We don’t send you endless listings — we match you with communities that truly fit your needs.
We help renters who are:
✔ Relocating to Austin and need local guidance
✔ First-time renters who want the process simplified
✔ Luxury seekers and renters ready to upgrade
✔ Credit or rental challenges
✔ Urgent moves requiring fast approvals
✔ Deal hunters looking for the best pricing and concessions
✔ Renters who want 1-on-1 expert support
Our local advantage:
✔ Local market experts — not a national listing site
✔ Daily conversations with leasing offices
✔ Real knowledge of approval & screening criteria
✔ Live pricing, real availability & move-in specials
✔ Pre-qualification to reduce application denials
✔ 20+ years of combined real estate experience
✔ Focused on real results for Austin renters — not ad placements
Working with our Apartment Locating Service
Tell us what matters to you. Move-in date, budget, pets, commute, must-have amenities — the more specific you are, the better we can narrow things down. Need a dog friendly place with a yard in South Austin? A downtown high rise with a pool and skyline views? We’ve been doing this long enough that odds are we already know a few spots that fit.
One thing we always ask: be upfront about any credit or background concerns on the intake form. Broken lease, eviction, felony, low credit score… lwhatever it is, we’re not here to judge. We’re here to find you an apartment. But if we don’t know about it going in, we end up sending you to communities that’ll deny your application and cost you real money in fees you won’t get back. The more upfront you are, the faster we get you into the right place.
We do the homework so you don’t have to. No more scrolling through outdated listings or losing application fees on places that were already leased. No more voicemails that never get returned. We build you a shortlist of communities that actually match your budget, location, and lifestyle — with verified availability, current pricing, and any move-in specials running that week. Every option we send is one we’d recommend to a friend.
Now comes the fun part. You pick the communities you want to see, and we handle the rest — scheduling tours, coordinating with leasing offices, and setting up in-person or video walkthroughs on your timeline. Walk the units. Check the water pressure. Ask the leasing team the hard questions. We’ll be right there to point out things you might not think to look for, like which floor plans actually get morning light or which buildings sit closest to the dumpster. When you’re ready to pull the trigger, we walk you through the application and make sure nothing catches you off guard at signing.
Why It Matters Who You Call
- Access every listing in Austin — not just what’s on the big sites. We work with apartment communities across the metro, and in a market where communities are competing this hard for renters, the best concessions don’t always get advertised publicly. Your apartment locator sees what you won’t. Ross is also a member of the Austin Board of Realtors (License
#679806), which gives us direct access to condos, townhomes, duplexes, and private rentals through the Austin MLS. Other locators don’t pay MLS dues so those listings aren’t on their radar. Found something on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or a property’s own site? Send it over. We’ll run a rent analysis on it to verify the actual price, lease terms, and screening requirements so you know exactly what you’re walking into. - Work with a team who knows this market firsthand. Led by Ross Quade, an Army veteran, and Austin resident who has toured hundreds of communities across the metro. You’re not getting a call center or an algorithm that sends you to whoever pays the most to advertise their community. You’re getting a local, licensed agent who knows which properties actually match your situation, and treats your search like it matters — because it does. A portion of every deal we close supports veteran organizations and military families.
- Save hours of research and avoid costly application mistakes. We start with a phone call to figure out what actually matters to you. Many of our clients want to discuss their preferred neighborhoods, commute times, budget and any dealbreakers – like a 3rd floor without an elevator or places overwhelmed with cockroaches. From there, we handle the legwork: pulling availability, checking screening requirements, scheduling tours, and coordinating directly with leasing offices. No more back-and-forth with outdated listings. You go straight to places that actually fit.
What Most Renters Don’t Know
- Our service is 100% free to you. No catch. Your rent stays the same whether you use us or go it alone. We get paid directly by the apartment community out of their marketing budget. It’s already baked into their costs, so using a locator never increases your rent. Same unit, same price whether you found it yourself or we did.
