It's a pity the real estate agents didn't reply - but I've always been able to simply walk into a real estate office on arrival to set up a series of visits to properties available for rent.

The bank thing doesn't surprise me. The banking laws are so different between countries, I've never found any bank that can help you open an account in another country. But again, just go see the bank and ask about opening an account when you get there. They'll need documentation, but they're generally more than happy to open the account on the spot and let you bring in the paperwork later.
Cheers,
Bev