When you rent a house or apartment, you usually have to pay the first and last month鈥檚 rent 鈥 or the first month鈥檚 rent and a deposit. If you don鈥檛 host wild parties and keep the place clean, you usually get your deposit back. In some cities, where the rental properties are abundant, landlords are offering one or two months' free rent. When renting instead of buying, there are no closing fees, mortgage interest, property taxes, private homeowners鈥 insurance, or maintenance costs that return nothing on an investment. So why do you want to buy again?
Zhang Jun/Xinhua/Photoshot/Newscom/File
A home for rent is advertised in Arlington, Va., in this 2010 file photo. In areas where rental properties are abundant, some landlords are offering one or even two months' rent free.