Other than Craigslist, where else can I search for apartments?

Try Padmapper! It takes listings from Craigslist and other sources, then maps them on Google Maps (or a reasonable facsimile). It can be a little glitchy, but the presentation is so much better than any single other source, that it’s worth being patient with it.

Apartments.com

The advertising section of your local newspaper.

Thanks for the responses!
@dappled_leaves Great link! I’ve spent too much time there tonight already!
@marinelife Good idea. I’ll have to check the big newspapers. The daily free one doesn’t have much.

Good luck! I hope you find something good. I know how hard it can be to find the right fit.

I used to ride my bike up and down every street in the neighborhoods I liked, looking for ‘For Rent’ signs.

It’s a lot faster than walking. And a lot easier for sign-reading than driving.

Some people still advertise in newspapers. You might try the local newspapers website.
Beware of craigslist ads. Some unsavory people scour obituaries and try to get you to send them money to rent homes they don’t own.
Many agencies work for small owners so unless you have awful credit and you want to convince someone with your charm and good looks that you will be a great resident don’t discount agencies. Agencies that specialize in small properties or single family homes might just be what you are looking for without knowing it.
In many cities rentals are listed with agents to get them leased but the owner does all the managing, especially owners with small portfolios.
Good luck and don’t forget to update us about how you finally find your new home!

@Judi I don’t know… I’ve been a renter for a lot of years, and I’ve had some bad experiences with agencies. They just don’t seem to respect their tenants as people. I’d rather deal directly with the building owner, and preferably if they live nearby.

I’m not sure how someone could scam someone out of money for a fake rental, unless the renter never actually visits the apartment. It’s hard to imagine that anyone could be that gullible – and I’m pretty sure @dxs is not!

@jaytkay That’s how I found the apartment I’m in now. ;)

My daughters MIL died and my daughter found her house on craigslist. It’s a common scam. They tell the person to drive by, that it will be available on a certain date. When we researched it we found that it happens a lot.

@Judi Crazy – a drive-by is not much of an inspection!

I’ve done this before: Run an ad in the paper or on Craigslist explaining what you’re looking for. Say you’ll pay someone $50 (or whatever) to help you find the ideal house to rent. List your specifications (pets allowed, all electric, 3 bedrooms or whatever). It’s the people who are about to move out or the landlord and who knows the details of their place and who will be calling you. Sometimes you’ll have a chance at getting the place even before they post it online or in a newspaper.

I made sure that it was clear I’d only pay if I ended up renting that particular house.

Just be sure to pay the folks who tipped you.

@dxs The large local newspaper ads should be available online for free.