# Houston Apartment Specials | New Houston Apartment Team

> Every new-build special in the Houston metro turned into net effective, true monthly and year-two cost, with base rent beside each discount. Prices pulled daily.

URL: https://newapartmentshouston.com/apartment-specials/

![Move-in special flyer and phone calculator on a new apartment lobby counter](/images/hero/leasing-flyer-with-a-move-in-special-sitting-on-a-.webp)

Houston apartment specials · Math done for you

# Houston Apartment Specials, Shown as What You'll Actually Pay

Last updated: October 25, 2026

You've seen 8 weeks free and wondered what it means monthly. 55% of Houston-area units had a concession in Q2 2026 (Transwestern), and we turn each one into the number you'll pay.

Free to you, and your rent is the same either way · 140 new communities tracked · Prices pulled every morning

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## Get my shortlist

Free to you. Same-day confirmations during hours (Mon-Fri 8-8 · Sat 9-6 · Sun 12-5).

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We'll confirm units, specials and fee sheets and reply the same day during hours.

Free to you, and your rent is the same either way

140 new communities tracked (Oct 25, 2026)

Prices pulled every morning

Spirit Real Estate Group, LLC · TREC #562021

Why it goes wrong

## Why a great special can still cost you

The special is real money. It just isn't the whole bill, and it ends after year one.

### Weeks free hides the monthly

8 weeks free on a $1,400 apartment is about $2,585. Spread over 12 months, you pay about $1,185, before any fees.

### Fees ride on top

At 11 board buildings, required fees ran $77.62 to $158.06 a month, median $98 (Oct 25, 2026). The special doesn't touch them.

### Year two starts from base

Renewal is priced from base rent. At the board's median special, year two jumps about 18% (board math, Oct 25, 2026).

## What are Houston apartment specials, really?

A special is a discount a community offers to fill units, and in Houston they’re everywhere. 55% of Houston-area units had a concession in Q2 2026 (Transwestern), and new buildings in lease-up tend to offer the deepest ones.

Most specials come as weeks free. Some are an **upfront concession**, taken off your first month or two. Others are a **prorated concession**, spread across every month of the lease. A few lower the base rent, and some add a **gift card incentive** or a **look-and-lease** deal if you apply within a day or two of touring.

All of them lower year one. None of them change the **base contract rent**, which is where your renewal starts. That’s why we show base rent beside every discount on the board.

## How much is a special worth each month?

We use one formula for every building, so you can compare them fairly.

-   **Free rent** = base x 12 / 52 x weeks free
-   **Net effective rent** = (base x term minus free rent) / term
-   **True monthly** = net effective + required fees, then electric, water and parking
-   **Year two** = base x (1 + change) + fees, shown at 0% and +3%

Here’s the owner’s calibration example. 8 weeks free on a $1,400 apartment is about $2,585. Spread over 12 months, you pay about $1,185. Add our $98 median fees and it’s $1,283, and year two starts at $1,498 if the base holds.

> **Base rent always sits beside the special**
> 
> If a card shows a discount, it also shows the base rent. If it shows a special, it also shows year two. That’s a house rule, not a design choice.

## What do required fees add?

Required fees are the monthly charges you can’t opt out of. Think **valet trash fee**, a **resident benefit package**, pest control or tech packages. At 11 market-rate board buildings, they ran $77.62 to $158.06 a month, with a median of $98, or $1,176 a year (fee calculators, Oct 25, 2026).

One-time costs matter too. An **application fee**, an **admin fee** and a deposit or deposit alternative all land before move-in. We get the written fee sheet from each community before you apply, so nothing shows up late.

## What happens at renewal?

The special ends with your first lease. Your **renewal offer** starts from base rent plus any increase the community sets. At the board’s median special, that’s about an 18% jump in year two (board math, Oct 25, 2026).

In our Prose Riviana illustration, the true monthly was $1,095 on a 12-month term. Year two at 0% change was $1,337.62. That’s a $242 jump, about 22%.

