How do I find a reliable property manager for my Mexican condo from Canada?

Finding a reliable Mexican property manager from Canada requires active research and referral-based verification. The most effective approach: (1) Get referrals from other owners in your building or complex. The best signal is a property manager who has the endorsement of multiple owners in the same development — they know your property's specific HOA rules, maintenance contractors, and operating environment. Join the building's owner WhatsApp group or Facebook group (most Mexican resort condominiums have them) and ask for management recommendations. (2) Consult your Compass Abroad buyer's agent. A vetted buyer's agent who has facilitated multiple purchases in your market will have established relationships with property managers who have performed reliably for their clients over multiple years. This is one of the services a good buyer's agent provides that extends beyond the closing date. (3) Use expat Facebook groups and forums. Groups like 'Puerto Vallarta Expats,' 'Playa del Carmen Expats,' or Tulum-specific groups have active communities who evaluate and recommend (or warn against) property managers. Real-name recommendations from owners in your specific building are gold. (4) Interview at least three candidates. Ask each: How many properties do you currently manage? How long have you operated in this market? Can you provide 3 references from current owners in this building or complex? What is your complete fee schedule including all ancillary charges? Do you handle Tourism License renewal? Can I see a sample monthly financial statement? How do you handle maintenance — do you have relationships with licensed contractors? (5) Start with a 3-month trial agreement, not a 12-month commitment. A good manager will agree to this; one who insists on a long initial term without track record is a risk.

What red flags should I watch for when evaluating a foreign property manager?

Red flags that indicate a poor property manager: (1) Opaque or incomplete fee disclosure. If you have to ask repeatedly to get a complete fee schedule, the manager either has not documented their fees or is hiding ancillary charges. Legitimate managers have clear, written fee schedules available before engagement. (2) Developer or real estate agent affiliation without disclosure. A manager recommended by your developer or selling agent may be in a financial relationship with the referrer — receiving a referral kickback from management fees. This is not inherently wrong but must be disclosed. Ask explicitly whether the manager has a financial relationship with your developer or agent. (3) No references from owners in your specific building. References from owners in other buildings are weakly informative — the building-specific contractor relationships and HOA dynamics matter. (4) No sample monthly financial report. If a manager cannot produce a sample statement showing how they account for reservations, fees, and expenses, you cannot evaluate their reporting quality. (5) Excessive maintenance charges. Cross-check maintenance invoices against local market rates if you have access to a local contact. A manager who routinely charges double-market rates for repairs is generating income on your maintenance costs. (6) Guest communication entirely in a language you do not understand. You should receive forwarded guest communications (or at minimum a translated summary) so you can assess how guests are treated. (7) Management of owner holds (blocking dates for personal use). A manager who discourages personal use, charges fees for blocking your own calendar, or makes personal use administratively difficult may be prioritizing their fee income over your ownership rights.

What does a Mexican property manager's contract need to include to protect me as a Canadian owner?

A Mexican property management contract for a Canadian owner should include the following provisions: (1) Parties and property description — full legal names and addresses; fideicomiso number and address of the property. (2) Management services scope — explicitly list what is included: Airbnb listing management, pricing optimization, guest check-in, cleaning oversight, linen/towel management, maintenance coordination, HOA fee payment, fideicomiso fee payment, Tourism License maintenance, ISR tax compliance (or explicit exclusion if you handle separately). (3) Fee structure — complete enumeration of all charges: management percentage, per-reservation fees, cleaning management fees, maintenance markups, owner hold fees, inspection fees, reporting fees. (4) Maintenance authorization — the dollar threshold above which manager must obtain owner approval before proceeding with a repair. Recommend $300 USD. (5) Accounting and reporting — monthly statement due date; format; bank transfer of net income (specify CAD or USD account in Canada); receipt requirement for all expenses above $50 USD. (6) Owner access — your right to access the property on reasonable notice, and restrictions on the manager's right to deny access. (7) Termination — minimum notice period (recommend 60 days); what happens to confirmed reservations in the notice period (manager should honor them or transfer them to you); refund of any unused reserve fund. (8) Insurance — what insurance the manager carries; whether guest damage protection is included or separate. (9) Dispute resolution — governing law (should be Mexican law for local enforcement); arbitration vs litigation. (10) Language — contract should be executed in both English and Spanish; Spanish version governs for Mexican law purposes.

