The average lease term initially is 1 year, and some landlords will give you the option to go month to month after you have fulfilled the term of the lease or you can renew for another year. Terms always vary with different owners or management companies, so it is a good idea to know this information and what their policy is ahead of time. Sometimes you can find lease terms that are less than one year (like 6 or 9 months or even shorter) but most of the time there will be an additional monthly premium for leases less than 1 year. You will want to inquire about this with each property if you are not able to commit to their required lease terms.