How do I know if a property manager in Mexico is honest?

Distance is what makes this hard. You're trying to evaluate a relationship with someone who'll be operating an asset 2,000+ miles from where you live, and the wrong choice can quietly cost you 15–30% of your annual revenue plus deferred maintenance you won't see until you sell.

The vetting process that actually works:

**1. Ask for one real owner statement from a similar property.** Not a marketing one-pager — an actual September 2025 statement for a 2BR condo in your zone, with names redacted. You're looking for: gross revenue, channel fees, itemized expenses with receipts, hospedaje tax broken out as a separate line, photo documentation for any maintenance over a stated threshold. If they hesitate or send a "summary" instead, that's the answer.

**2. Ask who their vendors are.** A PM running 30+ properties has a list: AC techs, plumbers, electricians, deep-cleaners, landscapers. They should be able to send it to you. If the answer is "we have great people, we'll get you contacts when needed," they don't have a vetted list — they're booking ad-hoc and marking up.

**3. Ask about their repair approval workflow.** Threshold for owner pre-approval (something like: under $X auto-handled, over $X needs your sign-off). What proof comes with the repair (photo before/after, invoice from the vendor not the PM). How fast you'll see it on the next statement.

**4. Ask for 2–3 owner references with properties like yours.** Then actually call them. Ask: "What's the worst thing they've handled for you?" — owners who like their PM will have a war story with a good ending. Owners who don't will dodge or give vague positives.

**5. Read the contract.** A 30-day termination clause is standard and ethical. Lockup periods over 90 days are a red flag. Any clause that says you can't fire them without paying a penalty is a hard no.

**Red flags:** marketing-heavy first calls with no operational specifics, promises of "guaranteed X% occupancy," unwillingness to share vendor names, statements that hide expenses inside management fee, no mention of HOA or compliance work.