The short answer
In many cases, yes, you can rent a first apartment with no credit history. Many Texas communities may look at bank statements, an offer letter, savings or a cosigner in place of a score.
We’re the No Credit Check Apartment Team, a licensed real estate team brokered by Spirit Real Estate Group, LLC (TREC #562021). Between us we have more than 20 years in real estate, working with property managers across Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. We point renters with credit, eviction and record problems to communities whose criteria may fit them, and each property makes its own rental decision.
What that means for you
With no credit file, your paperwork has to show you can pay. Bring your last 2 to 3 months of bank statements, an offer letter or employment verification, and proof of savings.
If that isn't enough, a cosigner or a guarantor company can back your lease. Some communities are far more open to a thin credit file than others, and those are the ones we point you toward.
How Texas communities handle it
Texas property managers screen through a handful of companies, including TransUnion SmartMove, RealPage LeasingDesk, and AppFolio. Some check rent payment data from Experian RentBureau, and old apartment balances often show up through collection agencies like NCAC. Each one pulls up different information, and each management company reads it differently.
A denied application usually costs $50 to $75, and those fees stack up fast when you apply without knowing how a property screens.
For the longer version, see our page on no credit history or the related guides below.
What to do next
Don't know where to apply, or tired of paying fees just to get turned down? Don’t guess. Send us your situation and we’ll point you to Texas communities worth a look. It’s free to you; communities pay our referral fee out of their advertising budgets.
Related reading: no credit history · renting with bank statements and job verification