Beginner with a few questions - Agents and Property Managers

[Kevin Vincent]

Hi All, 

A few questions that came to mind in these early stages; I understand these questions don't have a right or wrong answer but I would like to hear the different opinions. 

1. Is it better to work with an investor friendly agent that is part of a large team who works with tens of other investors? Or an investor friendly agent who has a smaller pool of investors he/she works with? I feel like the more investors the agent works with the more competition I will have within my own "team."

2. Is it wise to work with the agent's GC, property manager, lender etc, or should I do my own due diligence on entities outside of their circle?

3. I've read that the average property manager fee is between 8%-10%. But is there also a fee for new tenant placement? I've seen property managers charge a full month's rent for tenant placement. In my mind that seems expensive. If I am only cash flowing on a property, (purely hypothetical) $200 a month, and my rent is $1000, after a year $2400 cash flow is almost cut in half just by the tenant placement fee. Is that the normal rate?

Any and all insight on these would be extremely helpful. Thank you!