A renter's market

Annapolis area apartment complexes are holding off from raising rents and are throwing in freebies and generally becoming less rigid as they struggle to attract tenants in a recession.

Sara Walters, community manager at Regatta Bay, a Housley Road apartment development where the average monthly rent is $1,300, said tenants are being offered one month's free rent and flexible renewal plans.

And in some cases, renters are given permission to turn over their lease to someone else instead of breaking a contract, she said.

"People are in dire straits right now so we're not increasing (rents) to the average market...