Relocating to Saint Thomas

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

STXBob — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:34:51 -0500

Or [stcroixsource.com] , depending on which island's articles you prefer, although there is a lot of overlap.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

OldTart — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:15:29 -0500

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

ChanelCinq — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 07:56:19 -0500

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East Ender
Keep up with the news on both the virginislandsdailynews.com and The Source on-line. The governmental right-sizing problems will be equal on both islands. Hovensa is a special St Croix problem, although gas will be trouble everywhere.

What is "The Source on-line?" You said "virginislandsdailynews.com and The Source on-line" so I am wondering what it is?

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

East Ender — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:54:34 -0500

Keep up with the news on both the virginislandsdailynews.com and The Source on-line. The governmental right-sizing problems will be equal on both islands. Hovensa is a special St Croix problem, although gas will be trouble everywhere.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

ChanelCinq — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:34:18 -0500

I was open to either island yet my situation is different as I am not retired. However I keep hearing more and more bad news on STX. Hovensa, a large oil refinery closed and I read that 10 % of the working population lost their jobs. This was in January.

Then yesterday the hospital on STX laid off all of thei licenced practical nurses and certified nursing assistants which was 86 people. Leaving the hospital with only 90 registered nurses. I was reading in the same paper about some teachers loosing their jobs.

I feel Hovensa was just the start and it will snowball into something bad. I feel it does not make sense to move to a place that is spirialing down hill. I am sure it will filter over to STT but I don't think they will be as bad off.

All this is just the opinion of an outsider gathering information.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

skighee — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:45:01 -0500

IMHO east end of st Thomas with HOVENSA closing stx is going to be interesting?

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

OldTart — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 15:28:14 -0500

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Iris Tramm

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lcooper7
We figured out once we arrived that st Croix has no ferry.

I don't think this is strictly true ... someone ran a ferry for the Ag Fair, didn't they? But, yeah. No regular ferry. It sucks. The only way off is really a plane. And the flights out of STT are so much cheaper. Plus, just ... options ... if you could get to STT/STJ/BVIS relatively cheaply.

I remember when there was a ferry. In fact, there were TWO ferries, and one of them had offices in that building across from Violette's. Where did they go and why? Is there really just no demand?

One of the local ferry operators ran a special trip from St John to St Croix for the AgFair.

There have been attempted ferry operations between STT and STX for as long as I remember and to my recollection the longest any of them lasted was three years which I think was the seasonal one out of Massachusetts. The demand is not high enough. A quick 'plane flight is far more comfortable than a 60 minute crossing over open and often very rough seas which quickly led to the ferry trip being named locally as, "The Barf Barge" or, "The Vomit Comet". It's not been a fiscally viable enterprise for any operator even with local government subsidies. Even before the last one grounded off St Thomas its operators were in deep financial distress and asking the government for increased subsidies.

Cooper, just as a side note, it sounds as though you didn't avail yourself of all the information on this site before coming here! I'm not sure why so many people miss all that there is here but there's way more than the forum in the pull-down menus at the top of this page. Good luck in settling in!

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

Alexandra — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 15:19:37 -0500

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Iris Tramm

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lcooper7
We figured out once we arrived that st Croix has no ferry.

I don't think this is strictly true ... someone ran a ferry for the Ag Fair, didn't they? But, yeah. No regular ferry. It sucks. The only way off is really a plane. And the flights out of STT are so much cheaper. Plus, just ... options ... if you could get to STT/STJ/BVIS relatively cheaply.

I remember when there was a ferry. In fact, there were TWO ferries, and one of them had offices in that building across from Violette's. Where did they go and why? Is there really just no demand?

