Landlords are increasingly willing to offer concessions or perks to potential tenants rather than lower rent as the pandemic impacts the rental market, a new Zillow study found.

The survey of Zillow listings showed that 30.4% of rental listings on the service featured concessions, compared to 16.2% of listings in February and 12.5% last July. Those concessions can range anywhere from a month off rent, free access to a parking space or even a gift card, according to the study.

The survey indicates that landlords are choosing to offer perks to draw in potential tenants rather than make more permanent moves like lower rent. "Before the pandemic, the nation was seeing concessions dwindle earlier this year, which coincided with accelerating rent growth. That trend reversed sharply after the pandemic hit in February," Zillow Group economist Joshua Clark wrote. "In a softer rental market, landlords are trying to push the right button to bring renters into their space."

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Jacqueline Thomsen

Jacqueline Thomsen, based in Washington, is a reporter covering D.C. federal courts and the legal side of politics. Contact her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @jacq_thomsen.