How to apply

Application Steps

Applying for a home doesn't have to be tricky or time-consuming. Follow these simple steps to get into your new home in no time.

Find your Dream Home

You can search for a home by street address, city, or zip code. If you already know the specific home address, you can type it in directly to the search bar.

Tour Your Home

If you haven’t toured your future home yet, schedule a self-tour before signing your lease to make sure it is the perfect fit.

If the home is not currently available to tour (as indicated on the listing on our website), don’t worry—you can still apply. Once your application is approved, we will notify you as soon as the home is ready and available for a tour.

Please note, a home that is “available soon” is either still being enjoyed by a resident or undergoing final preparations to ensure it is move-in ready. We kindly ask that you do not visit the home until our Leasing Team contacts you to confirm it is available to tour.

Apply for Your Home

Once you find the home you love on our website, click on the “Apply Now” button to log in using your Main Street Renewal account credentials or create a new account if you are a first-time user. Be sure to thoroughly review our qualification requirements before completing your application.

Complete Your Application

Our application process is entirely digital. While we don't have local leasing offices for paper applications, we are here to guide you every step of the way in your online application journey. If you get stuck or have questions, our support team is readily available to assist you.

Completing your application can take as little as 30 minutes if you have all the necessary information ready. To help you prepare, here are the details you will need as the primary leaseholder:

Tentative Move-In Date: Available move-in dates are typically between 5-21 calendar days from the current date. Some homes may have earlier or later dates available and will be reflected in the application when selecting your desired move-in date.
Length of Lease: We currently offer a 12-month lease term on all of our homes.
Basic Personal Information: This includes full legal name, phone number, email address, current address, date of birth, and SSN/ITIN.
Renters Insurance: We require renters insurance for all our homes. You can opt for our renter’s insurance policy when applying for your home or purchase your own from a third-party. Proof of renters insurance coverage from a third-party will be required prior to move-in. Learn more about our renters insurance policy requirements here.
Additional Resident(s): Primary leaseholders must add every adult (18 years and older) and minor (under 18 years of age) who will be living in the home with you on the application. All adults (18 years and older) will need to submit their own application. We will send them an invitation link to apply once you provide us with their email address and you submit your application. Each additional resident (18 years and older) will need to pay a non-refundable $50 application fee. Any residents under the age of 18 years old will also need to be added to the application and will not be required to pay an application fee.
Pet Policy: We love our furry friends and will need you to provide their information to us on your application! Information on our pet policy can be found here.
Emergency Contact: In case of an emergency during your residency, we require an emergency contact name and phone number.
Real Estate Agent Information (optional): If you worked with a real estate agent to find your new home, make sure to have their name, phone number, and email address handy so we can thank them for the referral!

Review and Submit Your Application

Double-check all the information in your application for accuracy and completeness. Multiple applications are often submitted for the same home, so ensure everything is correct to avoid delays and potentially losing out on your dream home. We will begin our review process once both the application is submitted and the non-refundable $50 application fee has been paid for all applicants 18 years and older.

Below is a breakdown of different application statuses that are shown on your application dashboard for you and any additional adult (18 years and older) resident(s):

Invited: This person has been sent an email invitation with a unique link to apply for the home.
Incomplete: The application is not yet submitted and/or the $50 application fee has not been paid.
Pending Review: The application is submitted and under review.
Not Approved: The applicant did not meet our qualification requirements. We cannot proceed with your application with this person living in the home with you.
Approved: The applicant is approved to live in the home.
Waiting to Sign: The applicant needs to sign the lease agreement.
Signed: The lease agreement has been signed by this applicant.

Verify Your Identity and Income

We will verify the identity of the primary leaseholder on the application by first asking a few questions from your credit file provided by TransUnion. Next, we will ask you to take a photo of your government issued ID and scan your face using a mobile device via Plaid, our trusted third-party service provider. To quickly approve your home, we use Bank Connect via Plaid to verify your income from the last 90 days. All leaseholders will be able to add their income into Plaid if needed to prove the required combined gross monthly household income of at least three times the monthly rent.*

*Subject to applicable law.

Watch for Your Approval

We process applications as quickly as possible. Check your email for updates on your application status or log in to your application dashboard for real-time progress. The application dashboard page will also show you the status of your overall household application and the status of your additional resident(s), if applicable. If additional documents are requested, provide them within 24 hours to avoid application cancellation.

To approve your application, we require 3 items:

Approved Applications for All Residents in Household: Ensure that you and all additional residents (18 years and older) complete and submit their applications.
Credit and Criminal Screening: All leaseholders will undergo credit and criminal screenings conducted by TransUnion. Criminal screenings ONLY will also be performed for all adult occupants (18 years and older).
Validate Identity and Income: We partner with our trusted third-party service provider, Plaid, for identity and income screenings. Only the primary leaseholder will need to validate their identity through Plaid. Additionally, the primary leaseholder and any additional leaseholders must provide proof of a combined monthly gross income of at least three times the monthly rent.* For more details on income requirements, please visit our qualification requirements page here.

*Subject to applicable law.

Sign and Pay

Homes for Immediate Move-In:

Once approved, a lease agreement will be sent to all leaseholders for signing via email from DocuSign. Full payment of the security deposit and move-in fees are required to secure your home. Your home remains marketed and available to others until we receive the full payment. After receiving your signed lease agreement and full payment, we will review and countersign the lease. The final copy of your executed lease will be sent to you via email from DocuSign and will be available in your Resident Portal.

Homes “Available Soon”:

Once approved, you’ll receive a Reservation Deposit Agreement, which requires a $500 reservation deposit*. When the lease is finalized, this $500 will be credited toward your move-in funds.

When the home is available to tour, our Leasing Team will notify you via email. From there, please follow these steps:

Complete a self-tour of the home within 2 business days of receiving the notification.
Electronically sign the lease via DocuSign within 3 business days of receiving notification.
Submit any remaining move-in funds and security deposit (minus the $500 reservation deposit credit) within 3 business days of receiving the notification.

If the home isn’t the right fit, don’t worry! We’ll refund your $500 deposit, and you’re welcome to explore other available properties through Main Street Renewal.

*If the lease is not executed within the 3 business days of notification, the reservation deposit will be automatically refunded to the Applicant(s) to the original form of payment. Payment will be refunded within five (5) to ten (10) business days depending on the Applicant’s bank. Applicant(s) will not receive a refund of any convenience fee that was charged when paying the Reservation Deposit.

Ready to apply?

Search for available homes to rent in your area.

Main Street Renewal is a licensed real estate brokerage.

We are focused on renovating and leasing homes across the country. We are proudly based in Austin, TX and have branches in 30 cities with more coming soon.

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