What to Expect When Renting With an Eviction in Texas

If you’re about to start looking for an apartment with an eviction, here’s the reality check, not a sales pitch. We’ll cover what actually happens, how long it takes, what it costs, and where things get stuck.

Which properties are open to an eviction

May consider you (under the right conditions):

• Independent owners in older parts of Texas cities
• Class B mid market where the property makes its own call
• Some mid market properties run by management companies (RPM Living, Willow Bridge)
• Class A properties if your eviction is 5+ years old and your income is strong

Usually won’t consider you:

• Class A luxury that only runs automated screening through SafeRent Solutions (the ones we run into most: Cortland, NRP, most Camden luxury)
• Brand new buildings that keep strict rules until they fill up
• Other properties run by a management company that already denied you (they often share the same screening rules)

Could go either way:

• MAA, Camden, Greystar mid market: from what we see, it goes property by property
• Class B at the larger management companies: each property is different

These groups come from our own placements, and policies change. What gives you the best odds is matching your file to the right tier. See our how to rent guide.

Extra costs to expect

Compared to a standard renter, budget for:

• Risk fee: in our placements, usually $150 to $500 up front, or $25 to $50 a month when a property spreads it out
• Double security deposit: from what we see, twice the usual deposit is common. Standard deposits vary a lot in Texas: some properties ask for under $200, and others ask a lot more (HelloData’s 2025 Texas fee data)
• Guarantor fee: a one time fee if you use one, usually about one month’s rent for Liberty Rent or OneApp. Liberty Rent charges a $35 application fee too, but refunds it if you’re not approved
• More application fees: expect 2 to 4 total, not 1 to 2

Altogether, you’ll usually need a good deal more cash to move in than a standard renter pays for the same unit. Our move in cost guide has the numbers for each situation.

How long it usually takes

Here’s how it usually goes when you work with us:

• Day 1: you tell us about your situation
• Days 1 to 2: we look at your file and build your short list
• Days 2 to 7: you tour 2 to 4 properties
• Days 3 to 8: applications go in
• Days 5 to 12: properties make their decisions
• Days 7 to 16: you sign the lease
• Days 10 to 21: you move in

For many of the renters we place, that adds up to 10 to 21 days. From what we see, renters searching on their own take longer, mostly from time lost on applications that get denied.

What applying actually looks like

1. Tour: visit the unit, meet the leasing agent, and talk about your situation briefly (see our what to say guide)
2. Turn in the application: all your paperwork, including your letter of explanation
3. Pay the application fee: usually $50 to $85 per adult in Texas (HelloData’s 2025 Texas fee data)
4. Screening runs: usually 1 to 3 business days
5. Someone reviews your file: with an eviction, it usually goes to a supervisor or property manager who looks at it by hand
6. Approved, denied, or approved with conditions: you’ll usually hear back within a week
7. If there are conditions: meet them (a guarantor, an extra deposit, more paperwork)
8. Sign the lease: usually 24 to 72 hours after approval
9. Pay the deposit and first month: at signing or before you move in
10. Move in: set the date with the property

What it feels like

Denials can happen. Even when we pick properties carefully, you may get denied at 1 to 2 properties on the way to an approval. Don’t take it personally.

Some leasing agents won’t be much help. Not everyone in leasing is comfortable with eviction cases. Hit a wall? It’s fine to move on.

Some will be great. We see independent owners and mid market property managers working with renters who have evictions all the time. They know the process.

Waiting is stressful. The 3 to 7 days between applying and hearing back are the hardest part. Honestly, there’s not much you can do to speed it up beyond answering their requests fast.

How a licensed locator changes things

Working with licensed agents like us costs you nothing. Here’s what changes:

• Fewer wasted applications: we go over what properties have told us about their eviction rules before you apply
• Your short list: often within 24 to 48 hours on weekdays
• Guarantor help: we look for properties that partner with guarantor services, so a referral can be an option if you need one
• Help with your paperwork: we look over your letter of explanation and income paperwork before you turn them in. We never ask for your Social Security number or date of birth

Our help is free to you. When you sign a lease, the property pays a referral commission to our broker, Spirit Real Estate Group. We only get paid if you’re approved and sign, and you never pay us anything.

What we honestly can’t do

• Guarantee approval (no one can)
• Erase the eviction from your record (Texas has no law for expunging an eviction, and sealing is rare)
• Get you into a Class A luxury downtown high rise with a recent eviction and a balance still owed
• Shorten the time screening companies can report it (usually 7 years from the filing, under the FCRA)
• Get around a property’s income requirement

We send you a short list of properties that may fit your file, and help you skip a lot of wasted steps.

Go in with the right mindset

• You’ll pay more than a standard renter
• You’ll need more paperwork ready
• You’ll need to move fast when a unit comes available
• In our placements, 1 to 3 weeks is common with the right approach
• Renters with evictions do get placed in Texas, and you have a real shot too

From what we see, renters without a plan often spend months applying blindly and burning application fees. A short list of properties that fit your file can save you that.

If you’d like help, fill out the form on our home page or call 888-846-7541.