Should I use the developer's rental pool program or find an independent manager?

Developer-run rental pool programs are common in resort developments (particularly in Mexico and the Caribbean), and they represent a specific trade-off that Canadian buyers must evaluate explicitly. Developer rental pool advantages: (1) Zero management effort — the developer handles everything and transfers net income to you periodically. (2) Typically part of the pre-construction marketing package — unit is immediately in the rental program with an existing listing and booking history. (3) Economies of scale — the developer manages hundreds of units under one brand, potentially driving higher occupancy than individual management. Developer rental pool disadvantages: (1) The developer takes 40–50% of gross revenue rather than 20–30% for independent management — the pool fee is significantly higher because the developer is running a full hotel operation. (2) Your unit is interchangeable with others in the pool — you have no control over the priority given to your specific unit versus others. (3) Pool programs often restrict your personal use of the property to specific dates and maximum days per year. (4) You have no visibility into how bookings are attributed to your unit versus other units — transparency is limited. (5) If the developer's business deteriorates, the rental pool program may be mismanaged or discontinued. Independent management is almost always superior for owners who are willing to invest in finding a quality independent manager, are comfortable with hands-on monitoring of monthly statements, and will spend 1–2 weeks/year at the property. The independent manager cost of 20–30% versus the developer's 40–50% represents a 10–20 percentage point improvement in net yield — meaningful on any property.

How do I handle my property when it is not rented — who inspects it and pays the bills?

Vacancy management for a foreign property is often the aspect of property ownership that Canadian owners underplan. Between active rental seasons, your Mexican or Portuguese condo sits empty for weeks or months. The risks of unmanaged vacancy: (1) Undetected maintenance issues — a slow leak under the kitchen sink that was not caught in the first week becomes a $3,000 repair (and potential HOA claim from the unit below) if not caught for two months. (2) Utility bill delinquency — if your Mexican CFE or Portuguese EDP utility bill goes unpaid during vacancy, service is disconnected and reconnection requires in-person visits and fees. (3) HOA delinquency — most international condominiums assess monthly HOA fees regardless of occupancy; if unpaid for 3+ months, late fees, penalties, and in Mexico potential liens accumulate. (4) Pest issues — in tropical climates (Mexico, Costa Rica, Caribbean), a property that is not regularly aired and inspected becomes a site for pest infiltration. Solutions: (a) Your full-service property manager should include monthly vacancy inspections as part of their service — verify this explicitly in the contract. (b) If you are using a manager only during rental seasons and self-managing in off-season, arrange a local caretaker (a trusted local contact, a concierge service, or a trusted neighbor in the building) for monthly inspections at a flat fee ($100–$300 USD/month). (c) Set up automated payments for HOA fees, utilities, and fideicomiso fees through a local Mexican bank account or via your property manager's bill payment service — the manager collects money from your rental income float and pays bills on your behalf.

What specific things should I look for when inspecting property manager performance?

Monitoring property manager performance from Canada requires systems and metrics. What to track monthly: (1) Occupancy rate — what percentage of available days were rented? Cross-reference with AirDNA or similar tools to see market average occupancy in your building or area. If your manager's occupancy is 10+ percentage points below the market average, something is wrong with listing quality, pricing, or responsiveness. (2) Average daily rate (ADR) — what is your average revenue per rented night? Cross-check against comparable listings on Airbnb directly. If your ADR is systematically below comparable units, your manager may be pricing too conservatively. (3) Review scores — your Airbnb overall rating should be consistently 4.7+ stars. Ratings below 4.7 indicate guest experience issues. Read negative reviews carefully — they often reveal specific operational failures (slow check-in, uncleaned property, broken items not fixed). (4) Expense ratios — what are you spending on maintenance and cleaning as a percentage of revenue? Benchmark: cleaning costs 8–15% of gross revenue (depending on cleaning frequency and unit size), maintenance 1–3% of revenue in a well-maintained property, 4–8% if the property had deferred maintenance. Expenses significantly above benchmark suggest either the property needs major work or the manager is overcharging. (5) Response time to your communications — how quickly does the manager respond to your emails or WhatsApp messages? A manager who takes 2–3 days to respond to owner queries will certainly be slower with guest emergencies. Monthly review of these five metrics creates accountability and catches performance problems before they compound.

