So i understand different regions handle escrow somewhat differently, different customs and regulations. 

The idea of driving for dollars in areas you're investing in, then having your own custom list seems like a great concept.3.Build relationships with real estate agents in your area--they will have lots of insight and might be able to steer deals towards you.Wish I had more, but I'm coming from a place of limited experience in this respect.

Landlords are the only people expected to not only discount their services, not only not charge for their services but PAY for their customers to live in their houses.

While landlords are made to provide their housing services to non paying customers, grocery stores are not required to provide non paying shoppers with food, and department stores are not required to provide clothing for free.

It’s the customer who pays the wages.

I can also tell you that getting customer service support is much better with Buildium vs AppFolio.

I can imagine if the vendor is rude to you (the customer) then imagine how they are with tenants.

Personally I think that would be a genius strategy, because I want to be a customer for that, seriously, can you get a place sorted for Yuma, say by August, lol.

The only way I could see a company being able to do it for 5% (which is a mere $25/mo on a $500/mo apartment) is #1 - Scale (have a lot of customers paying that small fee); and #2 - Provide extremely limited/barebones service (nothing in person, so no showing of property, essentially they'd just be a call center that a tenant could call when they have a repair request and then the company would in turn call/dispatch a repair company to handle it). 

About a dozen people piled on and all of them are non-customers, former customers that are upset they lost their deposit for failing to pay rent or trashing a rental, and one former employee.Because it was limited to a personal page, I didn't do anything except to take screen shots and add it to her file.