Weddingbee boards

We're in the midst of our third year in a row apartment hunting. The first year R and I lived apart, I had a roommate but she was moving from a different state and I had to do all the hunting myself. I ended up going through free services which was a huge mistake; they had a poor, overpriced selection. 

So the next year I just did online searches and knew more what I was looking for. We split the rent four ways (R & I pay half, my roommate from the year before and her boyfriend pay half) so we were able to get a really nice apartment in good neighborhood for a fairly reasonable rent. Plus, we signed early and got a month free pro-rated. 

This year is proving to be difficult. We're searching for a large studio or a moderately sized one bedroom with a dishwasher, air conditioning, and hardwood floors that is cat and dog friendly. I've Craigslisted the heck out of places, and only come up with three or four possibilities. We're looking in about four or five neighborhoods even though we love where we're currently at, just to broaden the possibilities. 

Any hidden tips for finding a gem in a city with sky-high rent prices? 

Thanks! I honestly hate moving at this point, because when I lived with my parents they moved us to 8 different houses. So at this point, I just want to settle down! But that's not conducive to our life yet, so it'll be awhile. 

My general problem is less with balancing out what makes an apartment a good deal, and more about finding places. Maybe our budget is just too low for our expectations, but I always have this feeling like there must be somewhere I'm not looking. I've written down phone numbers off for rent signs before, but I always find it much easier to weed through the ads online where they have all the information listed.