Timing of rental search?

Hey y’all.

I’ve read through a lot of the posts here advising which apartment complexes are great and those to avoid (super helpful, so thank you!).

I’m moving to South Bend in August, date flexible (and for the right rental, I’d consider paying July too if needed). I’ve lived in a bunch of major cities as well as rural areas, mostly in mixed income and multiracial neighborhoods. I’d ideally live in that sort of neighborhood, within walking distance of downtown, but I can live with a short drive as well. From my research so far it sounds like Near Northwest would be a good fit, or northeast.

I’d love to rent a small home or non-complex apartment (though I’m not ruling complexes out!). 1 or 2 bedrooms, ideally under 1400. Btw -Buying isn’t an option for a lot of reasons, including that I’ll only be here 2 years or so.

Here’s what I’m trying to figure out re SB rental market:

How long out are rentals usually posted from move in dates? I’ve lived in cities where they’re basically almost a year in advance and then in my current city you have to be in the flesh and ready to move within a week to get anything. If I’m aiming for a mid to late August move in, should I be searching now or should I expect a lot more to pop up in June/July?

Are most non-complex rentals that are either owner advertised or by management companies posted on places like Zillow, hot pads, or FB marketplace? Is there anywhere else I should look? Or is a lot of it signs posted locally?

Any advice, neighborhood recommendations, or leads are much appreciated! Thank you!