The ferry that was running between STX and STT for a few years ran onto a reef last year and has been out of commission ever since. No word on whether they will resume operations or if someone else will start a service up again. Even when they were running, it wasn't reliable as they'd shut down for days or weeks at a time, sometimes because they were waiting for parts to fix something or other times for no apparent reason. The owner was well connected and managed to get a government subsidy to open the ferry service and put the prior ferry out of business in the process. Now we have none. :-(

With rental rates likely to drop once more on STX when the refinery workers depart this spring, the rental savings of STX compared to STT may cover the cost of a couple taking the seaplane to STT and ferries to STJ or the BVI's once a month. Who living on STT really goes even that often, much less more often? Maybe a few people, but not most. We tend to spend most of our time on the island on which we live and make a special effort to journey to some of the other islands now and then and seriously enjoy it when we do.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

Mytcar34 — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 15:02:56 -0500

You are completely correct on nailing down a rental. I personally would like to meet the renters and land lords to get acquainted just makes good sense for all party's. In our case we are going to rent for a month this will give us time to look at rentals that will work for us. We have a number of Realtors and private folks e mail us with ideas of what we may be happy with so any ideas or suggestions are welcome.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

Mytcar34 — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:49:22 -0500

We are retired so unless i get bored i was not planning on a full time job.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

Iris Tramm — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:38:03 -0500

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lcooper7
We figured out once we arrived that st Croix has no ferry.

I don't think this is strictly true ... someone ran a ferry for the Ag Fair, didn't they? But, yeah. No regular ferry. It sucks. The only way off is really a plane. And the flights out of STT are so much cheaper. Plus, just ... options ... if you could get to STT/STJ/BVIS relatively cheaply.

I remember when there was a ferry. In fact, there were TWO ferries, and one of them had offices in that building across from Violette's. Where did they go and why? Is there really just no demand?

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

islandlola — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:17:22 -0500

<>

Respectfully, that is a bit of an over-generalization. Without ever having conducted a scam, I have, on rare occasions, asked for money up front from tenants who wanted to seal the deal before arriving. Otherwise, it would not be possible to hold the unit.

HOWEVER, as I remark above, such requests for money in advance of arrival are rare on my part, since tenants who rent sight unseen have far more potential for being unhappy with a unit, and that is a losing proposition for all concerned. Moreover, it is just as important for a landlord to see a tenant in advance as for the tenant to see the housing--it is a two-way street.

Best,

Islandlola

---

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

trainwreck82 — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:56:56 -0500

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lcooper7
I didn't read all of the posts on your relocation inquiry so I hope I'm not repeating. My fiancé and I just arrived on island this week. We are trying to find an apt that works foe us. Galleon house is an excellent place to stay while you are deciding. Also miller manor rents by the week. We figured out once we arrived that st Croix has no ferry. You have to take a sea plane which can get costly. St John is more expensive than st Thomas. Like I said we are stil in the beginning stages but would love to help if we could

Where are you working? This will likely be a factor in where you want to live.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

lcooper7 — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:49:17 -0500

I didn't read all of the posts on your relocation inquiry so I hope I'm not repeating. My fiancé and I just arrived on island this week. We are trying to find an apt that works foe us. Galleon house is an excellent place to stay while you are deciding. Also miller manor rents by the week. We figured out once we arrived that st Croix has no ferry. You have to take a sea plane which can get costly. St John is more expensive than st Thomas. Like I said we are stil in the beginning stages but would love to help if we could

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

Mytcar34 — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:35:39 -0500

Thank goodness for Internet access it really helps. We look at our move as an adventure. We are currently living in a small two bedroom apartment here in Alaska. Big change from our home in Texas, we only brought what would fit in suite cases. We travel light. We will do the same for our move to the islands.

Is it better/safer to live in town or out in the mountains. We like the idea of gated or possibly a rental located at a home.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

Alexandra — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 12:33:56 -0500

There are plenty of monthly rentals available on STX. What is available each month changes constantly, so it's a question to ask a few weeks prior to your visit so you can book something with vacancy at that time. You can find anything from a studio condo to a fancy vacation villa and everything in between. For PMV's, most people will recommend living in the kind of property you'd likely live in if you moved here so you can see what the island experience would be like for you in everyday life and not from a tourist perspective.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

Iris Tramm — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 08:26:21 -0500

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OldTart
Back in the day I used to go over to St Croix quite often, really enjoyed my time there and met some great people. Two of the big plusses for me where St Thomas is concerned are its close proximity to other islands and incredible sailing. Gorgeous St John is only a 15 minute ferry ride away while the BVIs are also close by for day trips by ferry or private boat. The sailing is wonderful with so many offshore snorkeling sites and dozens of islands and little cays to pull into. St Thomas sometimes gets a poor rep from those who simply pass through it on their way to St John. Only seeing the main roads and the hubbub of town, they've no idea of the lovely areas which lay outside the main hub!

