HOW IT WORKS
From Intake to Lease in Four Steps.
Every renter goes through the same four steps. The whole service is designed around the observation that most Texas apartment communities do not publish criminal-background policies, and applying blind is expensive.
You send us the record and the metro
Text, web form, or email. We ask offense type, when it happened, whether sentence is complete, and the metro you need. Text and form intake exist because many renters would rather not discuss a criminal record on a phone call. That is fine — we work with whichever channel you prefer.
We pre-screen against property policies
We check your specific record against management-company screening policies in your target metro. Some management companies apply a blanket criminal ban across every property in their portfolio. Others delegate to the property level. We know which is which and cross-reference your offense type, conviction age, and disposition against those policies.
You get a shortlist typically within 24-48 hours
Three to six properties in your metro that we have specific reason to believe will review your record. Not a scraped list. Each property on the list has been checked against your specific record. If your situation is a hard stop (registry status, active warrants, pending violent felony charges), we tell you the day we hear it rather than putting properties on a list that would decline you.
You tour, apply, and get your fee rebated on approval
You tour the properties, pick the ones you like, and apply. When you are approved at a property from your shortlist and sign the lease, we rebate the application fee. The community pays us a referral fee from their marketing budget; part of that pays back your out-of-pocket application cost. You never write us a check for anything.
INTAKE DETAIL
What We Actually Ask About
We ask only screening-relevant details. Not the story behind it. Not what you were like before or after. Not anything that isn't needed to check property policies.
Criminal background
- Felony or misdemeanor and offense type
- Conviction date and release date
- Sentence completion (including probation/parole)
- Single vs. multiple offenses
- Pending charges, deferred adjudication, expungement or non-disclosure status
Housing needs
- Metro area (one of Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth)
- Move-in timeline
- Rent budget
- Bedrooms needed
- Parole/probation approved-residence deadline, if applicable
Contact preferences
- Phone, text, or email
- Safe to leave a voicemail?
- Preferred language (English or Spanish)
What we do not collect
- The story behind the case
- Anything that is not screening-relevant
- Any information we would share with anyone other than the properties on your shortlist
Send Us the Record and the Metro
Free, confidential, and typically returned in 24-48 hours.
Common Questions
Is this actually free?
Yes. Apartment communities pay our referral fees from their marketing budgets, and your rent is identical whether you use us or walk in off the street. We also rebate your application fee once you are approved and sign a lease.
How can a licensed real estate service be free to renters?
Properties that accept criminal backgrounds tend to have higher vacancy than strict-screening Class A communities, so they pay licensed locators a referral fee to fill units. That fee comes from their marketing budget, not from your rent.
Do I have to tell you what I was charged with?
We ask only screening-relevant details: offense type, when it happened, and whether the sentence is fully completed — not the story behind it. Text and web-form intake exist so you never have to discuss your history by phone if you would rather not.
What if I already got denied somewhere?
A denial is usually one property's specific policy. Other communities in the same metro often have different criteria — some auto-decline, some review case-by-case. We pre-screen your record against property-level policies before you apply so you focus on the ones likely to approve you.
How fast can I get a property list?
Most renters receive a pre-screened property shortlist within 24 to 48 hours of completing intake.
How do I know you are legitimate?
We are a licensed Texas real estate service — TREC License #679806, brokered under Spirit Real Estate Group, LLC (Broker License #562021). You can verify the license at trec.texas.gov before you trust us with any information.
Are there records you cannot help with?
Yes, and we say so up front. Sex offender registry status, active warrants, and pending violent felony charges are near-universal declines at nearly every community. If your situation is a hard stop, we tell you immediately rather than collecting an application fee.
Ready to Skip the Blind Applications?
Free intake, licensed team, application fee rebated on approval.