Finding an apartment is miserable. You're gonna get the standard advice (and sort by "new"). I want to also add that I have a friend who moves states every few months and has had good luck with places like Sublet (.com) which might tide you over until you get to know neighborhoods. It is also is a huge help for her when it comes to making connections in the area. There are not a ton of postings here, but I've seen a handful and they are pretty affordable (700-800 due to many roommates).

Also, I would encourage you to be open to Feb options in case a particularly good option pops up. I was looking a few months out, but ended up renting a month earlier because I knew I found the best option. With low vacancy, I saw a lot of people getting desperate because they had to be somewhere and 30 days wasn't enough time-- it was really heartbreaking to see (group showings/ open house thimgs).