How do I find a reliable property manager for my Mexican condo from Canada?

Finding a reliable Mexican property manager from Canada requires active research and referral-based verification. The most effective approach: (1) Get referrals from other owners in your building or complex. The best signal is a property manager who has the endorsement of multiple owners in the same development — they know your property's specific HOA rules, maintenance contractors, and operating environment. Join the building's owner WhatsApp group or Facebook group (most Mexican resort condominiums have them) and ask for management recommendations. (2) Consult your Compass Abroad buyer's agent. A vetted buyer's agent who has facilitated multiple purchases in your market will have established relationships with property managers who have performed reliably for their clients over multiple years. This is one of the services a good buyer's agent provides that extends beyond the closing date. (3) Use expat Facebook groups and forums. Groups like 'Puerto Vallarta Expats,' 'Playa del Carmen Expats,' or Tulum-specific groups have active communities who evaluate and recommend (or warn against) property managers. Real-name recommendations from owners in your specific building are gold. (4) Interview at least three candidates. Ask each: How many properties do you currently manage? How long have you operated in this market? Can you provide 3 references from current owners in this building or complex? What is your complete fee schedule including all ancillary charges? Do you handle Tourism License renewal? Can I see a sample monthly financial statement? How do you handle maintenance — do you have relationships with licensed contractors? (5) Start with a 3-month trial agreement, not a 12-month commitment. A good manager will agree to this; one who insists on a long initial term without track record is a risk.

What red flags should I watch for when evaluating a foreign property manager?

Red flags that indicate a poor property manager: (1) Opaque or incomplete fee disclosure. If you have to ask repeatedly to get a complete fee schedule, the manager either has not documented their fees or is hiding ancillary charges. Legitimate managers have clear, written fee schedules available before engagement. (2) Developer or real estate agent affiliation without disclosure. A manager recommended by your developer or selling agent may be in a financial relationship with the referrer — receiving a referral kickback from management fees. This is not inherently wrong but must be disclosed. Ask explicitly whether the manager has a financial relationship with your developer or agent. (3) No references from owners in your specific building. References from owners in other buildings are weakly informative — the building-specific contractor relationships and HOA dynamics matter. (4) No sample monthly financial report. If a manager cannot produce a sample statement showing how they account for reservations, fees, and expenses, you cannot evaluate their reporting quality. (5) Excessive maintenance charges. Cross-check maintenance invoices against local market rates if you have access to a local contact. A manager who routinely charges double-market rates for repairs is generating income on your maintenance costs. (6) Guest communication entirely in a language you do not understand. You should receive forwarded guest communications (or at minimum a translated summary) so you can assess how guests are treated. (7) Management of owner holds (blocking dates for personal use). A manager who discourages personal use, charges fees for blocking your own calendar, or makes personal use administratively difficult may be prioritizing their fee income over your ownership rights.

What does a Mexican property manager's contract need to include to protect me as a Canadian owner?

