexes that offer these perks for free for the entire run of your lease as a perk. While free rent might save you more up front, a free perk or two like this may save you more in the long run. Make sure you weigh your perks carefully.