What Is an Apartment Locator? (And Why It's Free)

If you're new to Austin — or new to renting in general — you might not have heard of an apartment locator before. It's one of the best-kept secrets in the rental world, and it can save you a ton of time and stress. Here's the breakdown.

What Does an Apartment Locator Do?

An apartment locator is a licensed real estate professional who specializes in helping renters find apartments. Think of it like having a real estate agent, but for rentals. Here's what that looks like in practice:

• Understand your needs — budget, location preferences, must-have amenities, move-in timeline
• Research options — we have access to real-time availability, pricing, and specials that aren't always listed online
• Schedule tours — we coordinate and often join you on tours so you can compare properties efficiently
• Negotiate — we know which complexes are offering move-in specials and can help you get the best deal
• Handle paperwork — we guide you through the application process and help you avoid common pitfalls

Why Is It Free?

This is the question I get asked the most. Here's the simple answer: apartment complexes pay us, not you.

When you sign a lease at a complex, that property pays the locator a referral fee (usually a percentage of one month's rent). This means:

• You pay $0 for my services
• You get the same rent price as if you walked in on your own
• There are no hidden fees, no catch, no strings attached

Complexes are happy to pay locators because we bring them qualified tenants. It's a win-win-win.

How Is This Different from Searching on My Own?

You can absolutely search on your own using sites like Zillow, Apartments.com, or ApartmentFinder. But here's what a locator adds:

1. Access to specials — some move-in deals aren't advertised online. Locators know about them because we talk to leasing offices daily.
2. Time savings — instead of calling 15 complexes, you tell me what you want and I send you a curated list.
3. Local expertise — I live and work in Austin. I can tell you which neighborhoods match your lifestyle, which complexes have noise issues, and which ones are actually worth the price.
4. Application strategy — if your credit or rental history isn't perfect, I can steer you toward complexes with more flexible qualification criteria.

When Should You Contact a Locator?

Ideally, reach out 3–6 weeks before your move-in date. This gives us enough time to research, tour, and apply without rushing. That said, if you need something faster, I've helped people find apartments in as little as a few days.

Ready to Get Started?

I'm Alex Wilton, a licensed apartment locator with Relive Realty here in Austin. Whether you're relocating to Austin for the first time or just looking for your next place, I'd love to help — and it won't cost you anything.