Hi; I think questions like this have been asked a million times already but I'm really just trying to make sure I'm looking at the right things. I'm planning on moving to Brooklyn real soon, with the intent to be there from the first/second week of September, and then to find a more permanent apartment within my first month.

Questions:

• Is that a reasonable timeframe? Should I actually airbnb for, say, half that time? I assume that property moves fast but also I'm not super familiar with the neighborhoods.
• For that first place, I'd assumed I'd take an airbnb. Prices to rent an airbnb for a month seem extortionate, at least if I want the place to myself (I work remote, so I'd at least want the privacy to join meetings even in a shared spot). Are there better options than airbnb (that aren't also sketchy options)?
• To locate an apartment in that time: I'm aware of padmapper/CL, streeteasy, triplemint. Where else should I be looking? My preference is to spend less than $3k/mo on rent; I'd like to avoid broker's fees and to find a place directly, but I'd pay a (reasonable) fee for somebody to do the hunting for me or with me. (Do listings deliberately take bad photos to make reading the listings a soul-crushing experience?)
• If I'm going the broker route, should I be willing instead to pay somebody to find good listings before I arrive, so that I can go looking in week 1?

Thoughts and pointers on how to get started are appreciated. Thanks!