Why does rent jump in year two?
A special is a discount on year one. When the lease renews, the community prices your renewal from base rent, which is the rate printed in the lease before the special. The discount doesn’t carry forward. That’s why every special on our specials with year two shown page has a year-two price beside it.
Even if the base rent doesn’t change at all, your monthly cost rises in year two. The deeper the special, the bigger the jump.
How big is the jump?
You can figure the jump at the same base with one formula:
Jump = 1 ÷ (1 − weeks ÷ 52) − 1
| Special on 12 months | Jump at the same base, before fees |
|---|---|
| 4 weeks free | about 8% |
| 6 weeks free | about 13% |
| 8 weeks free (board median, Oct 25, 2026) | about 18% |
| 10 weeks free | about 24% |
These are before fees and before any base increase. If the base rises 3% at renewal, add that on top.
A dated example
Here’s Domain Benbrook on Oct 25, 2026, as an illustration. Live pages use the feed.
| Line | Year one | Year two, base holds | Year two, base +3% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,167.69 net effective | $1,320 | $1,359.60 |
| Required fees | $106 | $106 | $106 |
| Monthly total | $1,273.69 | $1,426 | $1,465.60 |
| Change from year one | +12% | +15% |
With fees in, the jump is a bit smaller in percentage terms, because fees don’t change with the special. It’s still $152 a month more if the base holds.
We show year two beside every special
It’s the number most listings leave out, and it’s the one you’ll see in your renewal offer at month 10.
Does this mean a big special is a bad deal?
No. A deep special still saves real money in year one. It just means you should compare buildings on 24-month cost instead of on the special. A building with 10 weeks free might cost more over two years than one with 4 weeks free and a lower base. Our guide on comparing on 24-month cost shows how.
What does the renewal offer usually include?
At month 10 or so, most communities send a renewal offer. It usually lists:
- The new rent for one or more terms, often 12 months plus a shorter or longer option
- The deadline to accept, tied to your notice window
- Any renewal special, which is less common than new-lease specials
- Fee changes, if any bulk contracts were repriced
Here’s how to read it. Compare the offered rent with your current base rent, not your net effective. That’s the real change in price. Then compare the total with your year-one true monthly, so you know the change in what you’ll actually pay.
| Compare | Why |
|---|---|
| Offer vs. current base | Shows the rent increase itself |
| Offer plus fees vs. year-one true monthly | Shows the change in your monthly cost |
| Offer plus fees vs. nearby new-lease true monthly | Shows whether moving makes sense |
If the offer is close to what nearby buildings cost after their specials, staying usually costs less once moving costs are included.
What can you do about year two?
A few things help:
- Know the number before you sign. Run the Special Decoder for each building on your list.
- Check the lease term. Specials tied to 14 to 16-month terms move your renewal to a different season.
- Start early at renewal. We run a Renewal Check at month 10 with current comps, before the notice window closes.
- Compare moving with staying. Sometimes a new special nearby, minus moving costs, beats the renewal.
Our guide on your first renewal walks through those options in order.
