@Robert Zajac pretty sure BRB charges less than an 8% management fee, so just as @Nathan Gesner states, they are making up for being below the "industry standards" by charging more elsewhere.BE CAREFUL about PMCs that claim they don't charge a markup on maintenance - TIME IS ALWAYS MONEY!

The real estate investing industry uses "Classes" to rank property performance risk, but there's NO agreed upon industry model:(Here's what we use for our Metro Detroit market:Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

If there are pets in the unit take a pan from under the sink and fill it with water so there's something to drink.

With that in mind, you'd also have to make sure the land you'd buy has water and electric running to it already.

For example we replaced a water heater recently.

Utilities are OFTEN overlooked so reach out to power, telecom, gas (or go all electric), water, and sewer to make sure you understand what it would take to get separately metered services from the primary house.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

Switch over to a standard financial lending institution.  

Start with a standard offer, and write a contingency into it for electricity, all the below ground utilities, and then work your way to zoning, permitting etc.

When the tide does shift, you'll be cruising on Easy Street while the others are still getting in the water, adjusting their goggles, and warming up their muscles.