ATT has great service on all the islands and no roaming charges. Cheers!

Whoa. As a STX sailor I have to at least respond to the implication that STX has poorer sailing than STT. STX has fantastic sailing, including Buck Island and it's magnificent snorkel trail only a skip through the cut in the reef away. Beautiful, isolated ... NOT teeming with tourists doing the BVI charter island hop.

Alas, there is no racing. Ya got us there.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

trainwreck82 — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 06:30:37 -0500

Just so we can get a bit more balance here... you couldn't pay me to live on STX. More bang for buck? That's literally the only thing STX has on the north side of STT I say no thanks, I'll pay a little more to have what I have here. There :).

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

speee1dy — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:57:32 -0500

oldtart, that is the only reason why i would not mind being on stt, the close proximity to the other islands

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

OldTart — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:53:43 -0500

Back in the day I used to go over to St Croix quite often, really enjoyed my time there and met some great people. Two of the big plusses for me where St Thomas is concerned are its close proximity to other islands and incredible sailing. Gorgeous St John is only a 15 minute ferry ride away while the BVIs are also close by for day trips by ferry or private boat. The sailing is wonderful with so many offshore snorkeling sites and dozens of islands and little cays to pull into. St Thomas sometimes gets a poor rep from those who simply pass through it on their way to St John. Only seeing the main roads and the hubbub of town, they've no idea of the lovely areas which lay outside the main hub!

ATT has great service on all the islands and no roaming charges. Cheers!

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

speee1dy — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:47:31 -0500

stx is less crowded which i like. downtown parking and driving is easier here than stt. i hear our grocery stores are cleaner too

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

Mytcar34 — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 23:29:08 -0500

Thanks for all the advise we will be contacting folks as soon as we can nail down a time line for our move.I had planned on getting out of here in April but not sure yet. We just had 24 feet of snow in five weeks. We may now plan a trip to Saint Croix to look around since we have been to Saint Thomas numerous times. You are correct about the need to contact professionals that are in the know, it makes life a lot easy er. I thought i had this all figured out after living in Venezuela, Canada and now Alaska but i know i am forgetting things.

How about cell phone usage we currently use ATT, are there roaming charges to call the mainland etc.
Can you recomend a monthly rental in Saint Croix?

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

JulieKay — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:04:05 -0500

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Mytcar34
Would you suggest that we explore the options of a move to Saint Croix. We have not been there only Saint Thomas.I chose Saint Thomas because i felt with the Cruise ship traffic there might be a little more excitement. We are retired and boring so night life is unimportant to us although i love the water and taking pictures.

Make me third to say consider STX. Each island is different, but I prefer it here. :)

Of course, someone on STT will most likely correct me, but hey, we each have our favorites!

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

Alexandra — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:56:26 -0500

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Mytcar34
There was one listed on the 18th for Saint Croix on Craigs List, it reads hardwood floors, pictures show ceramic tile, also two gas fire places whice i did not see in photos, and they are not sure how many bedrooms or bathrooms they have.

Any island property that claims to have a fireplace or a furnace is suspect. If they mean a backyard fire pit for roasting a pig or using as a BBQ or an old Danish historical building with a bread baking oven in the kitchen building, that's one thing, but we do NOT have regular fireplaces or furnaces in properties here. Why would we when it's in the 80's every single day of the year? Some things are too obvious not to catch onto the scam.

