We don’t send you endless listings — we match you with communities that truly fit your needs.
Why Choose Us?
✔ Local market experts — not a national listing site
✔ 20+ years of combined real estate experience
✔ Daily conversations with Austin leasing offices
✔ Live pricing, verified availability & exclusive move-in specials
✔ Pre-qualification to reduce application denials
✔ 1-on-1 expert support, every step of the way
✔ 100% free service — your rent stays the same
Service Areas: Austin and Beyond
We work with renters across the entire Austin area not just the city center. Our service covers:
- Central Austin (Downtown, Rainey St, SoCo, SoLa, East Riverside and Mueller)
- East Austin (Govalle, East 6th, East Cesar Chavez St, Manor Rd, Airport Blvd and Springdale Rd)
- South Austin (Oakhill, Sunset Valley, Stassney Ln, William Cannon Dr, Slaughter Ln, Southpark Meadows, Onion Creek and Easton Park )
- North Austin (The Domain, North Burnet Rd, Far West, Arboretum, Lakeline Station, Wells Branch and Tech Ridge)
- West Austin (Tarrytown, Westlake, Southwest Pkwy, Barton Creek, Four Points and Steiner Ranch)
- Surrounding suburbs: Round Rock, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Leander, Cedar Park, Buda, Kyle, Del Valle, Manor, Lakeway, Bee Cave, and more.
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…whatever 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 No more scrolling through outdated listings or losing application fees on places that were already leased.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.
What You Get Access To
- Access every listing in Austin — not just what’s on the big sites. Communities competing this hard for renters don’t always advertise their best concessions publicly. Your locator sees what you won’t. We maintain membership at the Austin Board of Realtors (License
#679806), which gives us direct access to condos, townhomes, duplexes, and private rentals through the Austin MLS. Most 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 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 Austin area. You’re not getting a call center or an algorithm that sends you wherever pays the most. 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.
- Save hours of research and avoid costly application mistakes. We start with a phone call to figure out what actually matters to you – and if you don’t have time for a call, we can text instead. Neighborhoods, commute, budget, dealbreakers. Third-floor walkup? No in-unit washer/dryer? Hard no on cockroaches? We need to know that stuff upfront. 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.
Before You Start Searching
- 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 track 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 offers that may never hit Zillow or Apartments.com. Employer discounts you didn’t know existed. Four weeks free. Eight weeks free. Some places are running 10–12 weeks free right now. A few even throw in Visa gift cards after move-in. We catch those before they expire or change.
- Eviction, broken lease, or bad credit? Don’t count yourself out. We work with renters in every situation whether you have property debt, past evictions or a low credit score. Here’s what most people get wrong: the amount you owe and the age of the incident matter more than the label on your record. We know which communities take second chance renters, what their screening thresholds actually look like, and what it takes to get you approved.
Are you still paying too 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%.
The reason: nearly 75,000 new apartments have been delivered since 2023, and communities are competing hard for leases. Two-thirds of Austin complexes are running concessions right now. Many Class A and B properties are handing out 1–3 months of free rent, waiving app and admin fees, and throwing in Visa gift cards.
That’s real savings—but figuring out which deals actually make sense for your budget and situation takes time. We track these concessions daily across hundreds of Austin communities. Compare what you’re paying now to what you could be paying. Give us a call 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 a 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 hundreds of communities across the Austin metro, and as a team we’ve placed renters across just as many apartments. Which management companies require 650 credit and which ones work with 550? Which properties run 7-year background checks and which stop at 3? We know. And 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 1x, 2x, or 2.5x. For renters with an eviction, broken lease, or property debt, some offer approvals by using a third-party cosigner service or conditional approvals with increased deposits if credit is the only issue. Some use a 2 or 5 year lookback if you have no property debt. Others approve with conditions if the debt is older than 2 years. 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 ~ $1,215/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.
That’s what a locator does that a listing site can’t.
Every Renter Benefits — Here’s How
Clean profile, strong credit? We find the communities with the largest rent reductions. We calculate your net effective rent on your top picks so you’re comparing what you’ll actually pay over the full lease, not just the number on the listing. Some Austin communities also discount rent up to 3% or credit back your app/admin fee through employer discounts you might not know you qualify for. Add in utility setup and local mover referrals, and you’re not just finding a place. You’re walking in with the best deal attached to it.
Credit, rental, or background concerns? You don’t need to stress and go at this alone. We work with all types of credit, rental history and background issues. Your available inventory might drop from basically the entire market to a few hundred or a lot fewer depending on your preferred locations. 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? You have access to MLS listings so you can view condos, duplexes, and homes across Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Leander, Buda, Kyle, Bee Cave, and Lakeway.
Ready to start? Tell us what you’re looking for
Click the “Get Started Now” button below and fill out a short form or call us at 512-320-4599. If you need language assistance or accessibility accommodations during your search just let us know and we’ll make it work. Tell us your budget, preferred neighborhoods, move-in timeline, and anything in your screening history we should know about. While we try to send out your personalized apartment list the same day in some cases it may take 24-48 hours to get you 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 nothing we send fits you walk away owing us nothing.
We’re licensed agents brokered by Spirit Real Estate Group, with over six years in the Austin market. And we don’t disappear after you sign the lease; we help with utility setup and connect you with local movers, renter’s insurance and internet/cable providers to make the transition easier.
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 real estate agent, Ross built this business on straight talk and knowing the market inside and out. No runaround, no upsell, no wasted time.
You get honest guidance from someone who’s walked hundreds of properties and knows which ones are worth your application fee. That’s it. That’s the service.
Veteran Owned
If you’re active duty, retired or a veteran and work with us, list Ross Quade – Spirit Real Estate as your Locator Referral on your application or lease. We’ll donate $50 to a local charity of your choice after you move-in. Five options to pick from and completely your call. It’s a small way to give back in your honor.
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