Hi @David J., as with most things in real estate, you can negotiate. The 8% of rents collected is reasonable, as is a one month's lease up fee. I would recommend that they cannot charge you that lease up fee more than once per year in case you have tenant move out early for whatever reason.
As for the renewal/extension fee, that is where I think you have an opportunity to ask for a reduced fee. Yes, it can seem like less work, and maybe they get a renewal after one phone call, but sometimes it takes our company months to get a resident to renew. And more importantly, the costs that you would incur with a move out such as repairs, lost rent, mortgage payments, etc would far outweigh the cost you would pay to renew even if you paid a full month's rent renewal fee.
The most important thing to look at is confirming that you are dealing with a reputable management company who can give you referrals and examples of properties they manage in the area. I would also ask (If you don't know) what the tenant market looks like for the house you have. Obviously, area economics will weigh heavily on minimum credit scores. Most renters are renters for a reason, so that factors in as well. If the house rents for $800/month, then it's probably going to be hard to find someone with a 700 credit score. If it rents for $2,500, then that's a different story.