A Mexican property management contract for a Canadian owner should include the following provisions: (1) Parties and property description — full legal names and addresses; fideicomiso number and address of the property. (2) Management services scope — explicitly list what is included: Airbnb listing management, pricing optimization, guest check-in, cleaning oversight, linen/towel management, maintenance coordination, HOA fee payment, fideicomiso fee payment, Tourism License maintenance, ISR tax compliance (or explicit exclusion if you handle separately). (3) Fee structure — complete enumeration of all charges: management percentage, per-reservation fees, cleaning management fees, maintenance markups, owner hold fees, inspection fees, reporting fees. (4) Maintenance authorization — the dollar threshold above which manager must obtain owner approval before proceeding with a repair. Recommend $300 USD. (5) Accounting and reporting — monthly statement due date; format; bank transfer of net income (specify CAD or USD account in Canada); receipt requirement for all expenses above $50 USD. (6) Owner access — your right to access the property on reasonable notice, and restrictions on the manager's right to deny access. (7) Termination — minimum notice period (recommend 60 days); what happens to confirmed reservations in the notice period (manager should honor them or transfer them to you); refund of any unused reserve fund. (8) Insurance — what insurance the manager carries; whether guest damage protection is included or separate. (9) Dispute resolution — governing law (should be Mexican law for local enforcement); arbitration vs litigation. (10) Language — contract should be executed in both English and Spanish; Spanish version governs for Mexican law purposes.

Should I use the developer's rental pool program or find an independent manager?

Developer-run rental pool programs are common in resort developments (particularly in Mexico and the Caribbean), and they represent a specific trade-off that Canadian buyers must evaluate explicitly. Developer rental pool advantages: (1) Zero management effort — the developer handles everything and transfers net income to you periodically. (2) Typically part of the pre-construction marketing package — unit is immediately in the rental program with an existing listing and booking history. (3) Economies of scale — the developer manages hundreds of units under one brand, potentially driving higher occupancy than individual management. Developer rental pool disadvantages: (1) The developer takes 40–50% of gross revenue rather than 20–30% for independent management — the pool fee is significantly higher because the developer is running a full hotel operation. (2) Your unit is interchangeable with others in the pool — you have no control over the priority given to your specific unit versus others. (3) Pool programs often restrict your personal use of the property to specific dates and maximum days per year. (4) You have no visibility into how bookings are attributed to your unit versus other units — transparency is limited. (5) If the developer's business deteriorates, the rental pool program may be mismanaged or discontinued. Independent management is almost always superior for owners who are willing to invest in finding a quality independent manager, are comfortable with hands-on monitoring of monthly statements, and will spend 1–2 weeks/year at the property. The independent manager cost of 20–30% versus the developer's 40–50% represents a 10–20 percentage point improvement in net yield — meaningful on any property.

How do I handle my property when it is not rented — who inspects it and pays the bills?

Vacancy management for a foreign property is often the aspect of property ownership that Canadian owners underplan. Between active rental seasons, your Mexican or Portuguese condo sits empty for weeks or months. The risks of unmanaged vacancy: (1) Undetected maintenance issues — a slow leak under the kitchen sink that was not caught in the first week becomes a $3,000 repair (and potential HOA claim from the unit below) if not caught for two months. (2) Utility bill delinquency — if your Mexican CFE or Portuguese EDP utility bill goes unpaid during vacancy, service is disconnected and reconnection requires in-person visits and fees. (3) HOA delinquency — most international condominiums assess monthly HOA fees regardless of occupancy; if unpaid for 3+ months, late fees, penalties, and in Mexico potential liens accumulate. (4) Pest issues — in tropical climates (Mexico, Costa Rica, Caribbean), a property that is not regularly aired and inspected becomes a site for pest infiltration. Solutions: (a) Your full-service property manager should include monthly vacancy inspections as part of their service — verify this explicitly in the contract. (b) If you are using a manager only during rental seasons and self-managing in off-season, arrange a local caretaker (a trusted local contact, a concierge service, or a trusted neighbor in the building) for monthly inspections at a flat fee ($100–$300 USD/month). (c) Set up automated payments for HOA fees, utilities, and fideicomiso fees through a local Mexican bank account or via your property manager's bill payment service — the manager collects money from your rental income float and pays bills on your behalf.

What specific things should I look for when inspecting property manager performance?

