We recently purchased a house in Merida with Jim’s help, and we couldn’t be more pleased with his effort and support.  Jim and Kio took us to get some beds for the house so we could stay there during the week when we went to close the deal, answered lots of questions, and connected us to property management support. Jim’s “we do more” is not just a slogan! Mil gracias Jim y Kio.
Terry

Recently my wife and I had the privilege of purchasing our Merida home from Jim Mann of Merida Yucatan Properties.  Being ‘out of the country purchasers’ seemed an issue for other realtors…but not Jim.  Immediately he responded to our inquires, quickly getting us the information we needed. When, after a few emails, he took it upon himself to make his responses more personal by calling us, we knew he was a ‘realtor above the rest’.  Then, getting up early on a Sunday morning to consult with a seller and make a Youtube video to be our eyes and ears in Merida, Jim found ‘the one’.  With his guidance, information, and consultation we bought the house sight-unseen!   Going through this process with Jim has been such a pleasure.  Now, even with his traditional realtor role wrapping up, he continues to help, leading us into the next phase of our Merida dream…renovation! Thank you Jim for your outstanding professionalism, support and what feels like a welcome introduction into the ‘Merida family”.
Steve and Janice Shewchuk

It is a daunting task to purchase real estate in an unfamiliar neighborhood and in a foreign country. I was getting very discouraged in my search until I discovered Jim.It seemed that he really listened to what I wanted and we set out to find it, making the process both fun and enjoyable. He went way beyond my expectations as an agent and helped me navigate the ins and outs of owning a home in Merida. He did not” evaporate” after the closing but made sure I got settled in my new home and was an invaluable source of information on obtaining the things that I needed. I will be forever grateful to Jim for his guidance and professionalism…..and our resulting friendship which was an unexpected bonus. It has been my privilege to know and work with such a true southern gentleman.
Julie

I have been buying and selling houses for almost seven years in Mérida and always invite Jim to participate.  He´s one of the most hard working agents in town and goes above and beyond the call of duty to make it a pleasant experience for all concerned.  I thoroughly recommend working with Jim.
Ian Arthur

We met Jim during Carnival about 2 years ago. We had spent a couple of months arranging with another Realtor for our 5 day ‘House Hunting’ trip to Merida. Long story short it had turned into a devastating experience with the ‘other’ Realtor.

The B&B where we were staying was previously booked for our remaining 2 days so we had to move. We straggled into the Hotel a few blocks away reeling from the events with the ‘other’ Realtor. ‘Jim’ the proprietor of the Hotel, after hearing our story said, ‘I know a Realtor friend, let me call him’.

We got on the phone and Jim Mann introduced himself and said the words that we will never forget; ‘Don’t worry, I have you in my pocket!’ Jim picked us up the next morning and within our last 2 days we found ‘our Casa!’

Jim is not only a professional but more than that he is a caring ‘true gentleman.’ You don’t just have a Realtor with Jim, you have a ‘friend.’
Bruce & Gloria Ault
‘La Casa Rosada’ La Ermita

 

I wanted to drop you a line to let you know how much you are appreciated.  When we first met you took time to research properties prior to our first meeting.  Not only did you show me all of the properties I had requested but you arranged showings of other properties.  When it seems I had not found the right property, you called every possible person to see if they had private listings and showed me those properties.

In the end I found my little home, a ruin.  Before letting me purchase a ruin you asked a local contractor Alberto Itza to inspect the property and give me an idea of what it would cost to make the ruin a home.  The transaction when smoothly and normally that would have been the endof things.  Thank goodness that is not how you work.

Since the purchase you have made yourself available for all of my concerns and property needs.  Having asked for additional contractor referrals, I ultimately returned to your first recommendation, Alberto.  It is now 2013 and you are still “there for me”.  Every question, every concern, everyrequest for help is always answered.  Your kindness, consideration and professional care is greatly appreciated.  Merida has a gem of a realtor in Jim Mann.
Chelsea Stafford

My Partner and I found Jim Mann via Google one Saturday afternoon after watching an HGTV episode about Merida.  I contacted and Jim and his reply note was professional, engaging and sincere.  After a series of emails, we got on the phone to talk about a specific house on the beach that we were interested in.  That sealed it for us.  His warm, well-informed insight into the market and his genuine friendliness sealed the deal.  Other than seeing this house online, we trusted our NYC instincts and went for it: we bought a house on line because we KNEW in our hearts that Jimmy is trustworthy.  And so a few weeks later we flew down and there was Jimmy and his Partner, Kio, there at the airport gate to greet us just as he said he would.  (Did we ever think ‘uh-oh!’ — of course we did!, we’re human!).  But that pang never lasted long because our emails continued and Jimmy took on the task of getting things ready for our visit.  We spent a week with Jimmy and Kio and within that time a bond and a friendship was formed.  Sometimes you just have to trust your instincts.  And we are so glad we did.  It’s been nearly 3 years now and the friendships have grown.  We not only bought a fabulous beach house, we made a life long friendship with Jimmy and with his coterie of friends, too: Kio, David, Luis, Julie, Juan and that network of friends has grown and become a part of our lives.  We are so deeply grateful to Jim for making our transition into buying this home, furnishing it, and being introduced into the scene so easy.  We will now being spending more time down there, too, in the company of Jimmy and all of our new friends there.

John HIggins

There can be no doubt that Jim lives up to his promise of “doing more.”

