He is recently divorced and has to sell his house, but he really doesn't want to move.

It will be the key to most businesses moving forward operating inside of the real estate investing space.

I accepted the 2.5 week wait because as a rookie I was worried I might not get someone else--the next day I had to turn down someone who would have moved in on our "available" date. 

Then move and rent out the townhouse.  

Ask him whether there's another explanation for it - and "company policy" doesn't cut it.If there's no reasonable cause for that fee, tell him you're not paying it. 

It seems like companies are competing and lowering down their skip tracing pricing.

In the past, I've done some out of state purchases [Memphis/Little Rock] through turnkey companies.

These companies have 50 year horizons.  

I agree with these possibilities, and unfortunately I hoped for a new approach in which I can work with them and grease the wheels to get the result I want, but you are basically just saying move on, which is easier in the end. 

You will want to, at a minimum, conduct pre-move-in, mid-term, and move-out inspections.