Long-term rentals in McAllen and Edinburg: location checks and Texas landlord basics

McAllen and Edinburg sit at the center of Hidalgo County, and both have a steady mix of single-family homes, duplexes and small apartment buildings that investors consider for long-term rentals. Before you buy, it helps to know the location factors worth checking and the Texas landlord rules that will shape how you operate the property. This guide covers both, using information from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, the Texas Attorney General, the Texas Legislature and the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC).

Location factors to check in McAllen and Edinburg

Rental investors often start with what a property is close to. In Edinburg, one large landmark is the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), which has campuses in Edinburg and Brownsville. UTRGV reported a record first-day enrollment of 35,812 for the Fall 2025 semester, its sixth record year in a row and a 26 percent increase since the university opened in 2015. Enrollment is public information about a place, not a promise about rents or vacancy. Use it as one input alongside current rental listings, days on market and your own numbers.

Other location questions to answer for any McAllen or Edinburg property:

• How far is it from the main highways, the Edinburg campus, hospitals and clinics, shopping and employment centers?
• Is the home in a FEMA flood hazard area? FEMA's flood map can be searched by address at no cost, and the answer affects both insurance and the notice you must give tenants (more below).
• Is the property in a homeowners association with leasing rules, minimum lease terms or registration requirements? Ask for the association documents before your option period ends.
• What will property taxes be without a homestead exemption? Rentals aren't a principal residence, so they don't get the homestead exemption or the 10 percent homestead cap. See our guide to Hidalgo and Cameron County property taxes.

To compare the three main Hidalgo County cities side by side, read McAllen vs. Mission vs. Edinburg.

Texas landlord basics every Valley investor should know

Residential leases in Texas are governed largely by Chapter 92 of the Texas Property Code. The Texas Attorney General's renter's rights guide summarizes several rules that affect landlords directly.

Security deposits

The tenant must give you a forwarding address to receive the deposit back. You then have 30 days to return the deposit, minus any deductions for damages, and if you keep any part of it, you must give the tenant an itemized list of deductions describing the damage. A landlord can't refuse to return a deposit without a valid reason. A simple move-in condition report with dated photos makes this much easier at move-out.

Repairs

A landlord must repair conditions that materially affect a tenant's physical health or safety, unless the tenant, another occupant or a guest caused the problem outside of normal wear and tear. After a tenant gives proper written notice, the law presumes seven days is a reasonable time to make a diligent effort to repair. If a landlord doesn't act, the tenant may be able to end the lease, repair and deduct, or go to court. Justices of the peace can order repairs when the cost doesn't exceed $10,000. Budget for repairs and respond to written requests promptly.

Security devices and smoke alarms

With some exceptions, a rental must have security devices such as window latches, keyed deadbolts on exterior doors, sliding door pin locks and handle latches or security bars, and door viewers, installed at the landlord's expense. Landlords must also provide smoke alarms, and tenants can't waive that requirement. Check these items during your inspection so you can price them into your offer.

The flood notice, and what changed in 2025

Flood awareness matters across the Valley. Section 92.0135 of the Property Code requires a landlord to give a written notice saying whether the landlord is aware that the dwelling is in a 100-year floodplain, and a second notice if the landlord knows flooding has damaged the dwelling at least once in the five years before the lease. The notice also tells tenants that FEMA's flood map is free to search and that most renter's insurance doesn't cover flood losses.

Senate Bill 2349 took effect September 1, 2025. For leases signed or renewed on or after that date:

• The notice can be a paragraph in the lease, a lease addendum or a separate document given at or before signing, and both landlord and tenant must sign it.
• The notice isn't required for leases shorter than 30 days, or for a temporary lease tied to a sale where the buyer or seller occupies the home for no more than 90 days.

If a landlord fails to give the notice and the tenant suffers a substantial flood loss to personal property, the tenant may end the lease by written notice within 30 days of the loss. TREC publishes a Landlord's Floodplain and Flood Notice form that can be used to meet the requirement.

Tenant screening and fair housing

Fair housing laws govern how rentals are advertised and how applicants are screened, so ask your attorney which rules apply to your property. Use written screening criteria, such as income-to-rent ratio, rental history and credit standards, and apply them the same way to every applicant. Advertise the property and its features, not the kind of tenant you want.

Next steps

When you're ready to look at properties, start with our Rio Grande Valley home search, or contact us to talk through the areas and property types you're considering. This article is general information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Landlord-tenant law changes, so have a Texas attorney review your lease forms, and confirm insurance and tax questions with licensed professionals.

Keep reading

• South Padre Island Vacation Rental Taxes and Licensing

Sources

1. UTRGV Newsroom: The Best of 2025, record Fall 2025 enrollment
2. UTRGV 2024-2025 Annual Report
3. Texas Attorney General: Renter's Rights
4. Texas Legislature: SB 2349 (89th Legislature), enrolled version
5. Texas Property Code Section 92.0135, Notice for Dwelling Located in Floodplain
6. TREC: Landlord's Floodplain and Flood Notice