Monitoring property manager performance from Canada requires systems and metrics. What to track monthly: (1) Occupancy rate — what percentage of available days were rented? Cross-reference with AirDNA or similar tools to see market average occupancy in your building or area. If your manager's occupancy is 10+ percentage points below the market average, something is wrong with listing quality, pricing, or responsiveness. (2) Average daily rate (ADR) — what is your average revenue per rented night? Cross-check against comparable listings on Airbnb directly. If your ADR is systematically below comparable units, your manager may be pricing too conservatively. (3) Review scores — your Airbnb overall rating should be consistently 4.7+ stars. Ratings below 4.7 indicate guest experience issues. Read negative reviews carefully — they often reveal specific operational failures (slow check-in, uncleaned property, broken items not fixed). (4) Expense ratios — what are you spending on maintenance and cleaning as a percentage of revenue? Benchmark: cleaning costs 8–15% of gross revenue (depending on cleaning frequency and unit size), maintenance 1–3% of revenue in a well-maintained property, 4–8% if the property had deferred maintenance. Expenses significantly above benchmark suggest either the property needs major work or the manager is overcharging. (5) Response time to your communications — how quickly does the manager respond to your emails or WhatsApp messages? A manager who takes 2–3 days to respond to owner queries will certainly be slower with guest emergencies. Monthly review of these five metrics creates accountability and catches performance problems before they compound.

How to Find a Property Manager for Your Foreign Condo | Canadian Guide 2026

Reviewed on March 2026 by the Compass Abroad editorial team

For a foreign condo you rent short-term (Airbnb), expect to pay a property manager 20–30% of gross rental revenue plus ancillary charges. For a long-term rental, 8–15% of monthly rent. The management fee is the biggest variable in your net yield calculation — and the quality of your manager is the biggest determinant of your Airbnb performance. Get referrals from owners in the same building. Interview three candidates. Read the full contract, especially the ancillary fees and maintenance authorization threshold.

Different for each country: Mexico requires a manager who handles Tourism License renewal, ISR tax compliance, fideicomiso fees, and Spanish-language HOA coordination. Portugal requires AL license management and taxa turística remittance. Costa Rica is less institutionalized — ex-pat managers often work better for North American owners. Developer rental pool programs take 40–50% of gross revenue — always evaluate independent management first.

