Ashton HarrisREALTOR® Coldwell Banker Apex, Realtors
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Leasing & rental investing in McKinney & North Texas From an agent who's a landlord too.

Renting, leasing out your home or buying a rental: I know what each side of the table needs.

Find your side Text me
  • 80+five-star Google reviews
  • Licensedsince 2017
  • 100+home leases
  • Multi-yearD Magazine Top Residential Real Estate Producer
Ashton on a phone call, seated on a stone patio

Renting

Renting a home.

I'll help you find it, check it out and sign a lease you understand.

Homes for lease at $2,300 a month and up. I don't currently help with apartments. Ready to rent? Looking at $4,000 and up? See luxury leases and this month's luxury lease numbers.

How I help.

  1. Tell me what you need.Budget, timing, areas and pets. I listen before I search.
  2. I vet every home and landlord.Before you pay a dime, I check who actually owns it.
  3. I prep your application early.So you're ready the day you find it.
  4. I negotiate more than rent.Move-in date, pets, the job-transfer clause. Then I read the lease with you.

Will I qualify?

Many landlords look for monthly income of about 3 times the rent.

Representative example: on $2,400 a month in rent, a landlord may look for $7,200 a month in income, 3 times the rent.

Representative exampleEach property's written criteria rule.

Go deeper: run your own numbers

Approval Meter

A common benchmark: monthly income of 3 times the rent

Each property's written criteria rule.

Spot a rental scam.

Scams copy real homes. The FTC's warning signs:

  1. Money before you see the place.
  2. Payment only by wire, gift card or crypto.
  3. An owner who's out of the country and can't show it.
  4. Rent far below everything nearby.
  5. An owner whose name doesn't match county records.

Source: FTC, checked October 2026.

Moving here from out of town?

I'll tour it for you, on video.

Then I tell you what I found. Leases of 12 months or longer.

Plan the lease dates

  1. 45days outTour
  2. 30days outApply
  3. 14days outSign
  4. 0move-in dayHome

Planning estimates.

McKinney or Melissa, and Texas taxes Luxury homes for lease by city
Go deeper: plan it with your date

Move Planner

Tour about 45 days out, apply 30 days out, sign by 14 days out. Planning estimates.

Ready to rent?

I take on a limited number of leases at a time so every client gets my full attention: homes (not apartments) renting at $2,300 a month and up, on 12-month leases or longer, moving within 45 days. Outside that? I'll connect you with a leasing specialist I trust. Looking at $4,000 and up? I start as early as 120 days out, leases from 6 to 12+ months work, and luxury leases have their own page.

Lease length
Areas optional
Pets optional

Assistance animals aren't pets. You don't need to list them here.

Moving here for work? optional
Do you expect to meet typical landlord criteria: income about 3 times the rent, credit and rental history?

Each landlord sets its own written criteria and makes the decision. Check yours

Working with another agent?
Ready to sign a representation agreement before we tour?
Best way to reach you

Same questions for everyone. Fair Housing, always. · Privacy · Information About Brokerage Services

What does it cost me?

It's negotiable. Your representation agreement sets any amount you owe.

Go deeper: compensation and the Information About Brokerage Services notice

A landlord may offer compensation toward tenant representation. We review your representation agreement together before you commit, so you know any amount you'd owe.

Some build-to-rent communities have their own rules. If one asks for something different, I'll tell you upfront, before we apply.

Leases of a year or longer come with the Information About Brokerage Services notice at our first real conversation about a property.

“He helped us find our perfect rental home and made the entire process smooth and stress-free.”

Lorri Nottingham, Google review, February 2026
Read the whole review

“Ashton was absolutely amazing to work with! He helped us find our perfect rental home and made the entire process smooth and stress-free. From start to finish, everything was handled professionally and efficiently. We truly couldn't have asked for a better experience and are so grateful for his help. Highly recommend!”

A Google review, word for word. One of 80+ five-star Google reviews as of October 2026. Read on Google

Found one? Text me the link. I'll check it first.

Text me what you need Search homes

Leasing out my home

Leasing out your home.

I own rentals too. I'll price yours like it's mine.

Rent, HOA rules and what Texas requires: owner questions, answered. Leasing at $4,000 or more? Here's how I handle luxury homes.