- We find move-in specials and concessions you won’t see on listing sites. Our tools pull real-time availability, pricing, and specials directly from communities across Austin — including deals that may never hit Zillow or Apartments.com. Employer discounts you didn’t know existed. Four weeks free rent. Eight weeks free. Some places are offering 10–12 weeks free right now! Some even have Visa gift cards after move-in. We catch those before they expire or change.
- If we do a good job, tell someone. Referrals are how we’ve built this business. If we helped you find the right place and made the process easier, send your friends, family, or coworkers our way. That means more to us than any five-star review — and we’ll take just as good care of them.
Are you still paying to much?
2026 is here, and Austin renters have more leverage than they’ve had in over a decade. Since mid-2022, average apartment rents have dropped more than 20% across the metro. Year-over-year? They’re still falling another 4–6%.
Here’s the reality. Nearly 75,000 new apartments have been delivered since 2023, and many communities are competing hard for you to sign a lease. Two-thirds of Austin apartment complexes are offering concessions right now with many Class A and B properties handing out 1–3 months of free rent, waiving app/admin fees, and even offering Visa gift cards.
That’s real money back in your pocket — but sorting through which deals make sense takes time. We track these concessions daily across 1,000+ Austin properties, and most of our clients budget and lifestyle needs are never one-size-fits-all. We’ll make sure you’re not leaving a dime on the table. Compare what you’re currently paying to what you could be paying in your new digs. Reach out today at 512-320-4599!
Why use an Apartment Locator in Austin?
You wouldn’t buy a house without an agent. Renting an apartment shouldn’t be any different. A buyer’s agent knows the inventory, negotiates on your behalf, and catches problems before the closing. That’s exactly what we do on the rental side.
We are group of dedicated real estate agents that specialize in apartment locating. Led by Ross Quade, a licensed Texas Realtor, and backed by a team that works with renters every single day across the Austin area. Ross has personally toured 500+ communities since 2019, and together we’ve placed renters across 1,000+ Austin properties. We know which management companies require 650 credit and which ones work with 550. Which properties run 7-year background checks and which stop at 3. If you’re looking for move-in specials, we know where the deals are this week.
And our service costs you nothing. Apartment communities pay us a referral fee from their existing marketing budget when you sign a lease. Your rent is the same whether you use us or apply directly on your own. Same application fee. Same deposit.
What We Do (That Zillow Can’t)
Match your profile to properties that will approve you. Some communities require 3x rent in income. Others accept 2.5x with a third-party guarantee or a conditional approval. Some will instantly decline any eviction on record. Others use a 5 year lookback and work with older filings. We know these thresholds because we’re in contact with leasing offices daily, not because we read a listing description online.
Pre-screen before you waste application fees. Fees run $50-150 per application. Non-refundable. Before you apply anywhere, we confirm the community fits your profile so you’re not burning money on auto-declines.
Calculate your real cost. Here’s an example: a property advertising $1,400/month with “2 months free” on a 14-month lease actually costs $1,200/month in net effective rent. Another property listed at $1,250 with no specials costs more over the lease term. Every option on the list we send clients gets the move-in special front and center so you know exactly what you’re getting.
Advocate during the application. If your credit took a hit two years ago but you’ve rebuilt your score, if your income comes from multiple sources, or if your background needs context — we talk to leasing offices and apartment owners directly. That conversation gets approvals that online submissions don’t.
Every Renter Benefits — Here’s How
Clean profile, strong credit? We find the best concessions running this week (4, 8, sometimes 10-12 weeks free rent) and calculate your net effective rent across multiple options so you’re comparing real numbers. Two-thirds of Austin communities are competing for your lease right now. That means negotiating power, but only if you know where to look. Plus, we coordinate utility setup, local mover referrals, and employer discounts you might not know you qualify for.
Credit, rental, or background concerns? Your available inventory drops from 1,000+ communities to maybe 200. Sometimes fewer. We know which ones work with your situation and which ones will decline you before your application fee clears. We’ve placed renters with broken leases, evictions, property debt, and bad credit — the key is knowing where to apply first.
Relocating from out of state? You can’t tour 10 communities in a weekend from 800 miles away. We narrow the list to 3-5 options based on your budget, commute, and screening profile so you can decide remotely with real information, not guesswork.
