Do you make 3× the rent?
Most DFW communities want gross household income around 3× the monthly rent (some accept 2.5×). Application fees are non-refundable, so run the check before you pay one — it takes ten seconds and nothing leaves your phone.
If you're short of 3×, you have options
Roommates count. The requirement is usually household income across all leaseholders. Two incomes on one 2-bedroom application changes the math completely — a $1,328 two-bed needs about $3,984/month combined.
Ask about 2.5× and offer paperwork. Some communities flex the multiple with strong rental history, a larger deposit, or verifiable non-wage income (child support, benefits, steady gig income with bank statements). Bring documentation to the first conversation, not the appeal.
A denial is not the end of the road. If income, credit, or history has knocked you back before, the second-chance renting guide covers what actually works on the west side — including which questions to ask before applying so you never donate another app fee.
Sanity-check the budget direction too. The 3× rule is the landlord's floor, not your ceiling — how much rent you can afford runs the same math from your side of the table.
Gross or take-home income?
Gross — before taxes and deductions. That's the number on your offer letter or pay stub's top line, and it's what screening uses.
Does the weeks-free special change the income requirement?
Usually not: screening runs on the base rent, not the net-effective rent. One more reason the advertised special and the qualification math are separate conversations.
What about self-employment?
Expect to show 2 years of tax returns or 3–6 months of bank statements. Some communities average it; ask how they compute it before you apply.