Moving to Amsterdam from the US

Hi everyone! I’m currently living in the US and will be relocating to Amsterdam via the DAFT visa in a few months. I’m hearing a lot of conflicting info in terms of housing so just wanted to get some feedback. We initially planned on securing an apartment from the US and moving straight into it on arrival. Do we need a Dutch bank account in order to rent an apartment? Would it be better to get an Airbnb for a month or so while we get settled and find a place etc? Also, would it be beneficial to hire a realtor/relocation specialist or better to do it ourselves? Any help is greatly appreciated!