The receipt
Type the advertised monthly rent above. The receipt fills in as you type — month 1 extras and the month 4 hike bars.
Floor plan, to scale
5×5
closet
10×10
about a 1-bedroom apartment
Before you sign
Screenshot this
Five questions. Ask them at the counter, not after you have the lock on.
When does this promo end?
Get the date in writing. The website number is often just the teaser.
What is rent after that, and is it locked?
If they will not write the next number, treat this one as temporary.
Can I use my own renters insurance?
Facilities often add a protection plan unless you push back.
Do you bill every 28 days, or once a calendar month?
Twenty-eight-day billing is 13 bills a year. A “monthly” $100 is closer to $108.
What else is due in month 1?
Admin, lock, and the protection plan usually sit on top of the advertised rent.
Where the hike numbers come from
A Seattle renter went from $142 to $218 in two months. People in the Bay Area and Los Angeles described doubling. Slate wrote about first-year increases and 28-day billing. The bars are estimates from that pattern, not a quote for your ZIP.