By the way, we do not have natural gas available for gas fireplaces. We have propane for stoves and generators, etc. Do be cautious of the Craig's List ads. I've heard of quite a few cases where unsuspecting people sent funds for a vacation rental or a short-term rental if moving here and then never got keys and didn't realize they were scammed until they arrived and had no place to stay. I've helped a couple such people find a place to stay but couldn't help them recover their lost $$. Expensive welcome to the island, to be sure.

If you are going to do business with anyone prior to arriving on-island, make sure it's with a licensed Realtor as at least you have a way to check them out in advance to be sure they are for real. You'd also have a way to pursue a resolution if there was an issue when you arrived. Yes, I am a Realtor, but this is why I know you're much safer working with a licensed professional if doing business prior to arriving. We all value our licenses and don't want to be put out of business by acting improperly with one vacationer or prospective new tenant. We value our livelihoods much more than that. Even if you do pay slightly more for a Realtor represented property for a short-term 1-3 month arrival rental, you can see if you are able to locate a word of mouth longer-term rental after you arrive. Or maybe you will find that you have a good agent who treated you fairly and has a great long-term property for you. It can happen. Keep an open mind and look into all leads. A good Realtor shouldn't be upset if you look at rentals directly in addition to any they show you, although it isn't unheard of for a Realtor to help you get a better rate even on a direct rental and/or to help you get issues addressed with the property when the landlord might have tried to ignore your complaints until they found out you had a real estate professional also in your corner.

Whether you and your wife choose STT or STX, enjoy your first year in the islands and make the most of the new experiences.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

blu4u — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:04:47 -0500

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Mytcar34
Would you suggest that we explore the options of a move to Saint Croix. We have not been there only Saint Thomas.I chose Saint Thomas because i felt with the Cruise ship traffic there might be a little more excitement. We are retired and boring so night life is unimportant to us although i love the water and taking pictures.

Definitely check out stx. More bang for your buck.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

STXBob — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 18:43:36 -0500

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Mytcar34
Would you suggest that we explore the options of a move to Saint Croix.

Of course! Many of us think it's the best island in the world.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

Mytcar34 — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:41:29 -0500

Would you suggest that we explore the options of a move to Saint Croix. We have not been there only Saint Thomas.I chose Saint Thomas because i felt with the Cruise ship traffic there might be a little more excitement. We are retired and boring so night life is unimportant to us although i love the water and taking pictures.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

Mytcar34 — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:06:14 -0500

There was one listed on the 18th for Saint Croix on Craigs List, it reads hardwood floors, pictures show ceramic tile, also two gas fire places whice i did not see in photos, and they are not sure how many bedrooms or bathrooms they have.

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

speee1dy — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:30:32 -0500

i was kinda hoping to find fake rentals on craigslist but so far have not. i want to see the fake photos. do you have any links?

Re: Relocating to Saint Thomas

OldTart — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:23:34 -0500

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trainwreck82
The VI craigslist can be pretty ok when it comes to items for sale, especially water sports equipment. But for rentals? I once checked out a place for rent on craigslist and when I got there learned that the guy that posted it wasn't even the landlord, he was trying to get out of his lease and hadn't even run the idea by the landlord. Sketchy. Then you have the lavish apartments for rock bottom prices - complete with a fireplace.

Before I report them as spam I sometimes play around with the scammers for a day via email. When they advertise a $500/month rental for a 1BR 1BA with everything included (electric, cable, satellite, internet, close to major highways, w/d, central heating,, gyro, etc,) it's playtime. I enjoy wasting their time for a few hours and then tag their ads. Their photographs are also a dead giveaway. Check the overhead light fixtures. No fans? A couple of months back I asked for more photographs of a unit and they sent me some new interior shots which showed a view of skyscrapers through a window. Asking for physical addresses has elicited responses which, upon doing a quick google, show that address to be in an office building ...

And they all have similar stories about having lived in the place which they love and cared for but then were called away to spread God's word as preachers in far-off places (Africa and the UK are most popular) and they have the keys but the rent is unimportant and all they really want is for the place to be well maintained by someone such as you who sounds like such a wonderful person

Now I must get back to seeing if the latest from this one particular advertiser has arrived and end the playtime by tagging him as a spammer. :D