What I need: qualities, courtesies, gestures you appreciate in your dream contractor so I can include them in my SOP's (standard operating procedures) to be distributed to our employees.Thanks!

Have one lined up (so you talk to them and are comfortable with them) before you see the house.If you are interested in the house, have the attorney review the agreement of sale before you sign it (yes, even though it is a standard doc, the attorney will make sure you understand what you are giving away by checking those boxes.Easy deals should be ~$500, complex ones are more, this is something you should talk to the lawyer about,

I do think the practice has its positive points and can be very helpful in certain situations but it can be harmful when someone does not abide by ethical standards..... 

Also, keep in mind that the NJ standard for move out is "broom clean" which as far as I can tell is an uninformative and nearly meaningless term that gives you no information about removing grime from the kitchen bathrooms, cabinets and refrigerator.  

Salesperson—An individual holding either a standard or reciprocal license, who is employed by a broker to do one or more of the following:(iv) Negotiate a loan on real estate.

When even they can't find a way to hit value that complies with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), we go to...."

Set your standards and boundaries immediately.

@Joseph Berkey the cost went up to $600/linear foot of street frontage for the LTIC charge, or you can develop the sidewalks and street to the city's standards, with approved plans from an engineer, which the guy from Transportation said would cost about the same as paying the fee. 

More and more bank sellers are trying to play that game - as an agent and investor, I assure you that $500 is hardly worth the time to work a deal next door to my office or my house.Why not offer to make up the difference so that he earns that standard 3%?

Standard SFR homes with a listing agent involved though is where they seem to be less common or useful at times.