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Wow, I'm impressed. A great many people added their input and two cents to my issue and question. Thanks a lot, and believe me, I need all the help I can get.
To answer a lot of people's questions...No I haven't been there, but of course I will take a look at it before I make that final decision. It's just I have an opportunity coming up, hopefully, which will allow me to go there and see the sights and make my decision. That being said, it's still the Caribbean. I know in my heart that St. Thomas would be the place for me. I know it's what I want to do, and regardless of what I see when I'm there, I will still love it, because I would be moving for the lifestyle everyone is telling me about and the beautiful ocean surrounding it.
That also being said, thanks for everything. I also need to know that if I were working in Charlotte Amelie, where would be the best (and of course worst) place to get an apartment based on cost, crime, etc. Would I want to live near the city to avoid all the traffic I keep reading about or would I enjoy living out on the west coast of the island. Can someone break down for me how the different parts of the island are, other than what I read in magazines. There must be expensive places to live that are great, and low budget places that are nice, and high crime areas to stay out of. Please ellaborate and thanks again. Also, feel free to add whatever you feel is necessary that I didn't ask about living arrangements and places. Thanks.
Posted : March 18, 2003 6:52 pm
I promise you, the reason everyone asks if you have been is because these questions will be answered after you spend some time here. Where you live will depend on what your requirements are. There are people who love the relatively quiet west side of St Thomas, those who love to be high up on cool Crown Mountain, some want to be near Magen's Bay for swimming, others like the country because of the services axailable and even others like the East End (!) 😉 There are expensive places all over and not many low budget places. There are no perfect places-west side has no grocery, Crown Mountain is damp and moldy, Tutu has traffic, East End is dry. You all are going to have to decide!!! Visit, see for yourself! Good luck.
Posted : March 18, 2003 8:38 pm
Don't forget those of us who would live nowhere else but town!
Ronnie
Posted : March 18, 2003 9:31 pm
It is good you have a positive attitude about wanting to move, keep an open mind and you will do fine adjusting to the differences in living on the mainland and living in the islands.
If you worked in Charlotte Amalie then you could live in town, as Ronnie said some people do and love it. Most do not however - they live along the mountain around town, or on the west or east end, lot of people live on the northside of the islands also. And these people drive into town to work or go to school. Traffic is not all that bad, in the early am when schools open it can get tight with people getting kids to school and going to work - if you leave early to get to work youll be fine, if you wait till everyone who is a little late gets out the door then traffic gets tight. Youll see.
Breakdown of residential areas:
Right in town - not many large nice apartments, there are some. Busy area.
Right outside of town (Savan, Solberg, Hospital Ground, Blackbeard/Bunker Hill - Ok areas, some commericial activity during the day, Savan is the area not recommended in previous post, Hospital Ground not recommended unless you are up higher close to Mafolie, overall not the most favorable living areas)
West Side: UVI, airport take up a large section of the first part of the West Side... then you have Fortuna, Bordeaux areas - which are nice, quiet, far away from anything, some apartments are really good deals in price for what you get because the road is dirt or very very long long driveways. Had a friend out there - took almost 30 minutes to get from the apartment to the main road. This is not true for all the apartments there of course, closer to the road less time. Just check it out if you make west end an option)
East End - Bolongo, Cowpet, Smith Bay, Bovoni, Red Hook... East End encompasses lots of areas, some not to great and others wonderfully lovely. Cowpet area has apartments and condos I believe. Its around where there are lots of resorts like Ritz and ELysian. Secret Harbor also has condos as does Point Pleasant resort. Large area so you would need to check it out to see what areas you like.)
Northside - Wintberg, Mandahl, Rosendahl, Migunst, Hull, Dorothea, Mountain Top, Mafolie..... lots of areas in Northside also - all are pretty good for apartments. Some are really pricey others are good deals - you have to look.
Frenchmans Bay area is pricey and nice.
It is hard to say go to this area for high prices and this area for low prices... although this exisit the difference is often affected by the type of neighborhood. In terms of comparing all good living areas in reference to high and low... there are some high price apartments right next to lower price apartments... both in the same neighborhood often times because one is larger then the other or has a pool or a better view. Youll probally pay the most for an aparment in Frenchmans Bay, Peterborg areas. Northside youll find both high and medium, East End youll find both high, medium and low, and West End youll find high, medium and low as well.
Good Luck.
--Islander
Posted : March 19, 2003 4:25 pm
