Income is the first gate
Most Dallas properties require 3x the monthly rent in gross monthly income. Some run 2.5x. A few run 2x.
That multiple is applied before anyone looks closely at a credit score, and it is the reason two renters with identical scores get different answers at the same building.
| Gross monthly income | Qualifies at 3x | At 2.5x | At 2x |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3,000 | $1,000 | $1,200 | $1,500 |
| $4,000 | $1,333 | $1,600 | $2,000 |
| $5,000 | $1,666 | $2,000 | $2,500 |
| $6,500 | $2,166 | $2,600 | $3,250 |
| $9,000 | $3,000 | $3,600 | $4,500 |
Dallas averaged $1,593 in rent in July 2026 (RentCafe/Yardi Matrix, verified July 2, 2026). At 3x that average needs roughly $4,780 a month gross. Knowing which properties run 2.5x instead moves the same household up a band, and that is a fact we track per property — it is one of the things a locator does that a listing site does not.
What counts as income
Gross, not net. Before tax.
Properties differ on what they will count and what documentation they will accept:
- W-2 employment — two to three recent paystubs, standard everywhere
- New job not yet started — a signed offer letter or employment agreement, accepted at many properties
- 1099, gig, and commission — tax returns, bank statements, or a profit-and-loss statement instead of paystubs
- Multiple earners — combined income against the multiple, with each adult screened separately
- Non-employment income — support payments, benefits, and similar; documentation requirements vary
The failure here is rarely the amount. It is the format. A property that wants two paystubs and receives a bank statement will ask again, and the application stalls. Renting with low credit covers how income offsets a thin or damaged file.
Where credit sits
Second, not first.
Once the multiple is cleared, properties look at a score, a file, and rental history. Score minimums vary and some properties do not publish one at all. What a low score usually triggers is not a denial but a condition: a higher deposit, a deposit alternative, a guarantor, or a conditional approval.
Screening runs through vendors — RentGrow, CoreLogic SafeRent, TransUnion SmartMove, RealPage, Experian RentBureau, and Contemporary Information Corp all operate in Dallas. The vendor does not decide; the property sets the thresholds inside the vendor’s system. That is why the same file gets different answers at two buildings using the same software.
We never see your report
There is no permissible purpose under the Fair Credit Reporting Act for an apartment locator to pull a consumer report. We do not obtain, request, receive, or store yours. Everything we do runs from what you tell us.
Where background sits
Third. Property policies vary and are usually written as a lookback window plus offense-class rules. Most Dallas properties apply a seven-year felony lookback; some review more recent convictions case by case. Misdemeanor drug possession and DUI/DWI are workable at a range of properties.
We state those policies factually. A record is not automatically disqualifying and it is not automatically fine — the offense class, its age, the disposition, and the specific property’s criteria decide it. See background-friendly locating for the detail.
What to do with this before you apply
Three numbers make the whole process cheaper:
- Your gross monthly income
- The multiple each target property runs
- The rent that gives you
Applications run $50 to $75 per adult and are not refundable. Working out those three first is what turns three applications into one.
Send us your income, target rent, move date, and anything on your credit, rental history, or background. We match it against tracked criteria and send back a list where the numbers already work.