# Free Apartment Locator for Evictions: What to Expect > Here’s what working with a free apartment locator for evictions looks like, step by step. It costs you nothing. The property pays us when you sign. URL: https://evictionfriendlyapartments.com/guide/how-our-free-eviction-apartment-locating-service-works/ Last-Modified: 2026-11-01 Guide # How a Free Apartment Locator for Evictions Works, Step by Step We take your info, look at your eviction file, send you a short list, and coach you through applying and moving in. It’s free to you. The property pays our broker. By **Eviction Friendly Apartment Team** Licensed Texas Real Estate Agents Updated November 1, 2026 Images are illustrations ![Illustration of two people going over an apartment list at a table](/images/misc/licensed-texas-real-estate-agent-handing-apartment.webp?v=43e456ab86) A lot of renters with an eviction ask the same thing when they hear “free”: what’s the catch? There isn’t one. Here’s how our free apartment locator for evictions works, how we get paid, and what happens at each step. ## The five steps **Step 1: Tell us about your situation (about two minutes)** You fill out the short form on our [Start Your Free Search](/start-now/) page. We ask for: - The city and neighborhoods you want - How old the eviction is, whether there’s a balance, and how the case ended - Monthly income - Your budget and when you want to move in We usually reply during weekday business hours, often with a question or two. We never ask for your Social Security number or date of birth. **Step 2: We look at your file (usually the same day)** We go through your screening details with you and double check the eviction facts. Then we figure out which properties and management companies may fit. If you’ve been denied before, we look at those denial letters (adverse action notices) too. That way we don’t send you back to management companies that already turned you down. Open balance, multiple evictions, or a recent filing? Then your file may need a guarantor, and we look for properties that work with guarantor services like OneApp or Liberty Rent. **Step 3: Your short list (usually 24 to 48 hours on weekdays after you reach out)** We go through our notes on properties in the city you want, including their eviction policies. That means the age cutoff, balance requirements, whether they take guarantors, and what deposit to expect. Then we send you a short list of 3 to 6 properties that look like the best fit for your file. It shows the expected deposit, risk fee, and any conditions attached. **Step 4: Help with your applications (often 2 to 7 days)** Before you tour, we send each property a guest card, a short form that registers you as our client. It has your name, contact info and what you’re looking for, and we normally leave your eviction history off it. You apply with each property yourself, and we coach you on: - How to bring up the eviction in person - The letter of explanation - Pulling all your paperwork together - Turning in the application After your applications go out, we stay in touch with you. If a problem comes up, we help you sort it out. **Step 5: Sign the lease and move in (usually 10 to 21 days after you reach out)** Once you’re approved, we help you go over the lease and work through any last minute conditions before you get your keys. ## Why it’s actually free (how we get paid) Texas apartment communities pay a referral commission to the brokerage of the licensed agent who brings them a renter. Each property sets the amount, often a share of the first month’s rent. It isn’t added to your rent, deposit, or fees. When you sign a lease through us, the property pays the commission to our broker, Spirit Real Estate Group. If you never sign, we get nothing. So we want the same thing you do: you, approved and moved in. ## Why we focus on eviction cases From what we’ve seen, a lot of apartment locators avoid eviction cases. They’re harder to place. They mean longer conversations, more back and forth, more paperwork, and bigger deposits to plan around. Plenty stick to easy corporate relocations instead. Here’s why we built our business around eviction placements: 1. A lot of Texas renters have an eviction on their record and need this help 2. Referral commissions are the same no matter how hard the case is 3. Renters we’ve placed often tell friends and family about us 4. Doing it well can really help renters who don’t have many options ## What we don’t do - Legal representation (we’re not attorneys) - Credit repair - Negotiating your debt with a former landlord (for that, we point you to free legal aid) - Sell your information to third parties - Guarantee approval (no one honest can) ## How we’re different from stale “eviction friendly apartments” lists A lot of the lists you find online were put together once and never checked again. A property’s eviction policy can change from one month to the next: - The management company changes its policy - A new manager takes over - The property switches screening companies - The property fills up or empties out (from what we see, properties loosen up when they have empty units and tighten when they’re full) - The property adds or drops a guarantor partner We keep notes on which properties take which situations, and we update them when we hear about a change. You get our latest notes, not an old list nobody keeps up. ## Who we can help - Renters with any eviction status (recent, old, paid, unpaid, dismissed, multiple) - Any Texas metro (Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Arlington) - Any budget from $800 to $4,000 or more a month - Any kind of income (W-2, working for yourself, gig, mixed) ## Who we can’t help - Renters with a criminal record that many properties automatically screen out (background check issues are separate from evictions) - Renters moving to another state (we’re only licensed in Texas) - Renters who need a lawyer (we point them to [TexasLawHelp.org](https://texaslawhelp.org/eviction-referral), which lets you look up legal aid groups by county) ![Illustration of a person on the phone at a table with notes](/images/misc/licensed-agent-on-phone-with-leasing-office-verify.webp?v=4e00aead2c) ## The team We’re a team of licensed Texas real estate agents (brokered by Spirit Real Estate Group, TREC #562021). Our team has 5+ combined years placing renters with evictions across all major Texas metros. In January 2025, CBS Austin interviewed our team lead, Ross Quade, for a story on rising Austin rents. The images on this page are illustrations, not photos of our team. ## No strings attached There’s no contract, no obligation, no cost. If you don’t like the properties we recommend, walk away, and if you find something on your own, use it. And if we don’t get you placed within a few weeks, you’re free to try something else. Either way, you owe us nothing. ## Ready to start? Fill out the form on our [home page](/) or call 888-846-7541. We usually reply during weekday business hours. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How is this free for me? The property pays a referral commission to our broker when you sign. You pay nothing. Each property sets the amount, and it doesn't change your rent or fees. ### What if I never sign a lease? You still pay nothing. We only get paid when you sign a lease, and you never have to. ### Are your agents actually licensed? Yes. Everyone on our team is a licensed Texas real estate agent. Our sponsoring broker is Spirit Real Estate Group (TREC #562021). ## Related Guides - [10 Mistakes Renters With Evictions Make on Applications (And How to Avoid Them)](/guide/10-mistakes-renters-with-evictions-make-on-applications/): The 10 mistakes that cost renters with evictions the most when they apply, and how to avoid each one so you waste fewer fees. - [Can You Be Denied Housing for a Dismissed Eviction in Texas?](/guide/can-you-be-denied-housing-for-a-dismissed-eviction-in-texas/): Dismissed filings can still show up and get renters denied. Here’s why, and how to prove the dismissal to leasing offices. - [Can You Get an Eviction Expunged in Texas? (2026 Update)](/guide/can-you-get-an-eviction-expunged-in-texas/): Texas has no law for expunging an eviction, and sealing is rare. HB 2909 died in committee. We explain why the record stays and what to do instead. - [How Eviction Records Work in Texas: Court Records vs. Screening Reports vs. Credit Reports](/guide/court-records-vs-screening-reports-vs-credit-reports/): How the three kinds of records differ. Justice of the peace court records are public and stay on file. Screening reports follow the 7 year limit in the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and credit reports show only the debt. Free To You ### Ready to start? We usually reply during weekday business hours, often with a question or two. It's free to you. The property pays our broker when you sign. [Start Your Free Search](/start-now/) [Call 888-846-7541](tel:+18888467541) ## Talk to Our Licensed Agents Before You Apply Again We keep notes on what Texas properties have told us about evictions, and we usually reply during weekday business hours. Your short list of properties that may fit can take 24 to 48 hours on weekdays. There's no cost to you. [Start Your Free Search](/start-now/) [Call 888-846-7541](tel:+18888467541)