We don’t think that’s a reason to skip a special. We think you should see it before you sign. Around month 10, our Renewal Check compares your offer with nearby new builds, so you can decide with real numbers.

## What should I watch for in the paperwork?

Specials live in a **concession repayment addendum**. Some make you pay back all of the free rent if you break the lease. Others prorate it. A few tie the special to a longer term, often 13 to 15 months.

We read that addendum with you before you sign. We also check whether the community tests your income against base rent or effective rent, so you’re not surprised at approval.

## How do I get specials confirmed for my move?

Send us your move date, lease end, size and all-in budget. We confirm each special in writing, run the math, and send you a shortlist the same day during hours. It’s free to you, and your rent is the same either way.

The math

## Why the special isn't the price

Free rent is base x 12 / 52 x weeks. Net effective is (base x term minus free rent) / term. True monthly adds required fees, then electric, water and parking. Year two starts from base.

### Worked example: Prose Riviana, Katy

Illustration, Oct 25, 2026

Base rent$1,260

SpecialUp to 10 weeks free

Free rent ($1,260 x 12 / 52 x 10)$2,907.69

Net effective, 12 months$1,018

Net effective, 15 months$1,066

Required fees (Greystar calculator)+$77.62

True monthly, 12 months

Net effective + required fees, before electric and water

$1,095

Year two at 0% change: $1,337.62

That's a $242 jump at renewal, about 22%, because renewal starts from base.

Profile: CenterPoint area, you pick a plan · Harris County MUD 540, billed by the property · Katy ISD · FEMA Zone X. Live pages use the feed; values here are a dated illustration.

Board median special right now

8.0 weeks

Board, 128 market-rate communities. Last confirmed Oct 25, 2026.

Year-two jump at the median special

+18%

Board math, Oct 25, 2026.

8 weeks free on a $1,400 apartment is about $2,585. Spread over 12 months, you pay about $1,185. Add our $98 median fees and it's $1,283, and year two starts at $1,498 if the base holds.

Run your own numbers

[/tools/true-monthly-cost-calculator/ →](/tools/true-monthly-cost-calculator/)

How it works

## How we help with specials

Same-day confirmations during hours. When something goes wrong, we write to the community and report back.

1.  1
    
    ### Pick the specials you like
    
    Save specials from the board or tell us your move date, size and all-in budget.
    
2.  2
    
    ### We confirm them in writing
    
    We confirm the special, the term it needs, and the written fee sheet with the community.
    
3.  3
    
    ### We run the math
    
    You get free rent, net effective, true monthly and year two at 0% and +3% for each one.
    
4.  4
    
    ### We read the addendum with you
    
    Before you sign, we go through the concession addendum, including any repayment if you leave early.
    

## Want the whole bill for specials before you tour?

It's free to you. Communities pay the brokerage, and your rent is the same either way. If we can't confirm a price, we'll say so.

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Why renters use us

## Why use New Houston Apartment Team for specials?

### Base rent beside every discount

You always see the base, so you know where year two starts.

### Confirmed specials only

Unconfirmed or third-party-only specials don't publish on our board.

### Fees in the number

We add required fees before we call anything a deal.

### Renewal Check at month 10

We compare your renewal offer against nearby new builds before you sign again.

On the ground

## What we check on a tour

Illustrative scenes of the things we look at in person. Property pages use our own dated photos; renderings are labeled.

 

Learn

## Guides for specials

All guides

[/guides/ →](/guides/)

Explainer

### Concession Clawbacks: What Happens to Free Rent if You Break the Lease

If you leave early, a concession addendum can make you repay free rent. How full and prorated clawbacks work, and what to ask first.

[Concession Clawbacks: What Happens to Free Rent if You Break the Lease →](/guides/concession-clawbacks/)

Explainer

### How '8 Weeks Free' Actually Works on a Houston Lease

8 weeks free on a $1,400 apartment is about $2,585. Spread over 12 months, you pay about $1,185. Here's the math and how credits apply.

