You are probably correct in thinking the .01btc fee minimum is a bit much with the price being where it is but using the trusted guys makes your transaction safer. Escrows also have to deal with alot of bullshit with most transactions. I personally have been involved in deals that take half a day or longer because 1 party logs off, then replies and other party is offline. It's just too much a mess to deal with half the time.
Monbux, SebastianJu, and a handful of others listed in the escrow thread(I am not searching the link) are the way to go in most cases. You can try to speak with 1 of them and ask for a lower fee.
**EDIT**
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=855778.0 To add to this... of the big 3, one says straight off the top .01 minimum. I get that, he doesn't have time to fuck with the bullshit.
I sent 2 PM's and sent PM's to the other 2 of the big 3 threads.
1 Never responded.
The other did with a .01 BTC fee.
Now, this transaction was for a mere $1375. Do you not think that .01 is insane on that amount?
In defense of all the others, I did not contact them, and they may be great. Shit I hope I can meet them. But of the BIG 3, I get the impression if its less than $10k, they don't have time or give a shit.
Scrap'