2 Questions on Real Estate Agent Expectations

[Caleb Williams]

I am new to REI, devouring education over the past several months but could use some frame of reference on what expectations are reasonable for agents. I'll avoid the temptation to give my whole story but the potentially relevant reference point is: I aiming to buy out of state, but in my hometown (only 5 hours from me) where I have several family members to help out with various tasks requiring physical presence in addition to being there already several times a year to visit. While I PLENTY of questions about other items related, here is what I'm wondering now:

1) The agent I'm working with charges a initial $500 fee for clients buying investment properties. He said this is only required on the first purchase, and from the 2nd on, no extra charge. I'm assuming this is connected with the lower purchase price of investment properties, especially in a market where homes are already low in price generally (Ohio). Is this kind of fee normal? 

2) What is a reasonable amount of time for an agent to response and be available to show a home? For example, I just found a property today around lunchtime, contacted the agent at little after at 2:30 his time to show the home with my family member there, but he said he isn't available until tomorrow. Generally this seems totally reasonable, but realize that with most markets as hot as they are, that could be the difference between grabbing the property or not. In this case the property seems to cash flow easily, so I don't think it will last long. I imagine there is no simple, clean answer to this question, but it is something I don't remember being covered on the podcast or articles that much and I've only bought one home (the one I live in) before so haven't worked with many agents.