Property Managers a rip off in Birmingham?

[Wade Alderson]

I have been looking off and on at property in Birmingham and my sisters best friend lives there. She swears up and down that property managers in Birmingham charge a flat fee of $300 and 20% of the rents. I have never heard of anything so absurd but a google search only takes you so far and Biggerpockets being a community I thought I would ask here first. 

Am I out of my mind to think of buying and renting out property in Birmingham AL 

[Jay Hinrichs]

depends on where the property is... I can say if its war zone I would want 50% of rent to manage it.

if its nice A and B class then 10% is standard  with 1/2 month or full month placement fee

15 to 20% mark up on repairs etc..

War zone props to me is asset management its not property management .the tenant base will kill you over time financially.