Skip ahead

How I lease your home

From For Lease to leased.

  1. Priced from real lease comps.Homes like yours that actually leased nearby set the price.
  2. Marketed where renters look.Your home goes out where renters are searching.
  3. Screened by your written criteria.The same criteria for every applicant. You make the call.
  4. Leased right, with a move-in video.A clear lease, and a video of the home's condition on move-in day.

Why the price matters.

An empty month costs more than you'd think.

Representative example: 30 empty days on a $2,400 home costs $2,400, the same as leasing it for $200 a month less for a whole year.

Representative exampleOn a $2,400 home, each costs you $2,400.

Go deeper: run it with your rent

Vacancy Math

30 extra vacant days on a $2,400 home costs the same as leasing it $200/mo cheaper for a year.

Lease it or sell it?

Holding a low mortgage rate, or moving for a while? I'll run both paths with real numbers. Then you decide.

Run both paths with your numbers My seller guide

“We hired Ashton to find a tenant for our rental property.”

Sanket V, an owner, Google review, June 2024

The first line of the review, word for word. Read the reviews on Google

Go deeper: Texas landlord rules
Written criteria
Your written selection criteria go out with the application. If they didn't and you reject the applicant, the fee comes back. §92.3515
Late fees
In a written lease, reasonable, and only after rent is two full days late. In a building of four units or fewer, up to 12% of the rent counts as reasonable. §92.019
Deposits
Refunded within 30 days of move-out, with deductions itemized, once the tenant gives a written forwarding address. Normal wear and tear can't be deducted. §92.103, §92.104, §92.107
HOA rules
An HOA can restrict leasing, but can't require tenant approval, a tenant's credit report or their application. §209.016
Evictions
SB 38 rewrote eviction procedures, including the notice before filing, for suits filed on or after January 1, 2026. SB 38

Checked October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice.

Or use the rent opinion form

Built from lease comps in your community.

Leasing it, or weighing a sale? optional
Is it listed or managed by an agent or property manager right now?
Best way to reach you

Same questions for every owner. Fair Housing, always. · Privacy · Information About Brokerage Services

Get a rent price opinion Text me
Lease it or sell it? Run both paths with your numbers

Lease it or sell it?

Cash at closing if you sell now, against a year of leasing, and what happens if prices or rents dip.

Your own numbers. General information, not tax or legal advice.

Buying a rental

Buying a rental.

A great home isn't always a great rental.

If a deal only works when nothing goes wrong, it doesn't work.

  1. Send me the listing.Or the few you're weighing.
  2. I run the numbers.Cash flow, cap rate and six bad days.
  3. I tell you straight.Good deal, I'll help you win it. Bad deal, I'll walk you away from it.

Selling one rental to buy the next?

A 1031 exchange: 45 days to identify the next property and 180 days to close.

The clock starts when your sale closes. The 180 days end sooner if your tax return comes due first, unless you extend it.

Go deeper: the 1031 clock

1031 Clock

45 days to identify, 180 to close, or your tax return due date if that comes first.

Six bad days.

This rental pays you every month. Then six normal things go wrong.

Your rental

Representative example

$330,000 · 35% down · $2,950 rent

−$315a month, after all six

  1. Insurance up 25%−$58/mo
  2. Taxes up 10%−$48/mo
  3. One empty month a year−$246/mo
  4. Rate one point higher−$150/mo
  5. Rent 5% lower−$128/mo
  6. The AC dies−$7,500 once

The year−$11,278

As entered, it paid you $303 a month. That's why I run this before you buy.

Example assumptions: 7.5% rate on a 30-year loan, McKinney's 2025 tax rates with no homestead, $2,800 a year insurance, $50 a month HOA, 5% vacancy, 8% maintenance, no management fee.

Go deeper: put in your own deal

It opens on the example above. Type yours and it re-runs.

Deal Stress Test

Text me the listing and I'll run the cash flow, cap rate and six stress cases with you.

Found a listing? We'll run it together.

Book an investor call Text me a listing

Straight answers.

Who do you help with rentals?

I take on a limited number of leases at a time so every client gets my full attention: homes (not apartments) renting at $2,300 a month and up, on 12-month leases or longer, moving within 45 days. At $4,000 and up, I start as early as 120 days out, on leases from 6 to 12+ months. Outside that, I'll connect you with a leasing specialist I trust. Ready to rent?

