The primary reason for these tricks to keep the rents high. If a company offers 45 days free rent on one year lease with $2500 per month, that amounts to effective $2187.5 per month, 12.5 percent discount. During the renewal, the land lord will either keep $2500 per month or add another 3% on top of $2500. That's how these REIT companies have been doing. Even leasing agents won't help, as rents are determined by REIT algorithms.

Small mom and pop landlords play it differently. They will just rent you outright without these tricks.