# How Our Apartment Locating Service Is Free | FFA | Felon Friendly Apartments

> No catch: communities pay referral fees from marketing budgets, your rent is identical, and we rebate your fee on approval. TREC #679806.

URL: https://felonfriendlyapartments.com/guide/how-this-apartment-locating-service-is-free/
Last-Modified: 2026-07-20

GUIDE

# How This Apartment Locating Service Is Free

No catch: communities pay referral fees from marketing budgets, your rent is identical, and we rebate your fee on approval. TREC #679806.

![Handshake at a leasing desk after signing, candid natural light](/images/misc/handshake-at-a-leasing-desk-after-signing-candid-n.webp)

No catch: communities pay referral fees from marketing budgets, your rent is identical, and we rebate your fee on approval. TREC #679806.

## What this guide covers

-   Referral-fee model paid from marketing budgets
-   Rent identical; application-fee rebate on approval
-   TREC License #679806, verifiable at trec.texas.gov

![Texas real estate license displayed on an office wall, close-up](/images/misc/texas-real-estate-license-displayed-on-an-office-w.webp)

## Background

Remove the ‘what’s the catch’ objection and prove legitimacy. (Skeptical renter wants to know why a free service isn’t a scam.)

## What matters most

-   **Referral-fee model paid from marketing budgets.** Understanding this piece typically has the largest single effect on approval odds.
-   **Rent identical; application-fee rebate on approval.** Two identical applicants can get different answers at different properties for this reason.
-   **TREC License #679806, verifiable at trec.texas.gov.** Preparation cuts down on repeated applications and burned fees.

## Honest expectations

We are direct with renters about what this record type does and does not open. Where a situation is a near-universal hard stop, we say so up front rather than collect an application fee. Where a property will genuinely review, we identify it so you spend your one application well.

## What to do next

1.  Pull your own screening report so you know what a landlord will see. See 
    
    how to check your own background before you apply
    
    [/guide/how-to-check-your-own-background-before-you-apply/ →](/guide/how-to-check-your-own-background-before-you-apply/)
    
    .
2.  Line up certified dispositions from the county clerk and any completion documentation.
3.  Have income verification ready — most Texas apartments want gross monthly income at 3x rent.
4.  Get a pre-screened shortlist before you apply blind.

## Related

-   How To Spot Apartment And Housing Scams
    
    [/guide/how-to-spot-apartment-and-housing-scams/ →](/guide/how-to-spot-apartment-and-housing-scams/)
    
-   Felony Convictions
    
    [/felony-convictions/ →](/felony-convictions/)
    

## Common Questions

How can this service be free to renters?

Communities pay a referral fee from marketing budgets; your rent doesn't change.

Do I pay more rent for using a locator?

No, rent is identical whether you use us or not.

Do you rebate my application fee?

Yes, upon approval and lease signing.

## Related Guides

### Arrest vs. Conviction on a Background Check

How screening treats an arrest vs. a conviction, why arrests can still surface, disposition status, and FCRA limits on old arrest records.

Read guide →

[Arrest vs. Conviction on a Background Check →](/guide/arrest-vs-conviction-on-a-background-check/)

### Auto-Decline vs. Case-by-Case Review

What 'case by case review' really means: genuine individualized assessment vs. a fee-collection line, and how to tell them apart.

Read guide →

[Auto-Decline vs. Case-by-Case Review →](/guide/auto-decline-vs-case-by-case-review/)

### Criminal Background Lookback Periods Explained

How apartment lookback windows work: 5, 7, and 10-year policies, blanket vs. offense-type rules, and why conviction age shifts your odds.

Read guide →

[Criminal Background Lookback Periods Explained →](/guide/criminal-background-lookback-periods-explained/)

### DWI Non-Disclosure in Texas (Section 411.072)

The DWI sealing path under 411.072 (H.B. 3016): who qualifies for a first-time DWI, waiting periods, and screening effect. Not legal advice.

Read guide →

[DWI Non-Disclosure in Texas (Section 411.072) →](/guide/dwi-non-disclosure-in-texas-411-072/)

![](/images/misc/garden-style-texas-apartment-courtyard-at-dusk-wit.webp)

## Ready to Find Apartments That Accept Your Record?

Free, licensed intake. Application fee rebated on approval.

Start Free Intake

[/contact/ →](/contact/)