Up to two months of free rent along with other concessions are now becoming prevalent as builders attempt to lease up new projects.

A robust pipeline of new apartments planned prior to the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to deliver projects throughout 2020. To attract tenants to properties at a time when many Americans are facing economic uncertainty and others are considering whether to leave cities and move to the suburbs, owners are now offering generous concessions, including months of free rent.

“In the urban core, some of the concessions are scary,” says Ryan Davis, chief operating officer for Witten Advisors, an apartment research firm based in Dallas. “Not just three months of free rent, but free parking too.”

Concessions are broadly available through the apartment market. The share of listings on real estate Zillow offering concessions rose to 30.4 percent in July up from 16.2 percent in February.

According to the site, of the six types of concessions it tracks, periods of free rent are the most common concession (90.8 percent), with periods spanning from two weeks to up to wo months. Other concessions include reduced or waved deposits (9.1 percent) and gift cards (6.6 percent).

For new buildings, the offers are particularly generous. Related Companies, for example, is offering two months free rent, one year of free internet, $1,500 towards moving expenses and the equivalent of one month’s rent towards any broker fees on some units in New York City.