Where to live in Plano

Leases are typically twelve months and the market runs through Zillow, Apartments.com and the large complexes' own leasing portals — Plano is dominated by professionally managed apartment communities rather than small landlords. Texas Property Code chapter 92 governs, and it is a light-touch statute. There is no rent control in Plano and there cannot be, because Texas law bars a city from adopting it except where the governor has declared a housing emergency; a landlord may therefore raise the rent by any amount at renewal with proper notice. There is no statutory cap on the security deposit either. What chapter 92 does give you is a refund mechanism, and it has a condition attached that costs Texas tenants their deposits every year: the landlord must refund the deposit within 30 days after you surrender the property AND give a forwarding address in writing. No written forwarding address, no clock. The statute also provides a penalty where a landlord retains a deposit in bad faith, which is what makes the paper trail worth keeping.

1. 1

   Give the forwarding address in writing on move-out day

   This is the whole game. Under Texas Property Code chapter 92 the landlord's 30-day refund obligation runs from surrender of the property and the tenant's written forwarding address. Email it, keep the sent copy, and do it the day you hand back the keys rather than assuming the leasing office already has it from your application. A tenant who never gives one has no clock to enforce.

2. 2

   Expect no cap on the deposit, and read the whole fee sheet

   Texas sets no statutory maximum on a residential security deposit. Large Plano complexes typically ask something modest and then layer on non-refundable administration fees, application fees per adult, pet fees, pet rent, valet trash and 'amenity' charges. Ask for the total move-in figure and the total monthly figure in writing, because the advertised rent is routinely a hundred dollars or more below what you will actually pay.

3. 3

   Verify the school district against the exact street address

   Plano ISD, Frisco ISD and Lewisville ISD all serve parts of Plano and the boundaries do not follow the city limit or neighbourhood names. Plano ISD also splits secondary schooling across separate campuses in a way newcomers do not expect. Check with the district itself against the specific address, not with a listing site or a leasing agent — this is the most expensive avoidable error made in this city.

4. 4

   Fix the credit problem before you start viewing

   The large managed communities run automated screening and a newcomer with no US credit file reads worse than someone with a poor one. The workable answers are an employer offer letter, a co-signer, several months of rent paid in advance, or a higher deposit. Texas requires a landlord to make its tenant selection criteria available in writing — ask for them up front and you will know whether you can pass before you pay an application fee.

5. 5

   Sort the electricity retailer before the move-in date

   Plano is in the deregulated ERCOT market: Oncor delivers the power but you choose the retail provider, and nobody will do it for you. Use the Public Utility Commission's own comparison site, read the Electricity Facts Label at the usage you will actually consume, note the early-termination fee and diary the contract end date. Without a US credit file expect a refundable deposit, and the amount varies by provider — so shop that too.

6. 6

   Ask about covered parking, and price it against hail

   North Texas is one of the most hail-prone regions on earth and a single storm writes off vehicles in numbers. A garage or covered space is a directly calculable saving on comprehensive premiums and on your own deductible, which is why Plano complexes charge separately for it. It is usually negotiable and it is usually worth taking.