[How '8 Weeks Free' Actually Works on a Houston Lease →](/guides/how-8-weeks-free-works/)

Explainer

### The Year-Two Jump: What Renewal Costs After a Move-In Special

Renewal is priced from base, so at the board's median special year two jumps about 18% (Oct 25, 2026). How to see it before you sign.

[The Year-Two Jump: What Renewal Costs After a Move-In Special →](/guides/year-two-renewal-jump/)

Decision guide

### 12 vs. 15 Months: Which Lease Term Makes the Special Worth More

The same 10 weeks free is $1,018 a month on 12 months but $1,066 on 15 (illustration, Oct 25, 2026). How term changes the deal.

[12 vs. 15 Months: Which Lease Term Makes the Special Worth More →](/guides/12-vs-15-month-lease/)

Decision guide

### Cash to Move In at a New Houston-Area Apartment

Application and admin fees, deposit or alternative, prorated rent, and utility deposits: Entergy caps at 1/6 of annual billing; prepaid plans none.

[Cash to Move In at a New Houston-Area Apartment →](/guides/cash-to-move-in/)

Decision guide

### Free Weeks vs. Reduced Rent vs. Gift Cards: Comparing Move-In Specials

Compare move-in specials on a like-for-like monthly basis: weeks free, look-and-lease, reduced base and gift cards, plus the effect on year two.

[Free Weeks vs. Reduced Rent vs. Gift Cards: Comparing Move-In Specials →](/guides/free-weeks-vs-reduced-rent-vs-gift-cards/)

FAQ

## Specials questions

How do you turn weeks free into a monthly price?

Free rent is base x 12 / 52 x weeks free. Net effective is (base x term minus free rent) / term. So 8 weeks free on $1,400 over 12 months is about $1,185 a month before fees.

Why isn't the special the price I'll pay?

A special lowers year one only, and required fees, water and electric come on top. Renewal is priced from base, so at the median special year two jumps about 18% (board math, Oct 25, 2026).

Is a longer lease better if it comes with more weeks free?

Not always. The same 10 weeks free worked out to $1,018 a month on 12 months but $1,066 on 15 in our Prose Riviana illustration (Oct 25, 2026). We compare both terms for you.

Do you count gift cards as a discount on rent?

No. Gift cards don't change your rent, so we show them separately and never fold them into net effective.

What happens to the free rent if I break the lease?

Many concession addenda make you repay some or all of the free rent if you leave early. We read the addendum with you before you sign.

Do new apartments in Katy bill water through a MUD?

Often, yes. Prose Riviana in Katy, for example, is in Harris County MUD 540 and the property bills it. We confirm the district and last year's average bill for each Katy building.

Can you guarantee a price or approval?

No. The community sets both, and we confirm them before you sign.

Still have a question?

Text us or send your move date. We reply the same day during hours.

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Keep looking

## Related ways to search

![New apartment building with one finished wing and one wing still under construction](/images/hero/new-mid-rise-apartment-building-with-one-wing-fini.webp)

Lease-Ups

### Lease-Up Apartments in Houston

Buildings by stage: pre-leasing, lease-up, and the first 24 months.

[Lease-Up Apartments in Houston →](/lease-up-apartments/)

![Newly built mid-rise apartment buildings along a Houston-area street](/images/hero/row-of-newly-built-mid-rise-apartment-buildings-al.webp)

New Build Board

### New Construction Apartment Board

A map and cards for every tracked ground-up build, with feed pricing and address facts.

[New Construction Apartment Board →](/new-construction-apartments/)

![New apartment building under construction with a leasing trailer](/images/hero/new-apartment-building-under-construction-with-sca.webp)

Opening Soon

### New Apartments Opening Soon

Buildings not yet open, with dated move-in estimates and pre-leasing terms.

[New Apartments Opening Soon →](/opening-soon/)

## Send us your move date. We make the calls.

We confirm the unit, the special, the written fee sheet and who bills the water, the same day during hours.

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We don't guarantee pricing or approval. The community sets both, and we confirm them before you sign.

Spirit Real Estate Group, LLC · TREC #562021 · Free to you, and your rent is the same either way