All Terms (A-Z)
an Apartment Locator
An apartment locator is a licensed real estate professional who helps renters find apartments at no cost. Apartment communities pay the locator a commission when a renter moves in, so the service is f...
a Broken Lease
A broken lease occurs when a tenant moves out before the agreed-upon lease end date without legal cause or landlord permission. Broken leases appear on rental history reports for 7 years and complicat...
a Co-Signer
A co-signer (or guarantor) is a third party who agrees to be financially responsible for rent if the primary tenant defaults. Co-signers are common for renters with limited credit, lower income, or no...
Effective Rent
Effective rent is the actual monthly cost over the entire lease term after accounting for move-in concessions and free rent periods. It's the number that matters for budget comparisons — not the liste...
an Eviction
An eviction is a legal process where a landlord removes a tenant from a rental property, usually for non-payment, lease violations, or end of tenancy. Evictions appear on public court records and tena...
Fair Housing
Fair Housing laws prohibit apartment communities from discriminating against renters based on protected categories. In Colorado, protected categories include race, color, religion, national origin, se...
Income-to-Rent Ratio
The income-to-rent ratio is the standard underwriting test apartment communities use to determine if you can afford a unit. Most Denver communities require verifiable gross monthly income at 2.5 to 3 ...
ITIN
ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is a 9-digit tax processing number issued by the IRS to individuals who don't have a Social Security Number but need to file U.S. taxes. Many Denver ap...
Lease Term
A lease term is the length of time a rental agreement is binding. Most Denver apartment leases are 12 months. Shorter terms (3, 6, 9 months) and longer terms (13, 14, 15 months) are available at some ...
a Look-and-Lease Bonus
A look-and-lease bonus is an extra incentive an apartment community offers if a renter signs a lease within 24-48 hours of touring. Common forms: an extra week of free rent, waived deposit, or $200-50...
Matrícula Consular
Matrícula consular is an identification card issued by the Mexican government (and some other Latin American countries) to nationals living abroad. Increasingly accepted as identification by Denver ap...
a Move-In Concession
A move-in concession is a financial incentive an apartment community offers to attract new tenants — usually weeks of free rent, waived fees, or reduced deposits. In Denver in 2026, typical concession...
No Credit Check Apartments
'No credit check' apartments are communities that don't run a traditional credit report — or apply it minimally — when reviewing applications. In Denver these tend to be communities accepting renters ...
RentBureau and Tenant Screening
RentBureau (Experian) and similar tenant screening services (CoreLogic SafeRent, TransUnion SmartMove) maintain databases of rental history including broken leases, evictions, and payment history. Mos...
a Security Deposit
A security deposit is an upfront payment held by the landlord to cover potential damages, unpaid rent, or lease violations. In Colorado, security deposits cannot exceed twice the monthly rent, and lan...