The vendor reports; the property decides
That sentence explains most of what confuses renters about screening.
Screening vendors compile data and return a result formatted against criteria the property configured. They do not set the criteria. Two buildings using the same vendor can reach different conclusions on the same file, which is why background-friendly locating tracks criteria per management company rather than per vendor.
Who operates in Dallas
| Vendor | Commonly evaluates |
|---|---|
| RentGrow | Credit, criminal, eviction, rental history |
| CoreLogic SafeRent | Credit, criminal, eviction, scoring models |
| TransUnion SmartMove | Credit, criminal, eviction, income insights |
| RealPage | Integrated screening inside property management software |
| Experian RentBureau | Rental payment and collection history |
| Contemporary Information Corp | Background and tenant screening |
Which one you meet depends on the property’s software stack, not on your file.
What gets evaluated
Roughly in this order at most properties:
1. Income against the multiple. 3x rent at most Dallas properties, 2.5x at some, 2x at a few. This is the first gate, and it is applied before anything else is weighed closely. See income-first screening.
2. Rental history. Prior addresses, payment history, balances owed, eviction filings and judgments.
3. Credit. A score, a file, collections, charge-offs, bankruptcy. Frequently a threshold plus a set of conditions rather than a pass or fail.
4. Criminal history. Lookback window, offense class, disposition. Most Dallas properties use a seven-year felony lookback; some review case by case.
5. Identity and occupancy. Identity verification, occupancy limits, and whether all adults are screened.
Three outcomes, not two
Renters expect approve or deny. Most systems return three:
- Approved — standard terms
- Conditionally approved — approved with a higher deposit, a deposit alternative, a guarantor, or a reduced rent ceiling
- Denied
Conditional approval is common and frequently misread as a denial. If you get one, read what the condition actually is before deciding it is unaffordable.
We are never in this loop
We do not obtain, request, receive, or store your consumer report, screening file, or credit report. There is no permissible purpose under the Fair Credit Reporting Act for an apartment locator to pull one. Everything we do runs from what you tell us and from criteria we track ourselves.
Adverse action, and what to do with it
If a property denies you based in whole or in part on information in a consumer report, federal law requires it to give you an adverse action notice. The notice names the consumer reporting agency that supplied the information.
That matters because reports contain errors. An eviction case that was dismissed showing as a judgment. A collection belonging to someone with a similar name. A record that should have aged out.
The notice tells you which agency to dispute with, and the FCRA dispute process requires them to investigate. If you are denied and the reason surprises you, ask for the notice and read it before you apply anywhere else.
Timing
Most Dallas screenings return in 24 to 48 hours. Some properties run instant automated decisions.
What slows it down: manual review triggered by a rental history flag, a background item, non-standard income documentation, or a guarantor on the file. Manual review is not a denial. It is time, and knowing which properties run automated decisions matters when your move date is close.
What this means for how you apply
Applications cost $50 to $75 per adult and are not refundable. The screening result is largely predictable from three things you already know: your income, your rental history, and your record.
Send those to us. We match them against criteria we track, with dates, and send back properties where the numbers already fit. That is background-friendly locating, and it costs you nothing.