Key Takeaways

Property management for a foreign condo is not the same as Canadian long-term rental management. An international property manager handling a short-term rental (Airbnb/VRBO) property performs a fundamentally different service than a Canadian property manager who collects rent from a long-term tenant. The international STR manager: runs your Airbnb listing, handles dynamic pricing, communicates with guests in the local language and English 24/7, coordinates in-person check-ins or manages smart locks, oversees professional cleaning after every guest, manages linen and towels, handles maintenance emergencies, pays local utility bills and HOA fees from your rental income, files local STR tax returns, and provides monthly financial statements. This is an active hospitality management operation. The cost reflects it: 20–30% of gross rental revenue, significantly more than a Canadian long-term rental manager's 8–12%.
Finding a property manager for a foreign condo has the same trust-verification problem as finding a foreign realtor — you cannot easily verify quality from Canada, the local reference market is opaque, and the consequences of a bad choice (missing tax filings, poor guest experience damaging your Airbnb listing, maintenance deferred until costly) compound over time. The most reliable approach: get referrals from owners in the same building or complex. Visit in person during your initial purchase trip and interview at least three management companies before committing. Do not accept your developer's 'recommended' management company without independent verification — developer-affiliated managers may prioritize filling units in the development's rental pool over maximizing your individual property's performance.
The fee structure for foreign property management typically includes a percentage fee (20–30% of gross rental revenue for STR, or 8–15% of monthly rent for long-term rental) plus ancillary charges that significantly affect the effective cost. Common ancillary charges: per-reservation fee (typically $10–$25 per booking beyond the percentage), cleaning fee management markup (manager charges cost-plus or a flat management fee on top of the cleaning cost), maintenance markup (10–20% administrative fee on any repair arranged by the manager), vacancy inspection fees (charge for visiting the property when it is empty), owner hold fees (charge for blocking dates for your own use), and financial reporting fees. Always request a complete fee schedule — not just the headline percentage — before engaging a property manager.
For Mexico specifically, property managers must navigate: Airbnb ISR withholding and annual tax declarations, the 2024 Tourism Rental License renewal, condominium HOA fee payments, fideicomiso annual fee payments to the trust bank, and coordinate between the Canadian owner and local contractors who typically speak only Spanish. A quality Mexican property manager has established relationships with licensed electricians, plumbers, and contractors who respond quickly at fair prices — this relationship network is one of the most valuable things a manager provides. A bad manager uses every maintenance event as a billing opportunity by hiring expensive contractors and marking up labor.
In Portugal, property managers for Alojamento Local (AL) properties must handle: AL license renewal with municipal authorities, Turismo de Portugal registration updates, tourist tax (taxa turística) collection and remittance to the municipality, and coordination with Portugal's complex platform reporting requirements. Lisbon and Porto have different tax and reporting rules from Algarve municipalities. The best Portuguese property managers are either large AL management agencies (companies like Uniplaces, Oporto Home, Casas da Cidade) or individual operators who specialize in your specific municipality. Verify explicitly that your manager files the taxa turística remittances — failure to do so is a compliance issue for the property owner.
In Costa Rica, property management is less institutionalized than in Mexico or Portugal. Most Airbnb properties in Tamarindo, Nosara, and Manuel Antonio are managed by small local operators (often ex-pat Canadians or Americans who moved to Costa Rica and started a management business). The quality range is very wide. The advantage of a Canadian or North American-owned management company in Costa Rica: bilingual communication, understanding of Canadian owner expectations, and comfort with North American professional standards. The disadvantage: they may charge more and have less depth of local contractor relationships than a long-established Costa Rican operator.
The management contract is the most important document in the property management relationship — more important than the fee schedule, because it governs what happens when things go wrong. Key contract provisions: (1) Fee structure — complete, with all ancillary charges explicitly enumerated; (2) Maintenance authorization threshold — maximum amount the manager can spend on repairs without owner approval (recommend $200–$500 USD); (3) Termination provisions — how much notice each party must give, what happens to booked reservations in the notice period; (4) Reserve fund — manager holds a float (typically $500–$1,000 USD) from rental income for operational expenses; (5) Accounting — frequency and format of financial reports; (6) Liability — who is responsible for damage by guests (and whether the manager maintains guest damage protection); (7) Insurance — what insurance the manager carries for the property and your liability; (8) Exclusivity — can you also list on VRBO or Booking.com yourself, or does the manager require exclusive listing rights?
Monthly financial reporting quality is one of the best proxies for overall management quality. A high-quality property manager provides: a detailed monthly statement showing each reservation (dates, platform, gross revenue), all management fees deducted, all expense deductions (with receipts for anything above a minor threshold), cleaning charges, local taxes collected and remitted, and end-of-month net income transferred to your bank account. Poor managers provide summary reports without itemization, lack receipts for expenses, or report rental income without clearly accounting for all deductions. Request a sample monthly statement from any property manager before engaging — a manager who cannot or will not provide a sample is a red flag.

Foreign Property Management: Key Facts

STR property management cost?: 20–30% of gross rental revenue — plus ancillary charges(Industry data 2026)
Long-term rental management cost?: 8–15% of monthly rent(Industry data 2026)
Maintenance approval threshold (recommendation)?: $200–$500 USD without owner approval(Best practice)
Reserve fund manager holds?: Typically $500–$1,000 USD operating float from rental income(Industry practice)
Mexico-specific: manager must handle?: ISR tax, Tourism License, HOA, fideicomiso bank fee, Spanish-language coordination(Mexican regulatory requirements)
Portugal-specific: manager must handle?: AL license renewal, taxa turística, Turismo de Portugal registration, municipal compliance(Portuguese AL regulations)
Biggest red flag for a manager?: No sample financial report available; opaque fee structure; no maintenance receipts provided(Best practice)
How to find managers in destination?: Referrals from building owners, local expat Facebook groups, real estate agent referrals(Experience)

