Why do these companies feel like they need to charge so much, especially upfront?

We're hoping to rent a unit to an employee of a company- Basically, the company is assuming the costs of the rental and paying for it for their employee to stay in it.

If it were me, I would go after listings with big, national management companies. 

In the event you were to proceed with what you are suggesting & there is a claim brought by a plaintiffs attorney, they will likely bring both the management company and the deed holder in as defendants making the litigation more complexed for you, the defendant. 

His company is Bullseye Real Estate We've used him mostly for small scale repairs, i.e. build a bathroom, repair the roofing, patch drywall, paint, kitchen install, masonry repair (front steps) etc.

If you haven't caught up, here's the tl;dr - I acquired a bunch of properties last year with a turn key company called Own It Detroit.

Thus, I want to work with each specialized company separately. 

Do I start a landscaping company? 

My wife and I both grew up in the area where the rentals are, and now are looking for suggestions for property management companies.

Anyone have a recommendation for a STR PM company in Joshua Tree?