Gabrielle - you might try looking for PRIVATE owners of duplexes & apartments, rather than the large, corporate owned ones. You're less likely to get a pool, but you'll likely find better prices.
First, a note - I'm part owner of this company, so I'm obviously a little biased.
But Homerentalz has some great duplexes & small apartment complexes, and because they do NOT have on-site management, they're quite a bit cheaper. Studio apartments start at $350 with ALL BILLS PAID, nice houses with fenced yards start at $600 a month. They also have some nicer places, but they're generally below market average.
more