Do you help with apartments?

Not currently. I help renters lease homes, not apartments or apartment communities.

Do you work for tenants and landlords?

Yes. If I'm ever on both sides of the same lease, Texas law requires each party's written consent first. My brokerage then acts as an intermediary, and I stay fair and impartial to both.

Source: Texas Occupations Code §1101.559 · Checked October 2026 · General information, not legal or tax advice.

What if my company moves me early?

Texas guarantees an early lease exit for personal reasons only in specific cases: family violence, certain sex offenses or stalking, military service, or the death of a sole tenant. A job transfer isn't one of them, so we negotiate that clause up front.

Source: Texas Property Code §92.016, §92.0161, §92.0162, §92.017 · Checked October 2026 · General information, not legal or tax advice.

Which lease terms do you negotiate?

Five that matter to both sides: a job-transfer exit (not guaranteed in Texas, so we ask for one up front), a renewal cap, the lease-end month, pets and assistance animals (assistance animals aren't pets), and who handles maintenance and how fast.

Job-transfer exit
Not guaranteed in Texas, so we ask for one up front. For an owner, a clear exit beats a surprise vacancy.
Renewal cap
A number a renter can plan around, and it keeps a good tenant for the owner.
Lease-end month
When it fits the renter's life, and when renters are looking for the owner.
Pets and assistance animals
Pet terms are negotiable. Assistance animals aren't pets: a service animal can't carry a pet fee or deposit, and other assistance animals are accommodation requests under fair housing law. §121.003
Maintenance response
Who to call and how fast. A named vendor protects the home.

Checked October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice.

What does a home lease cost around here?

It depends on the community, size, finishes and lot, so we compare what's listed right now. Before you pay an application fee, we'll review the landlord's written selection criteria, deposits, fees, and any pet restrictions. The landlord makes the approval decision. Looking at $4,000 and up? Luxury leases have their own page.

Do you handle short-term leases?

I focus on leases of 12 months or longer. At $4,000 a month and up, leases from 6 to 12+ months work, including a shorter one while you build, repair or relocate. Under 6 months, or under $4,000 for less than a year, I'll connect you with a leasing specialist I trust. Renting while you build or repair

What do landlords look for?

Each landlord sets written criteria, and Texas requires landlords to make them available with the application. Common grounds include income, rental history, credit and criminal history. I'll show you what landlords see before you apply.

When do I get my deposit back?

Within 30 days after you move out, once you've given the landlord your forwarding address in writing. Any deductions come with an itemized list, and normal wear and tear can't be deducted. Many leases also require 30 days' notice before you move out.

Who fixes things?

Your landlord must make a diligent effort to repair any condition that materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant, once you give notice the way your lease says, with your rent paid up. The law presumes 7 days is a reasonable time, and your lease covers other repairs.

Can I use my deposit as last month's rent?

No. Texas law bars it, and a tenant who does can owe three times the amount withheld.

Sources: Texas State Law Library, security deposits; Texas Attorney General, renters' rights; Texas State Law Library, repairs; Texas State Law Library, last month's rent; late fees (SB 1414); flood disclosure (SB 2349); rekeying (HB 2404); smoke alarms (HB 1168); selection criteria (HB 3101); HOA leasing (Property Code §209.016); EPA lead disclosure; TDHCA on assistance animals. Checked Oct. 27, 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice.

Fair Housing, Always.

Every renter, and every landlord, is protected under the Federal Fair Housing Act and the Texas Fair Housing Act.

I don't discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin, and I won't work with anyone who asks me to.

Go deeper: Texas notes

Texas law bars cities and counties from requiring landlords to accept federal housing vouchers, though they may still protect veterans' benefits. Ask me what applies to a specific property. Texas landlords follow Texas Property Code Chapter 92 (Residential Tenancies).

Treated unfairly in a housing transaction? File a complaint with HUD at hud.gov/fairhousing or the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division.

Y'all ready to talk?

Your next lease, a rental to list, or your first investment. And if a deal is bad, I'll walk you away from it.

Text me Book a call

Ashton Harris, REALTOR®

Coldwell Banker Apex, Realtors

Text or call (214) 714-0997 · ashharrishomes@gmail.com