When I moved to San Francisco in 2001, there was a store front around Market and Church that was an agency with apartment listings printed out on the windows like a real estate office. They ran my credit check, made me a packet with copies of it for each landlord, and set me up with appointments to see three units, one of which I rented.

I think there was a fee in the $50 to $75 range, but it included the credit check and access to their listings.