How it works

Most of the work happens before you spend a dollar. By the time you fill out an application, we already know what that property counts, how far back it looks, and what it will charge you at signing.

Licensed

TREC #679806

Brokerage

Spirit Real Estate Group, TREC #562021-B

Cost to you

$0, communities pay the referral fee

Response

Under 60 minutes during posted hours

Four steps from message to keys

Timeline depends on your deadline and what is available. An expedited search can reach lease signing inside a week; a planned move usually runs two to three.

Step 1

Pre-qualification

We collect the full picture: move-in date, budget, bedrooms, pets, area, and the record — filing dates, dispositions, balances, credit range, background.

Step 2

Criteria matching

Your file goes against our verified database. Lookback windows, balance postures, income multiples, background policies, and accepted programs.

Step 3

Application strategy

Document prep, letter of explanation where the disposition needs context, and a shortlist ordered by likelihood, not by commission.

Step 4

Tours, lease, keys

In person or by video. We read the lease with you, confirm cash at signing matches what we quoted, and follow up on a denial if one comes.

The part nobody explains

Why it costs you nothing

Apartment communities pay locators a referral fee when a lease is signed and the resident takes occupancy. It comes out of the property’s marketing budget, which is the same budget that pays for listing sites and lease-up advertising. Your rent is not increased to cover it, and the fee is not added to your ledger.

That is the whole model. There is no consultation charge, no research fee, and no deposit to work with us. If we cannot place you, nobody pays anything.

It also means our incentive is a signed lease you actually keep, not a stack of applications. Sending you to six properties where you will be denied costs us time and costs you $400 in fees. Sending you to two where the criteria already fit is better for both of us.

What moving in actually costs

Our service is free. Moving in is not. These are the line items that show up at a Fort Worth lease desk, and we state your total before you tour.

Cost at signing	Typical range	What decides it
Application fee Charged per adult applicant, non-refundable, whether approved or not	$40 – $85 per adult	Charged per adult applicant, non-refundable, whether approved or not
Administrative fee Charged once at approval by most communities	$100 – $250	Charged once at approval by most communities
Security deposit Doubles at many properties when approval comes back conditional	$0 – 2× rent	Doubles at many properties when approval comes back conditional
Deposit alternative Replaces cash with a premium where the property offers it	~10 – 15% of the deposit	Replaces cash with a premium where the property offers it
Risk fee Some conditional approvals use this instead of a larger deposit	$0 – $75 per month	Some conditional approvals use this instead of a larger deposit
Guarantor premium One time, generally a percentage of annual rent; the program screens you separately	≈ one month’s rent	One time, generally a percentage of annual rent; the program screens you separately
First month’s rent Prorated if you move in mid-month; concessions can offset it at a lease-up	Full month	Prorated if you move in mid-month; concessions can offset it at a lease-up
Our fee The community pays a referral fee at lease signing; your rent is not increased	$0	The community pays a referral fee at lease signing; your rent is not increased

Ranges are typical for Tarrant County and vary by property, unit, and season. We give you the exact figure for each community we recommend.

Get my numbers

Free to you. Response in under 60 minutes during posted hours

What we need from you at intake

Screening surfaces all of this anyway. Telling us first is what lets us match you only where the criteria already permit it, instead of finding out after the fee is charged.

Move-in date

Hard deadline or flexible — it changes which inventory we search.

Budget

What you can carry monthly, and what cash you have available at signing.

Bedrooms and pets

Breed and weight restrictions vary and pet fees are real money.

Area

City, school district, or commute. Any of the three works as a constraint.

Eviction history

Filing date, county, and disposition: dismissed, agreed, or judgment.

Broken lease status

When, why, and whether anything is still owed.

Balances owed

Amount, to whom, and whether it is settled or on a plan.

Credit range

A rough band is fine. We can walk you through pulling the real file.

Background

Offense category and years since disposition, stated factually.

Income sources

Including VA disability, SSI, child support, 1099, and household income.

Want to see your own file first?

You are entitled to it. Our guide walks through requesting your Experian RentBureau, CoreLogic SafeRent, and TransUnion reports plus the Tarrant County records search, and what to do if something on them is wrong.

Read the screening report guide

Process questions

What does your service cost me?

Nothing. There is no fee, no deposit, and no charge for the consultation or the criteria research. The community pays us a referral fee after a lease is signed and you take occupancy, and your rent is not increased to cover it.

Can you guarantee I will get approved?

No, and neither can anyone else. Screening decisions belong to the community, including where a third-party program is involved. What we can do is match you to communities that have approved applicants in situations like yours, based on criteria we confirmed with the property and dated.

How fast can you move if I have a court deadline?

SB 38 sets trial 10–21 days after filing, 4 days to respond, and 5 to appeal, so speed matters. We run an expedited search against immediate move-in inventory, pre-screen criteria so you do not lose days to a denial, and ask you to have your document set ready before the first application.

What will it actually cost me to move in?

Plan for the application fee, admin fee, security deposit (sometimes doubled), any risk fee, a guarantor premium if one is used, first month's rent, and pet fees. Fort Worth apartments average $1,438, with 1BRs at $1,259 and 2BRs at $1,590. We state total cash to move in on every recommendation so nothing collapses at signing.

How current is your criteria information?

We confirm criteria with the property or management company, log the date it was confirmed, and re-verify quarterly. Criteria shift with occupancy. A lease-up that took broken leases in spring may not in fall, which is why anything we tell you carries a date.

Can you help with my eviction case?

We are licensed real estate agents, not attorneys, and we do not give legal advice. For questions about a filing, a hearing, or an appeal, contact Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas or an attorney. We handle the housing side: finding communities where approval is realistic given your record.

Stop guessing. Start moving.

Tell us your situation and we will build a list of Fort Worth communities whose criteria already fit it. Free to you, and no obligation.

Start Your Search Call (817) 555-0142

Free to renters. Communities pay the referral fee at lease signing. We do not guarantee approval; every screening decision belongs to the community.