if you don't know where to start, etc, perhaps wise to go with a broker. you will pay 1-2 months worth of rent upfront, as a commish.

on the other hand, if you can not afford to or don't want to pay a commission, just try craiglist. go to new york craigslist, narrow your search down to manhattan, then upper west side. then further narrow to apts by owner (you can also try "broker no-fee", but in that case the fee is built-into the rent).

as of sunday, 10:15 pm EST, on craigslist there are at least 100-120 postings for rent by owners in UWS that are less than 24 hours old.

Inventory on the Upper West Side is generally tighter than in other areas of the city because this neighborhood is one of the most sought-after...so you can expect to pay more per square foot than in other areas. The nice apartments with the most amenities (generally investor-owned condos) usually have brokers and therefore you will pay a brokerage fee equal to 15% of the first year's rent. I specialize in the Upper West Side (I'm also a Trump Place broker specialist), check out some of my listings at http://www.elliman.com/gjm

Jennifer,
Indeed there are many lovely apartments available on the Upper West Side of Manhattan!
I would recomend you check out my blog where I have posted what it takes to rent an apartment in Manhattan. Where are you living now and how soon will you need an apartment?

There are lots of apartments for rent on the Upper West Side. Give me a call at 917-657-6532 or email me at rdaub@warburgrealty.com.