QUESTIONS WE'VE HEARD

What does your apartment locating service cost me?
Absolutely nothing. We’re paid a commission directly from the apartment community after you move in, even though we represent you, the tenant. All we ask from you is to list us as your referral source when touring properties and completing guest cards, lease applications and leases. Under the “How Did You Hear About Us” question, put in our info as “FIND YOUR NEXT APARTMENT”. For doing this, we can give you up to $200 cash rebate once we are paid from the apartment community!
What is a Lease Application?
A Lease Application is completed and submitted by a prospective renter to be considered eligible to rent a unit in a specific apartment community. If you decide to complete an application, there is a section that asks for Rental Agency or Locator service name, you must write in FIND YOUR NEXT APARTMENT. Do not indicate “internet”, “drive by” or list a friend’s name.
Does your company offer a free move?
The so-called free moves that some companies offer are almost never free and have way too many strings attached. They have a minimum rental rate and charge extra fees for a lot of the items that need to be moved. They also do not offer the level of service we can provide. We do have free move options, but your rent amount must be at least $900, and it must be at a qualifying property. Please contact your agent to discuss your options.
Am I required to schedule an appointment with you to visit properties?
No. You are free to visit properties at your convenience. Because these are apartment communities, leasing agents at the properties will take you on your tours. If you need assistance, contact us to discuss having one of our agents escort you to the properties.
When should I start looking for my new apartment?
We suggest clients start the apartment search process 60 to 75 days before they need to move in. Apartments in the area are typically on a 30 to 60-day move-out notice with current tenants—the 60-day notice being more common. This means that the apartment communities will only know what’s becoming available within the next 30-60 days. So, why do we suggest starting as early as 75 days in advance? To give you time to start narrowing down the list of apartments that interest you. At FIND YOUR NEXT APARTMENT, we try to locate as many places that fit your search criteria, as we believe it’s our job to locate the places without giving our personal taste/opinion - unless you want it! We then let you rate the properties, pick your favorites and eliminate the ones you don’t like.
How is FIND YOUR NEXT APARTMENT paid?
We are paid a real estate commission directly from your new apartment community once you lease and move-in. Generally, the apartment community or the property’s management company pays us a percentage of your monthly rent or a flat fee. We are only paid if you list FIND YOUR NEXT APARTMENT as the referral source when touring properties and tell the properties that we referred you—so we appreciate that! :)
Can I work with more than one apartment locating company?
No. Only one apartment locator gets paid per lease (but remember, you do NOT pay us; the apartment complex pays us directly after you move in and have listed us as the referral source). Apartment locators across DFW *generally* have access to the exact same properties, and it’s just a matter of finding the ones that meet your needs, which we know we can do. Because of that, and in accordance with our Terms and Conditions. we require that you work exclusively with us for a period of 120 days, starting on the date you submit your form on the Findyournextapartment.com page (provided that we agree to represent you. Depending on what you are looking for and your rental history, we may not be able to provide assistance). After that 120-day exclusive period, our representation is automatically expired, unless you tell us you want to keep working with us. We note, though, that in that 120 days, we should be able to find you a place.
‍How does pricing work for DFW apartments?
Most apartments in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex are on a lease price optimization system. While it sounds fancy, all that means is that rent changes (often daily) based on availability, floor plans, and amenities. Think upgraded finish-outs with granite and stainless-steel appliances vs. older units with laminate countertops/flooring and white appliances. If there are several of the same exact units available, we generally see prices go down. If units are in short supply, prices go up. Another important factor is your move-in date. Moving in a few days on or before your target move-in date may have a drastic impact on your monthly rent. Because pricing changes so frequently, it’s best to have a flexible move-in date and to be ready to jump on an apartment that matches your criteria. The more information we have on what you’re looking for, the better equipped we will be to help you.
Does your commission impact my rent?
Our commissions do not impact your rent amount explicitly, in that an apartment complex won't give you a bigger discount if you don't use a locator. They've built in our commissions into their bottom-line numbers to come up with your rent amount. We do, however, know the best specials and how to maximize them, so using our services may help to get you a lower rent than the market rate.
Did you say rebates?
Yes! We offer up to $200 cash rebate after we are paid by the apartment community, subject to our Rebate and Referral Policy.
Do you take referrals?
Yes! We love them! Nothing says we did a good job more than referring your friends, family, coworkers, exes, frenemies, etc. The Texas Real Estate Commission provides that we can give you a non-cash gift valued at $50 or less for referrals that use our apartment locating services. For referrals that lease through us, we’ll send you a $50 gift card once paid by the apartment community. *
Do all locators have access to the same properties?
Yes, generally speaking. Most locators in the DFW metroplex use the same listing service. Because we use the same service, we have access to the same properties. If you’ve seen a property advertised anywhere else, let us know, and we’ll get you the info on it! At the same time, we like other locators, even if they work for other brokerage firms. It's a small apartment locating community, and we all have to work together as a network of apartment locators at one time or another. We don't want to duplicate efforts, interfere with client-agent relationships, or anger our friends, so if you are working with another locator, be sure to let us know at the outset.
