In Lima you can use these main sources for renting and buying directly from the owner: urbania.pe, adondevivir.com, and craigslist peru.
Try to request directly to the owner for renting, it is less expensive and they care about their clients.

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My husband and I have lived in Peru on and off since 2007 and have rented in Lima, Punta Negra, Mancora, Cusco, and Urubamba.
To rent a decent apartment in Lima, the best thing to do is to walk around the neighborhoods you're interested in and note Se Alquila signs in the windows or balconies. Usually - but not always - these involve agents (more on those creatures later). Alternatively, you can buy El Comercio on Sundays and scour the classifieds in the neighborhoods you are interested in... NB: the online version of the El Comercio classifieds is not current. Only the printed version is useful for apartment hunting. You can often deal directly with the owner through the newspaper ads and it has the added advantage of being able to circle and cross out those you called. You will have to speak Spanish reasonably well to talk to the owners, or ask a friend to help.
Note: All contracts involve a deposit of some sort. Owners always want more... usually it is 2 months for every year of rental. This does NOT equate to the last two months rent. Usually you can negotiate for more advance rent and less deposit. The deposit is supposed to cover final bills and any breakages. NB: It cannot be emphasized enough that it is unlikely you will receive any of your deposit back, no matter how you scrambled to make the place in better shape than you found it, they will always complain, never give receipts and generally assume the deposit is theirs. Hence, it is useful to think in terms of adding the amount of the deposit to your total rent, and dividing by the number of months you are actually there, to come up with a more realistic budget.
Taxes: Renters are expected to pay the annual taxes which cover garbage, street cleaning, and sometimes water. Try to negotiate the taxes into the cost of your contract. They are due annually in January and can come as a surprise if you're not expecting them. Some owners will try to get you to pay the entire year, even if you move into their place in June. Beware and ask the cost.
Maintenance: Lima apartments come with a doorman. He is a useful person, especially the day guard, usually helps with groceries, even some handy work (which you have to negotiate and pay for). They are paid little, work 12 hour days seven days a week and appreciate tips for any extra help they do and at Christmas. Maintenance fees, which cover his salary and infra costs for the building such as elevator repairs etc. Smaller buildings have higher maintenance fees - which are not included in the rent and are paid separately by the tenant every month. This is done either in a bank account or directly to the guard. Make sure you get receipts for everything.
Other utilities are paid separately. Most can be paid on line if you have a local account, but beware of sending anyone else to pay them, even a friend. If you do send someone, get the official receipt that very day - the bill stamped 'paid' with the date. Otherwise you could get your power cut off, thinking your bill was paid when it wasn't.
If you want to buy some extra time, rent a furnished short term apartment while you're looking. In Lima it's all or nothing - furnished down to the blender (every Peruvian kitchen has one) or bare. It is expensive to start from scratch and also time consuming. Sometimes you can negotiate with the owner to include 'linea blanca' (appliances); which saves money, but if it's not there already, you'll usually end up with the cheaper and smaller variety. Note, electricity is expensive and clothes dryers are uncommon so when you're looking for a place to live, consider that you will need a place to hang laundry and that during Lima's winter it takes days to dry a pair of jeans.
If renting elsewhere, eg Cusco, Rueda de Negocios is published two and sometimes three times a week - all classifieds. Make sure you visit your potential home at all times of the day before signing a contract and ensure you know of any shared entrances ahead of time.
Anyone interested in knowing about the Sacred Valley, post with your contact info and I will write to you directly.
Kind regards,
Penelope

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