<human>: Can you provide a brief overview of the text?

Here's my story, any help at all would be greatly appreciated.  My fiancee (hey, look...) and I are moving to Los Angeles from Miami in June (or earlier if another position opens up.)  I have written down and contacted a few apartment complexes that fit our budget and I will be going in mid-March to check these places out and choose one to reserve for June.  The problem is I have been finding much better deals, not only better areas but better prices, on sites like Craigslist and Padmapper.  Now, since these tend to be landlords who have a place to rent out immediately, I know they won't be able to offer me a place to live in June if I go there in March.  Avoiding the take-a-chance-and-choose-a-place-solely-based-on-the-internet method, does anyone have any idea how we can move into a place that isn't part of a huge apartment complex?
<bot>: Moving cross-country soon, would like to rent a privately-owned condo/apartment rather than a unit in a large complex. Halp?