Are there furnished apartments to lease?
Furnished apartments for lease are hard to find. We recommend renting furniture through a furniture rental company, for which we have several options. The few (and we mean few) apartments that offer furnished apartments normally charge a premium. Of course, your apartment will come with a refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave and oven that you should not need to rent.
Does my lease term need to be for 12 months?
Nope! We can find you lease terms as short as 6 months but understand that you will be paying extra for the shorter term. The general rule of thumb is the longer the lease term, the lower the rent. We recommend longer lease terms to get the best rates (and because moving is never fun or easy.)
What will my administrative fees, application fees, and deposits cost?
It’s standard practice to have some upfront fees at the time you apply for the apartment and before you move in. Typically, you will have an application fee when you apply to lease your apartment, ranging from $50-$150. With that application fee, you’ll likely be required to pay an administrative fee ranging from $50-$300, which helps cover the cost of running your credit, doing a background check and performing other administrative tasks incurred in getting you approved. Then, once approved, you may be required to make a deposit for the apartment, that may or may not be refundable depending on the property. Credit history may impact the amount of the deposit. If you have pets, be prepared for a pet deposit that may or may not be refundable ranging from $250-$800 (in addition to pet rent).
Do apartment communities offer specials and Preferred Employer Discounts?
Properties frequently run specials and offer concessions to new residents. We’ll keep you posted on what specials are being offered by the properties you’re interested in. Specials change often, so it’s important to take advantage of them when you can! Specials can run from discounted rent to waived or reduced application and admin fees!.
It’s important to note that some properties also partner with certain employers and offer specials for certain occupations. The same applies for students at certain institutions in the area. The more we know about you, the more we can help you take advantage of everything available!
Are utilities usually included in my rent?
No, typically, you’re responsible for utilities. Water, trash, pest control and gas (if any) will be billed through your apartment and added to your rent. With respect to trash, note that many apartment communities now have mandatory valet trash, which is usually an extra $25 a month. Electricity, cable and internet are usually separate. Fortunately, you get to choose your own electricity provider in Texas. But guess what? We can help you set up utilities for free! Just contact our utility department .They can also help you shop for cable and internet packages. Availability of certain cable and internet service providers does depend on the complex and location.
Do I need renters insurance?
Renters insurance is another standard requirement for DFW apartments. Premiums depend on the apartment and the insurance requirements, but generally are $175-$250 for the year. We’re happy to refer you to the insurance brokers we use if you don’t have one.
Do you offer movers?
No, instead we offer a cash rebate. Free moves offered by locating companies usually come with a lot of strings and hidden fees. So, just like guac, this is extra. We recommend thoroughly researching moving companies and reading reviews to determine which is the best for you. We’re happy to share our experience, but we would feel terrible if we recommended a mover that broke your goods.
What if I want to renew my apartment lease?
We hope that we find you a place you love so much that you renew your lease for another year. When you renew your lease, expect a price increase. The amount of the increase varies just like pricing and is influenced by the property’s occupancy at the time of renewal.
Why does it matter? Specials. An apartment may offer one month free and allow you take that free month of rent and prorate your monthly rent, effectively lower your monthly payments over the course of your lease term for that first year. Come renewal time though, you’ll likely see a price increase off of the market rent, not the effective rent (a.k.a. reduced rent due to that special). Knowledge is power, and we believe that setting expectations will enable you to pick a great place to stay in long term! If you don’t like it, though, we are more than happy to help you find another apartment!
Is there parking?
Most apartments don’t charge extra for it, unless you want a reserved spot. In newer buildings, it’s common to have shared, private gated garages, whereas in older buildings, it’s common to have open, non-covered general parking. If you want to be in Downtown and some buildings in Uptown, you’ll likely have to pay for each parking space.
I see that some apartments have dog breed restrictions. Will you help me out to find me and "aggressive" lap pooch a home?
We absolutely will. Apartments often have breed restrictions for "aggressive breeds", which are typically defined as: Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Terriers, Rottweilers, GermanShepherds, Presa Canarios, Chows Chows, Doberman Pinschers, Akitas, Mastiffs, Cane Corsos, Great Danes, Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, and Wolf-Hybrids. We know all dogs are good dogs. But still, we have to play by the apartment rules. Let us know if you have one of these dog breeds.
Do you find houses and condos for lease or can you list my house or condo?
At this time, no. House/condo leasing differs greatly from apartment leasing. We focus on what we know--apartments. For leasing houses and condos, we recommend going to an agent that specializes in home/condo sales.
I want to sublease my apartment or sublease from someone. Is this where I should go?
Subleasing an apartment is really negotiated directly with the tenant and sometimes the landlord, and agents are typically not involved. To find a sublease, you can often call a particular apartment complex and ask if they know of anyone looking to sublease and check out outline resources
Will you find me a roommate?
We love to play apartment matchmaker, but we don't want to responsible for playing roomie matchmaker. If we hear of someone looking, we're happy to put you in contact. Roommate choice is important, so we encourage you to really get to know who you are sharing your home with before moving in together (wait, are we giving dating advice or roommate advice...?).