# Apartment With No Rental History in Texas | Bad Credit Apartments > Need an apartment with no rental history? See how Texas communities review first time renters, what to bring, what move in costs, and where to start looking. URL: https://www.badcreditapartments.com/guide/apartments-for-first-time-renters-no-rental-history-austin/ - [Home](/) / - [First Time & No Rental History Apartment Locating](/first-time-renter-apartments/) / - How to Get an Apartment With No Rental History in Texas # How to Get an Apartment With No Rental History in Texas Never leased before? See how Texas communities review renters with no rental history, what to bring, what move-in costs, and where to start looking. ![First time renter touring starter apartment](/images/featured/excited-first-time-austin-renter-touring-clean-mod.webp) Last reviewed October 22, 2026. This is general information about renting in Texas, not legal or financial advice. Laws, prices, and screening rules change, so confirm details with each community and talk with an attorney about your own situation. You're ready for a place of your own. For a lot of people, the usual application process feels like a brick wall. Most property managers want a rental record you just don't have yet. That catch-22 is frustrating for brand new renters and for second chance renters coming back from a bankruptcy or a credit score under 550. Getting an apartment with no rental history is one of the most common things we help with in Austin, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio. Plenty of property managers do want to work with people who have little or no history. They just don't advertise it on billboards or the big listing sites. We built a [first time renter service](/first-time-renter-apartments/) that connects you with these properties. We work with first time renters who have no credit history, and with every credit score, including under 500. Let’s walk through how Texas communities look at applications from renters with no rental history. We'll cover the paperwork you need and what it really costs. That way you sign with confidence and don't throw money away on instant denials. ## How Texas communities treat zero rental history Property managers handle these applications in a few different ways. A lot depends on whether a person reviews your file or software makes the call. We push for properties where a real leasing agent can look past one credit number. Screening software like RealPage or Yardi is different. It can turn down a low score on its own. The most common fix is showing strong income to make up for the missing history. We sort first time renter apartments in each metro by how they approve people. Here are the four main ways communities handle your application: ### Getting Approved on Income These communities mostly care whether you can pay the rent on time, so strong income and a steady job matter more than rental history. You usually need to show you make three times the monthly rent. For a $1,500 a month apartment, that means showing about $4,500 a month in income. We see this a lot at workforce housing properties and communities near college campuses. ### The Co-Signer Route Many Class A and corporate communities ask for a co-signer when you have a thin credit file, meaning little or no credit history. That's usually a parent or relative with excellent credit. They're on the hook for the lease if you fall behind. Many Texas properties ask a co-signer to show income of about five times the monthly rent. From what we see, this is the fastest way around a low credit score. ### A Bigger Security Deposit Some communities will take a bigger deposit up front in place of a past landlord reference. You might pay 1.5 to 2 times the normal deposit amount. You get it back at move-out if you leave the unit clean and undamaged. Since you get it back, it's a pretty cheap option in the long run. ### Other Kinds of References Smaller, independently owned properties sometimes take professional references in place of a past landlord. These references tell a careful landlord you're reliable. You can list people like: - A current or previous employer - A university academic advisor - A respected community member Our agents use this a lot with private owners. ## What to get ready Get your ID, proof of income, and references together before you tour. Handing the leasing agent everything on day one speeds up your approval a lot. We tell every client to pull this paperwork together early. Being ready shows you're responsible. Here's what you need for a first apartment with no rental history: - **Photo ID:** A valid driver’s license or passport. - **Proof of income:** Bring recent pay stubs or an offer letter for a new job. If you're an independent contractor, bring 60 days of bank statements to show steady money coming in. - **References:** List your current employer, a school administrator, or a previous roommate. - **Co-signer paperwork:** If you're using one, have their ID, proof of income, and credit info ready. Any credit history you do have helps. A starter credit card, a paid off car loan, or student loans you're paying on will start a basic credit file. If you have no credit at all, you'll lean on your income and references. Keep all your documents in one digital folder. Then you can share them fast. Here's how a standard first timer file compares to a second chance file. | Applicant Type | What Matters Most | Main Document They Want | |---|---|---| | Standard First Timer | Building trust from scratch | Offer letter or recent pay stubs | | Second Chance Renter | Showing you're stable now | 60+ days of bank statements | ## How long it takes and what it costs How fast a leasing office answers depends on the property and how complete your file is. Plan on two to three times the monthly rent in cash to cover move-in costs. You'll pay a lot more up front than just the first month of rent. You'll need some cash saved to move in. Here's what to