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Renting an Apartment in Austin: Frequently Asked Questions

Our Services	Qualifications	Amenities	Reward Terms

Our Services:

Q: When should I start searching for an apartment in Austin and what steps should I take?

A: Generally, the apartments in Austin require a 30 or 60 day move-out notice from their current residents, so we recommend beginning your search about 45 days from your targeted move-in date and securing your new apartment within 30 days of your move date to ensure the broadest range of options and available units.

Q: Who pays your fees?

A: Our company works on a referral basis and is paid from the advertising budgets of the apartment properties. You will never pay us a fee for our services BUT you must remember to list Austin Apartment Pros as the referral source on any guest cards or applications at the properties you visit in order for us to get credit for our efforts. This also ensures that you will receive a reward from the commission that we collect from the property for referring you.

Q: Do I need to be accompanied by one of your agents to the properties?

A: Most of the apartment properties in Austin prefer that you are escorted by one of our agents or that we simply meet you at the property. The referral fee that we collect is typically higher if we escort you to the properties and as a result, the reward that we pay you will be higher than if you had simply visited the properties and listed Austin Apartment Pros as the referral source. We can always tell you which properties require us to escort you and how much your reward will be if you go on your own versus with one of our agents. Just give us a call at 512-413-7983 or email us and we'll answer any questions you might have.

Q: How quickly can you locate an apartment, condo or townhome in Austin for me?

A: Depending on what time of day we receive your criteria, within a matter of hours and often on the same day. This is our business and it's our specialty. We have a state of the art database of Austin apartments, condos and townhomes and access to the most current information available on the Austin Apartment rental market. Typically we will review your criteria and discuss your needs with you and then isolate all properties that fit the area, price range, amenities etc. that you seek. We will contact those properties to determine whether they have available units for your move-in date, the rent amount, deposit and fee information, location of the unit and any other pertinent details. We will then immediately contact you to schedule a time to view the apartments that fit your criteria and that have a unit(s) available at the time that you need to move in. It is then simply a matter of touring the properties and deciding which one you'd like to call home for the next 6-18 months.

Qualifications:

Q: What do I need to qualify for an apartment, condo or townhome in Austin?

A: There are four main qualifying criteria that the apartment management companies in Austin use to evaluate prospective residents.

1. Income: Typically, you must be able to show that you are employed and earning at least three times the monthly rent of the apartment you are applying for in gross income (before taxes, health insurance etc. are taken out). If you do not meet the income requirements, some Austin apartment properties will allow a co-signer or guarantor if the co-signer meets certain requirements. Essentially, you won't have much luck renting an apartment in Austin if you dont have one of the following: (1) a job (2) an offer letter from a prospective employer or (3) a guarantor.

2. Credit History: Austin apartment management companies typically prefer that you have at least 50% positive credit. This means if you have ten accounts listed on your credit report, at least five of them should be positive (paid currently, not late or in default). If you have some credit blemishes, many properties will work with you if you can pay a larger security deposit at the time of move-in. With our years of experience in the Austin Apartment rental market, we can give you a good idea of which properties will be more willing to work with a less than perfect credit situation and most of the time, save you from wasting application fees at properties that may be more critical of credit issues as part of their qualifying criteria.

3. Rental History: Most Austin apartment managment companies will look at the last one to two years of rental history that you have accrued. They will verify that you did not have excessive late rental payments and that you completed the terms of your prior leases. Broken leases or evictions will result in your application being denied at least 90% of the time. Unless you have paid off the debt to the property with which you broke a lease or were evicted from, we will probably not be able to assist you. If you are a student or first time renter, you will need a qualified co-signer or guarantor almost without exception. If you have issues with your rental history, feel free to give us a call and we'll provide a "no-nonsense" evaluation of what your options are for securing a new rental property.

4. Criminal Background: If you have any background issues, it is best to be up front with us from the beginning. We don't want to waste your time and we don't want our time wasted either. Austin Apartment management companies have become increasingly strict regarding everything from multiple DUI's to simple misdemeanor drug possession. If you simply go to the properties and "hope it doesn't show up", you will usually be out a lot of money for application fees since most management companies run a thorough criminal background check going back ten years or more. If you have a specific situation and would like to know your options, feel free to email us or give us a call.

Q:What lease terms do Austin apartments offer?

A: Typical leases for apartments and condos in Austin run from 6 months to 12 months or more. Many properties will offer you a lower rental rate if you sign a 12 month rather than a 6 month lease and this can really add up over the course of a year. Lease terms of less than 6 months are offered by about 5% of the apartment properties in Austin. Expect to pay a premium of $150-300 per month above the yearly rental rate for a short term lease. As an example, the least expensive one bedroom apartment options we can usually find for a 3 month lease term in Austin start at about $750-900/mo.

Amenities:

Q: What Amenities are available at Apartments in Austin?

A: Here is a list of a few of the amenities we can find for you: Washer/dryers, views, weight rooms, intrusion alarms, limited access gates, business centers, clubhouses, tennis courts, fireplaces, wet bars, garden bathtubs, and more.

Q: Can you find washer/dryer connections, or w/d units included?

A: Yes. We can find the places with connections, and if they do not already include the units, we can set you up with a rental service to offer discounted rates on a set for as long as you live there.

Q: Can you give me unit floorplans?

A: We have flooplans on our database that can be given to you online, by email, or fax.

Q: Can you find units with garages?

A: We can find units with covered parking, detached garages, and attached garages that access directly to your unit.