Need something beyond a professionally managed apartment? Ross’s real estate license and Austin Board of Realtors/Unlock MLS membership means we also work with private condos, duplexes, and homes across Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Leander, Buda, Kyle, Bee Cave, and Lakeway.
How It Works
Click the “Get Started” button below and fill out a short form or call us at 512-320-4599. Tell us your budget, your preferred neighborhoods, your move-in timeline, and anything in your screening history we should know about. Within 2-3 days, you get a shortlist of communities that match your criteria — with pricing, current specials, and honest pros and cons for each one. No contracts. No obligations. If you don’t like any of the options, you don’t owe us anything.
We’re licensed agents brokered by Spirit Real Estate Group, with 6+ years of Austin real estate experience behind every search. Referrals for local movers, renter’s insurance, and internet setup are part of the package too. The apartment search doesn’t end when you sign the lease.
Your Questions, Answered
Is your service really free?
Yes, our our apartment locating service is always 100% completely free for renters.
We are licensed Texas real estate agents, brokered by Spirit Real Estate. When you sign a lease at an apartment community we introduce you to, that property pays us a standard referral fee, so you never pay anything out of pocket.
There are no hidden fees, no memberships, and no consultation charges for apartment locating services. Our apartment research, matching and tour coordination are always free to you.
(Note: Privately owned rentals listed through MLS are handled separately and require a $250 Administrative Fee for private home rental guided tours.)
Can you help with bad credit, broken leases or evictions?
Yes, this is actually one of our main areas of focus.
Many of the renters we work with are not “perfect on paper.” Some have low credit scores, past evictions, broken leases, bankruptcies, or other real-life issues that affect applications.
While no company can promise approval, we do the legwork ahead of time. We research and talk with apartment communities in advance to find those that are more flexible with backgrounds like yours, before you spend money on application or admin fees.
Our goal is to give you honest, realistic options that improve your chances and help you avoid unnecessary denials.
Am I required to lease anything if I contact you?
No, there is absolutely no obligation.
You can use your custom apartment list as a simple guide, ask questions, compare communities, or even decide to stay where you are. There is never any pressure to submit an application or sign a lease.
If you choose to lease at one of the communities we recommend, you would list Ross Quade / Spirit Real Estate as your locator so the property can pay our referral fee and we can help advocate for you, but you are never locked in or required to move forward.
What happens after I submit the form?
Once you submit the form, Ross or a member of his team personally reviews your information. After that, our assistant, Grace, gives you a quick call to confirm what you need and when you plan to move. Based on that, we build a custom list of apartments that fit your situation, not a random selection from a generic database.
You set the pace for tours and next steps. We only move forward when you say you are ready, and there is never any pressure to apply or commit.
Why not just use Zillow or Apartments.com?
Most large apartment sites list every vacant unit, including those that would reject your application right away.
We work in a different way. Before we send you any listings, we pre-screen rental communities based on your exact credit profile, income, rental history, and current situation. You only see homes where you have a strong chance of getting approved, not dead ends or empty promises.
The payoff is simple: less wasted time, fewer application fees, and a lot less stress from start to finish.
Do you work for me or the apartments?
We always work for you, first and last.
Apartment communities pay our referral fee only after you sign a lease, but our commitment stays with you. We speak up for your interests, give clear and honest guidance, and suggest only the apartments that truly match your needs, not properties we are trying to push.
The Back Story – Short Version
As a Veteran and local Austin agent, Ross takes great pride in helping clients get the most out of their time and money.
You will receive a commitment to honesty and accessibility. Armed with local knowledge and a proven strategy, we ensure that you not only check all your boxes when searching for the right apartment but also enjoy a stress-free experience throughout the process. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we’re dedicated to making your apartment search a seamless and fulfilling journey.
Veteran Owned
If you’ve served, thank you. Work with us, list Ross Quade or Spirit Real Estate as your Locator Referral on your lease, and after you move in we’ll donate $50 to a local charity of your choice. Five options to pick from and completely your call. It’s a small way to give back in your honor.
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