From the first time we met Jim, he took our calls and answered our emails all with a natural and infectious enthusiasm. Nothing was too much trouble, no property too far out. Never did we return without having seen all of the properties we set out to see.

We must have seen in excess of 30 properties over two visits in the search for our little piece of Merida. At no time did Jim’s enthusiasm lag. Ours did on occasion, but, Jim was right there to build up our spirits. On the next day, off we would go again.

One day, just out of interest, Jim took us to see something that we would not have considered. He wanted to show us what could be done in terms of renovation. It was an eye opener. The next plot we saw was the answer to all of our dreams. We would not even have considered it without Jim’s suggestion.

Jim’s help and assistance didn’t stop there. He put us in contact with our builder who met us on site and helped us to see what we could do and what it would cost. Jim helped us negotiate with the owner and personally chased up the transaction to make sure it went through. He also introduced us to a lawyer to oversee the transaction. In the end we came to trust Jim so much we gave him our power of attorney to act on the purchase.

Even after the sale had gone through Jim was there to help when the Planning Department miss measured our plot. He together with our builder helped sort it out.

We are currently waiting for planning permission approval before we start our building project. We know that if there is a problem Jim will be there to help.

Although Jim was enthusiastic about us finding a property we never felt under pressure to buy. There was absolutely no hard sell. He advised, made suggestions, filtered out properties that were not in our brief and eventually found us the perfect home.

We cannot thank Jim enough.

Jim’s ethic is clear. He is not just selling properties to people who will one day live in Merida. He is making friends with people who want to live in the city he clearly loves as much as we do and he wants those friendships to last well beyond the end of the transaction.

Buying a property in a foreign country is a leap of faith. As far as we are concerned you could not put your faith in anyone more helpful and professional than Jim.

Carl and Marie-Anne
 

Both Jim Mann and Kio Rodríguez have proven to be consummate professionals in the buying and selling of my Merida home. There are so many intricacies involved in this foreign owners it was a relief to know both of them “had my back”, making sure I understood local customs and new legislation alike. Jim did a great marketing job, using his affiliation with an international realty association to advantage. They ensured I received reliable legal advice and guidance throughout the process.

And most of all, they are good, trustworthy men. I don’t hesitate to recommend them.

Susan Fenlon
 

My husband and I found Jim 7 years ago on his YouTube videos of homes under $100,000. After watching a few we got in touch and the friendship began. We went down for 2 weeks in the beginning to see first if we liked living at the beach in the town we were looking for. Jim even helped us find a place to stay during that trip by telling us one inn had an amazing breakfast that he and Kio would go to to relax. After that visit we fell in love with the city and way of life on the beach. Much different than living in Brampton, Ontario Canada. So throughout these 7 years we have kept our friendship with Jim and if we saw something we liked, he would go down and take a look at the house and give his opinion which we fully trusted. I must say buying a house unseen and putting all the trust in your realtor, we couldn’t have found a better pair than Jim and Kio. Finally 7 years later and the real estate market booming in the Yucatan, Jim wouldn’t rest until he found our little home. After a few missed opportunities and an add put out by Jim to help us find our home, Jim secured our home which we just came back from signing and finally owning our dream home by the beach. He also set us up with property management, who seem to be fantastic to deal with. One stop shopping there. The whole process can get hectic and crazy at times, but Jim is always there saying don’t worry I got this. No matter the size of home you are looking to buy, Jim treats everyone the same and becomes your friend. Thank you Jim and Kio for all your help in the adventure 2 countries away.

Thanks so much,
Christina & Kirk Fleming
 

My wife and I saw Merida on TV and thought it looked like an ideal place to retire. We researched online and decided to call Merida Yucatan Real Estate. Jim and Kio picked us up at our hotel, gave us a tour, showed us houses, answered our questions, etc… They made the process easy and provided us with a great network. Since buying the house we have stayed in touch and they have been there when we had needs or questions. Jim and Kio are great realtors and come highly recommended. We not only got a house, we got a couple of wonderful friends.

Jim and Inez Harper
Indianapolis/Merida
 

I have lived in Merida for over 20 years. During that time I have bought y sold five houses. Jim Mann, while he did sell all five, he did help with each sale y was unbelievable with the last two transactions. Kio y Jim were there for me the entire way. Both transactions were extremely difficult and I got the serious hand holding I needed! These two guys are honest, supportive, knowedgble, and everything one needs and expects from a real estate agent.

Paula Virginia Sievert
 

We recently bought a house through Jim Mann and he was a pleasure to work with. He was a Southern Gentleman and a man of his word. He could have easily been motivated by self interest and money, but his honesty and integrity insured that we ended up with a wonderful renovation project and future home. He really cares about the buyer and the seller and maneuvered a rather complicated sale through hiccups with grace and professionalism. I would not hesitate to use him again and recommend him if you are looking for an agent you can trust.

Sherry Fauscett
 

Jim was simply a pleasure to work with. He is kind and knowledgeable about Merida and the market. No question was too big or two small for him to answer. He helped us secure a deal against other buyers and was wonderful to work with. It is without restraint that I would recommend Jim as a wonderful broker for Merida.

Adrianna Beer
 

Our agent was Jim with Merida Yucatán Real Estate. He was very knowledgeable of the current market trends and he was very helpful and straightforward with us on the purchase of our home. He is a professional in every aspect of the real estate business. He would respond quickly if I sent him a text message or called him. Top notch customer service! Would definitely use Merida Yucatán Real Estate again and have Jim as our agent.

Margaret Johnson