I regularly go to Mexico so I know first hand what's going on there. 

Main goal is to listen... then follow-up regularly.

So I'd be doing my best to get the highest possible rent/revenue but without needing or counting on that.What you refer as cut-throat competition exists in every market where you have demand.

I have a decent amount of property managers that I really trust and can refer you to them! 

@Jason Mayer no, but I have an agent that has a few Section 8s himself who I refer my clients to for Denver/Colorado Springs.

Everything has been cash so far but I have contacted several local banks and all of them have said about 1-2%+ above regular mortgage rates, 3-5y ARM with 15-25y term, and 20-30% down.

Bonus points if they can refer you to reputable contractors in the area. 

The vast majority of "regular" or traditional (Conv/Govt) mortgages are originated by specialty lenders and brokers and are sold in the secondary market to provide yield on bank balance sheets (think Chase or BoA) or to be securitized into MBS.

And what kind of protection are you referring to?

The wire instructions I received were also different from the entity listed on the contract, but in my case, they explained that the funds needed to be sent directly to the contractors handling the rehab, which aligned with the project’s structure.I proceeded, and everything went smoothly, with clear communication and regular updates throughout the process.