budget for a Texas apartment right now: - **Application fee:** Expect $50 to $85 per applicant. Under Texas Property Code Section 92.351, you don't get these fees back. - **Administrative fee:** This often runs about $100 to $250. Some properties collect it with the application and others at lease signing. - **Security deposit:** With a clean file, you'll usually pay one full month of rent. With thin or bad credit, it's often 1.5 times the rent. - **First month’s rent:** The property may want all of it up front, or charge only for the days left in your move-in month. - **Utility deposits:** These depend on your metro. In Austin, a new [Austin Energy account](https://coautilities.com/wps/wcm/connect/occ/coa/util/support/utility-service/fees-res) comes with a standard $200 deposit, and AutoPay plus paperless billing or a letter from your current utility can get it waived. In San Antonio, [CPS Energy](https://www.cpsenergy.com/content/dam/corporate/en/Documents/Customer_Terms_and_Conditions_FINAL_%28Board_Approved%29.pdf) can ask for about two months of the estimated bill, and a year of on time payments with another utility can get it put off. In Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth, you pick a retail electric provider, and [state rules](https://www.puc.texas.gov/agency/rulesnlaws/subrules/electric/25.478/Default.aspx) cap its deposit at one-fifth of your estimated yearly bill or two months of estimated bills, whichever is more. All in, moving in usually takes a few thousand dollars, depending on the rent. Save that much before you start applying. Having the cash ready keeps move-in day from turning into a scramble. ## Where to start Good places to start are workforce housing communities, complexes near campus, and properties in the middle of the market. We focus our searches on landlords who are fine with unusual backgrounds. Most first timers and second chance applicants do well at these kinds of places: - **Workforce housing communities:** Look at midrange suburbs around each metro, not just the urban core. - **Communities near campus:** Properties near big college campuses often have a set process for applicants with little credit, since so many of their renters are signing a first lease. - **Midrange garden style properties:** Older complexes in every metro often have a person review your file instead of strict corporate software. Skip Class A downtown high rises and big luxury communities for your first lease. Their corporate screening is usually much stricter. We've seen it plenty: an automatic rejection at a luxury building just burns your nonrefundable application fee. Start where management actually wants to approve you. ## Common mistakes first timers make The most common mistakes are applying for units your income can't support and leaving out documents. Either one can get you an instant denial and a lost application fee. We want you to skip the traps that cost renters time and money. The biggest mistake is applying blind without checking what the property requires. Watch out for these: - **Applying above your means:** Don't apply for a unit if the rent is more than your proven income can cover. - **Skipping the extra documents:** Don't assume the basic application is enough on its own. - **Ignoring the fine print:** Always ask about pet rules, parking fees, and guest policies before you sign the lease. - **Underestimating the total budget:** Count utility deposits, internet, and renter’s insurance. - **Picking the pool over the commute:** Don't choose a place just for the pool. Check your daily drive and how noisy the area is first. [Texas law](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PR/htm/PR.92.htm#92.3515) says landlords have to let you see their written screening rules when they hand you an application. Always ask to see them first. If they require a 650 credit score and you have a 520, don't apply. We walk clients through this all week. When you're ready, [tell us your situation](/get-my-list/), and we'll look for apartments in your Texas metro that work with no rental history. Within 24 to 48 hours on weekdays, we'll send you a short list of flexible communities that fit. It's free, with no obligation. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can I rent in Texas with no rental history at all? Yes, often. Many Texas communities accept first time renters who can show steady income, bring a co-signer, or pay a slightly higher deposit. The easiest places for first timers are workforce housing properties and communities near campus. ### Will I need a co-signer? Sometimes, but not always. A co-signer makes a thin credit file stronger, but you may not need one, especially if your income is well over 3x the rent. We'll tell you, community by community, whether one really helps. ### What should I prepare as a first time renter? A photo ID, proof of income (pay stubs, offer letter, or bank statements), and at least one solid reference. That can be a current employer, a school administrator, or someone who can vouch for you. Some communities ask for references from people you've lived with before, like parents or roommates. ### Want a short list of apartments that fit your file? Our licensed Texas locators check your file against each community's written screening rules in Austin, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio. We work with every credit score, including under 500. It's 100% free. [Get My Free List](/get-my-list/) ### Related Service [First Time & No Rental History Apartment Locating](/first-time-renter-apartments/) We help you find a Texas apartment for free when you have no rental or credit history yet. Our TREC licensed agents have over 30 years of combined real estate experience. ### Related Guides - [Renting Without US Credit History in Texas](/guide/apartments-for-new-to-the-us-renters-without-credit-file/) - [Renting Your First Apartment With No Credit](/guide/renting-your-first-apartment-in-austin-with-no-credit/)