What type of transaction fees should I be looking to pay and is there a down payment required?

Maybe if you are doing several transactions a month they would look at it.

The stock market rises and drops daily (hourly). 

Government actions are THE cause of the dysfunction in the real estate market and why so few investors and homeowners are transacting.

Novo also integrates well with various business tools, which might streamline your operations.Business Credit Cards: If you’re looking for a solid credit card option, Capital One Spark Cash Plus offers unlimited 2% cashback and no foreign transaction fees.

Mistakes and miscommunication cost people money.I did ask him to explain his transaction,  not an uncommon request, but he has failed to answer it."

Would we see increased cross-border transactions and a surge in property investment opportunities?

You'll be tagging transactions throughout the year with categories that fit the Schedule E so when tax time comes (if you stay on top of it) every deposit and expenditure will already be categorized and it's quick to create the Schedule E and/or run P&L reports any time you need to.

They are a compulsory levy on a transaction for the benefit of the government.

It is up to the buyer to determine their own incentive and timeline, but if the agent feels like they are just wasting time and not going to get a transaction, the buyer is likely to be back-burnered since agents only get paid when a transaction occurs.