Property Management Types: What Each Option Costs and Covers

Property management types for foreign condos — costs and coverage comparison
Management Type	Fee Structure	Who Uses It	What It Covers	Best For
STR / Airbnb Manager	20–30% of gross revenue + ancillary	Investment property, part-year use	Listing, pricing, check-in, cleaning, maintenance, taxes	Vacation rental investment, snowbird properties
Long-term Rental Manager	8–15% of monthly rent	Long-term lease (6–12 months)	Tenant screening, rent collection, repairs, inspections	Year-round rental income without STR complexity
Building Rental Pool (developer-run)	40–50% of gross (developer takes half)	Developer-managed resort units	Full management but lowest owner return	Hands-off investors who accept lower yield
Hybrid Manager	25–35% of gross + LTR when empty	Seasonal markets	STR peak season + LTR shoulder months	Markets with clear tourist seasons
Caretaker (no rental)	Flat fee $100–$300/month	Personal-use property, no rental	Monthly inspection, bill payment, emergency response	Owners who don't want to rent

Country-Specific Property Management: What You Need to Know

Mexico

Mexico’s property management market is the most developed of any Canadian-buyer destination — particularly in Puerto Vallarta, Playa del Carmen, and Cabo, which have deep professional management ecosystems built around decades of Canadian and American buyer activity. Key requirements specific to Mexico:

Tourism Rental License: Your manager must handle annual renewal (since Law No. 7464, 2024)
ISR tax compliance: Either the manager files your annual Declaración Anual or you retain a Mexican CPA — confirm who is responsible
Fideicomiso fees: Annual trust maintenance fee ($500–$1,000 USD) paid to the bank — manager should handle this
HOA fees: Monthly condominium maintenance fees paid from your rental income float
Contractor network: Mexico’s maintenance contractor market is relationship-based — a good manager has licensed, reliable contractors on speed dial

Resources: the Compass Abroad Mexico agent network can refer management companies with verified track records in your specific market.

Portugal

Portugal’s Alojamento Local (AL) regulatory framework requires managers who are specifically licensed and experienced in AL compliance. Key requirements:

AL license: Must be registered and in good standing; manager handles annual renewal where required
Taxa turística: Municipal tourist tax collected from guests and remitted to the municipality
Turismo de Portugal registration: Annual data reporting to the national tourism authority (mandatory)
IMI (property tax): Annual tax due October/November — manager should handle payment from rental income float

The Algarve has a mature, professional management market with multiple quality operators. Lisbon has more regulatory complexity; ensure your manager has current knowledge of Lisbon’s evolving AL license environment.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s property management market is less institutionalized but has a strong community of North American ex-pat operators in the major markets (Tamarindo, Nosara, Manuel Antonio, Escazú). These operators typically provide bilingual service at professional standards and understand what Canadian owners expect. CAJA contribution payments (if you have household employees through the property) and municipal permit compliance are the main Costa Rica-specific compliance items beyond standard STR management.

Non-Negotiable Contract Provisions

Maintenance threshold: Manager cannot spend above $300 USD without owner approval
Monthly statements: Due by the 10th of the following month; itemized with receipts for expenses above $50 USD
Reserve fund: Manager holds $500–$750 USD float; unused float returned on termination
60-day termination notice: With a provision for honoring existing reservations
Owner access: Right to use the property on 30-day notice; no charge for blocking calendar for personal use
Tax compliance responsibility: Explicitly assigned (either to manager or specified as owner’s responsibility)
Insurance: Manager carries general liability for the property and carries professional errors and omissions

Need a Vetted Property Manager in Your Market?

Compass Abroad has vetted agents and management company referrals in Mexico, Portugal, Costa Rica, and other major Canadian buyer markets. Ask your agent for management recommendations as part of your purchase process.

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How to Find a Property Manager for Your Foreign Condo