Reward Terms and Conditions:

Q: What are the terms and conditions that must be met to qualify for the cash reward:

A: The general terms and conditions are as follows:

1. You must list "Austin Apartment Pros" on your guest card and rental application at the property you lease and you must inform the leasing agent who assists you on your first visit to the property that you were referred by Austin Apartment Pros.

2. Some properties require Austin Apartment Apartment Pros to register clients before visiting the complex. Failure to register properly may result in the forfeiture of your reward. Failure to clarify that Austin Apartment Pros referred you may result in the forfeiture of your reward.

3. All requests for a reward must be submitted within 30 days of move-in. This means that you must submit your request using our online reward request form or by calling us directly within 30 days of the date that you move into your new apartment.

4. The property you select must be a participating property. A participating property is a property that has knowledge of Austin Apartment Pros reward Offer and gives Austin Apartment Pros consent to offer rewards. If the property you select withholds its consent, Austin Apartment Pros will not be obligated to pay a reward or compensation of any type.

5. Austin Apartment Pros will pay when allowed by law one reward per apartment unit. Persons who intentionally submit multiple rewards for the same apartment unit will forfeit their reward. reward checks not claimed within 6 months of check being written will be voided.

6. In order to be eligible for a reward, you must sign a lease of at least 6 months or longer and include Austin Apartment Pros and the designated agent in the appropriate areas on the rental application and guest card.

7. Only apartments that are listed on our online database are eligible for a reward offer. Houses, duplexes and any properties not specifically listed in our Austin Apartment database are not eligible for a reward offer.

8. The property must agree to pay a commission to Austin Apartment Pros. If you choose to lease a property from our apartment database that doesn't compensate apartment locators for unescorted leases without the assistance of one of our agents, we will not be compensated and you will forfeit your reward eligibility. Please remember that with one quick phone call we can tell you the amount of the reward for any given property whether we send you or you are escorted by one of our agents.

9. If you lease at a participating property and list "Austin Apartment Pros" as the company who referred you on both the guest card and application, the cash reward offered is based on the monthly rent amount you will be paying for your new apartment and is capped at a maximum of $150 for one bedrooms, $200 for two bedrooms and $250 for three bedrooms. The reward schedule is listed below and shows the exact amount you will receive based on your monthly rent.

If you lease an apartment that rents for:

$0-500/month == reward is $50
$501-750/month == reward is $75
$751-1000/month == reward is $100
$1001-1250/month == reward is $125
$1251-1500/month == reward is $150
$1501-1750/month == reward is $175
$1751-2000/month == reward is $200
$2001-2250/month == reward is $225
$2250-2500/month == reward is $250
$2500+/month ==reward is $250

Please remember that the property must agree to compensate us and that you must notify us of your lease within 30 days of your move-in date to receive a reward. Austin Apartment Pros will not be held liable for payment of a reward if the property in question refuses to compensate us for any reason.

10. Rewards are only paid AFTER the property compensates Austin Apartment Pros. This usually takes about 45-90 days AFTER you move into your new apartment. Please do not contact us 2 weeks after you move in to ask why you haven't received your reward.

11. You may always ask us how much the reward is for any property, and request a written copy of our guarantee to pay you the reward. To find out the amount of the reward for a property, please contact your Austin Apartment Pros agent or simply call 512-413-7983.

All apartment information contained within this website is subject to change at any time and should be verified independently.
Copyright© 2010 Austin Apartment Pros. All Rights Reserved.
Licensed Texas Real Estate Broker


Our Services:
		Q: When should I start searching for an apartment in Austin and what steps should I take? A: Generally, the apartments in Austin require a 30 or 60 day move-out notice from their current residents, so we recommend beginning your search about 45 days from your targeted move-in date and securing your new apartment within 30 days of your move date to ensure the broadest range of options and available units.

		Q: Who pays your fees? A: Our company works on a referral basis and is paid from the advertising budgets of the apartment properties. You will never pay us a fee for our services BUT you must remember to list Austin Apartment Pros as the referral source on any guest cards or applications at the properties you visit in order for us to get credit for our efforts. This also ensures that you will receive a reward from the commission that we collect from the property for referring you.

		Q: Do I need to be accompanied by one of your agents to the properties? A: Most of the apartment properties in Austin prefer that you are escorted by one of our agents or that we simply meet you at the property. The referral fee that we collect is typically higher if we escort you to the properties and as a result, the reward that we pay you will be higher than if you had simply visited the properties and listed Austin Apartment Pros as the referral source. We can always tell you which properties require us to escort you and how much your reward will be if you go on your own versus with one of our agents. Just give us a call at 512-413-7983 or email us and we'll answer any questions you might have.

		Q: How quickly can you locate an apartment, condo or townhome in Austin for me? A: Depending on what time of day we receive your criteria, within a matter of hours and often on the same day. This is our business and it's our specialty. We have a state of the art database of Austin apartments, condos and townhomes and access to the most current information available on the Austin Apartment rental market. Typically we will review your criteria and discuss your needs with you and then isolate all properties that fit the area, price range, amenities etc. that you seek. We will contact those properties to determine whether they have available units for your move-in date, the rent amount, deposit and fee information, location of the unit and any other pertinent details. We will then immediately contact you to schedule a time to view the apartments that fit your criteria and that have a unit(s) available at the time that you need to move in. It is then simply a matter of touring the properties and deciding which one you'd like to call home for the next 6-18 months.