Ask around town about property management and you’ll hear two names said together, almost like one word: “Nick and Gabbi.” For 18 years, Gabbi and Nick have run Sayulita at Your Service, a boutique vacation rental and property management company in Sayulita, Mexico. They’ve greeted guests at the door, walked them through every inch of the house and cared for their clients’ homes as if they were their own.

This fall, they’re doing something they’ve never done before: advertising. We sat down with them to hear how two outsiders from the U.S. found their way to Sayulita, why they’ve stayed small on purpose and what “being of service” means to them.

Two Paths to Sayulita

Gabbi and his wife, Andrea, first came to Sayulita about 26 years ago, on their first trip together. At the time, they both worked in entertainment in the Bay Area, first at an animated film company and later in video games. A trip to Costa Rica had already planted the idea of leaving the rat race behind.

“We walked by the Villa Amor hotel at one point and said, ‘Can you imagine working at that front desk? How cool would that be?'” Gabbi remembers. Years later, he and Nick managed part of that hotel.

Gabbi and Andrea married in Sayulita in 2004 and moved here in 2006. Andrea started a wedding business, and soon after, Gabbi started a very small property management company.

Nick’s story started in 2001. He and his wife were traveling Mexico with their young daughter and asked a friend for a spot with a good beach. That friend pointed them to a little town outside Puerto Vallarta. They rented a house for the summer and fell for Sayulita: the people, the relationships and how welcoming the community was. In 2008, after building a home here, they moved full time.

A Washing Machine, a Wiener Dog and a Partnership

The two met because of a broken washer. Gabbi was managing just two homes, one of them Casa Tortuga, and was called over to fix it. Nick’s family was renting the house while they built their own across the street.

As Gabbi took on more homes, he passed Casa Tortuga on to Nick, who started his own small business. When Gabbi needed someone he trusted to cover for him during a vacation, he asked Nick. Not long after, they joined forces.

“We share our responsibilities. We’re really a two-headed monster,” Gabbi says. “We trust each other to do the right thing, and neither of us carries a weight that overwhelms us, because we’re carrying it together.”

What Makes Them Different

Years ago, the partners wrote a document called “Why We Are Different.” It started as a note to themselves and became a kind of manifesto. A few things stand out.

The Guest Experience Comes First

“We never forget that Bob Smith and his wife are coming for one week, and it’s their only week in paradise,” Gabbi says. “So for us, it’s about making that week count, from the taxi pickup on.”

That means the ride is set, guests know which market to visit and someone is standing at the door when they arrive. No lockbox codes, no hunting for light switches.

“In a world of Airbnb, where you get a code, check yourself in and have to find the lights yourself, we don’t go that way,” Gabbi says.

Fully Compliant With Mexican Law

Both partners are Mexican citizens, and they take it seriously. Every client who works with them is expected to follow Mexican law, including paying IMSS (Mexican Social Security) and taking care of their employees.

“When you’re up to the level of the law, it eliminates a lot of stress,” Nick says. “To know that your employees are covered, to have a health system that functions, that’s a pretty amazing thing.”

A Family Business

What started as Nick and Gabbi is now a family affair. Their kids work in the business too. “They’re the apple,” Gabbi says, “just shinier than we are at this point.”

The Vibe: Authentic and Mexican

When we asked how they’d describe the spirit of their service, Gabbi didn’t hesitate: “The vibe is Mexican. And what is Mexican culture? Authentic.”

The two describe themselves as outsiders, with roots in punk rock, outsider art, rebel sports and street life. They’ve never tried to fit the mold of a typical property management company.

“We don’t try to be authentic. We are authentic,” Gabbi says. “We greet our guests, we tell them the truth, and our houses are pure and unadulterated because we keep them in great shape.”

Nick puts it simply: “We try to create that same vibe for all our guests, whether it’s their first trip to Mexico or they’ve been coming for 18 years.”

Giving Back to Sayulita

Over the years, Nick and Gabbi have been part of several community projects. They helped start Sayulita Magazine and Festival Sayulita, a music, tequila and art festival that ran for years.

Out of that came Centro Creativo Sayulita. It began when Nick’s wife started offering free art camps on the beach. For 16 or 17 years now, it has offered free art classes for kids on Mondays and Fridays on Calle Guayabo.

“To see kids in town who went to it 10 years ago as they grow up, it gives me such emotion,” Nick says. “It also gives the moms a couple of hours to leave their kids, which is so important, because everyone works so hard.”

Mornings in Sayulita

For Gabbi, the best mornings start slow and outside, in the garden. “The land is why we’re here. It’s important to just be grateful for where we are.”

Nick meditates. “If I can look out the window while I’m showering and see a palm tree, I’m like, ‘It’s all okay,’ whatever is happening.”

His favorite part of Sayulita isn’t a song or a scent. It’s walking through town. “No matter what mood I’m in, I’ll see someone and we’ll have a conversation, or just say ‘¿Qué tal?'”

Gabbi’s is a memory: the first photo he and Andrea took the afternoon they drove into town to stay. “We always say that when someone comes here during the summer and falls in love with it, they’re lifelong.”

Better, Not Bigger

After 18 years, the goal isn’t growth. “We had a period when getting bigger was really important to us,” Gabbi says. “That’s not where we’re at. As a business, we just want to get better. And better does not mean bigger.”

So why advertise now, for the first time? Sayulita has changed. Word of mouth doesn’t travel the way it used to, and many newer homeowners move in different circles.

“We’re not looking to get bigger,” Gabbi says. “We’re literally looking for the right client or two as we move forward.”

Who They Serve

Sayulita at Your Service offers:

• Full-service vacation rental management with hands-on, on-site care
• Property management for owners who aren’t in Sayulita full time
• Concierge services and trip planning, including for travelers who aren’t staying in one of their homes

“A rental home is someone’s business, and they’re not here,” Gabbi says. “So we’re on-site management. We’re their production managers. We’re running the show, directing the experience they’ve imagined in their minds.”

Get in Touch

If you’re a homeowner looking for a long-term partner, or a traveler who wants a real connection to Sayulita, reach out to Nick and Gabbi:

• Sayulita Life Page: https://www.sayulitalife.com/business/sayulita-at-your-service
• Instagram: @sayulitaatyourservice

And if you’ve stayed in one of their homes, they’d love a review. “We don’t have a tip jar,” Gabbi says. “If you’ve experienced us, we love reviews.”