Buying a House.

You don't start a search. You live here a year before you consider buying. During that time you'll figure it out.

YEP.

lol oh man. Maybe its because I researched the crap out of my move to the VI but I NEVER in a million years thought I would move here and buy right away. In fact I assumed it wouldn't work out and kept my AZ property. That ended up being smart since I make a profit on it. Even three + years in... I dont think I'd buy.. maybe in STT if it was just right for us. Just WAY too many issues with island houses. Never ending fixes for my landlords.

The main question you need to answer is:
Do you have disposable money?

If the answer is yes - then just buy. Who cares if you decide to leave and it sits on the market for two to three years. If you want good beaches and more lush - west. If you want more amenities and things too do / places to eat - mid island/east.

If the answer is no - rent first for at LEAST a year. Three is better IMO. You have (what I would guesstimate an 80% chance of leaving island after a year.

Depends on your needs and wants.
Will you be working, do you have kids that need to get back and forth to school, how much time do you want to spend driving back and forth between what you need to do and where you'd like to go.
STX is a bigger island than STT but similar in environments.
East and south drier, north and west wetter.

I first moved to STX in '95. Went back to states to take care of parents in late '90's, sold two houses moved back here 4 years ago AND I still don't know where I want to settle. I haven't tried the Northshore/Cane Bay Area.
Seriously, do not buy for at least a year. And, do deligient research of purchasing a house right on the ocean. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance!
Every part of this island is different and the people reflect those differences. Don't get stuck in an area you regret. Houses don't sell quickly here and you could be very unhappy. I've said goodbye to more people throughout the years than I can count as island living was their dream, but reality is living, not dreaming!

some people live out west and work east. it can take 45 minutes to drive that. it really all depends on work and school life.

We waited 4 years before buying. Best way to go.

some people live out west and work east. it can take 45 minutes to drive that. it really all depends on work and school life.

Live west & work east = sun in eyes both ways.

And, we on the other hand bought after several PMVs and property searches.

We knew what we wanted and needed for our family of 5 dogs and 3 cats.

That's been 4 years ago and this is our Home, we wouldn't change a thing, not that we didn't change a lot.

We live right in the center of STX and high up so the sea is not to much of a maintenance problem but know people that live close to the sea that really have to work to keep it at bay.

CD

I concur that some of us do purchase without renting first - particularly if you are fortunate to have a pile of pets.

And, we on the other hand bought after several PMVs and property searches.

We knew what we wanted and needed for our family of 5 dogs and 3 cats.

That's been 4 years ago and this is our Home, we wouldn't change a thing, not that we didn't change a lot.

We live right in the center of STX and high up so the sea is not to much of a maintenance problem but know people that live close to the sea that really have to work to keep it at bay.

CD

I'm doing this in the reverse as I'm relocating to FL, soon.
For me, all my pets and specific needs, it was easier to buy a home than to rent, (find some place to rent) furnish, buy a car, etc., spend a great deal of money to accomplish all that and have nothing to show for all the expense at the end of a year.

Granted, island life isn't for everyone and it can take longer to sell a property in the VI than it does stateside.

Have you ever been here before or any island for that matter or is this a double "do it on a whim" project?

I had a friend from grade school come down last week with her husband and their son and his wife with the notion that they would buy here. I don't know what they expected, but after an "island" tour with me, they definitely will not be buying here.

Dreaming of island living and reality are far between each other. They hated the curves, roads, trash, ruins. I think they only saw the ugly of STX and I love it all. Luckily for them they stayed mostly out at the Buccaneer after they'd had enough of seeing the underbelly of STX that is NOT shown on HGTV.

They hated the curves, roads, trash, ruins.

Our first trip to STX was not that long after Hugo and Marylin. The ruins put me off a bit initially. But then you take a closer look and realize (apart from the airport terminal still looking like a bomb site back then) that the majority of the ruins are historical in nature. Take a drive through highways in Italy and you'll see even more of it. True, there was/is a little more in the towns, F'sted in particular than you may find in Rome. But that's the nature of the economy and supply and demand for property. Even F'sted has been making a slow steady comeback since the hurricane destruction.

The lack of curves/steep inclines compared to STT is one of the things that made us prefer STX. Certainly a few 22 minute episodes of HGTV aren't going to provide a detailed overview of island life (or Caribbean life or beachfront life or renovation life or flip life). We can only hope the majority of folks watching realize that. Wouldn't it be nice if we could see a little more of reality, even if not the worst of it.

We purchased before we moved here and love it. But I have to say we lucked out, and join others in saying it's better to rent for a while before buying. Even with the RE market showing some gains, it can still take a terribly long time to sell without taking a financial hit. And if you decide island living is not for you, you're stuck managing a house long distance until you can sell it.

I'm probably going to be managing my house for long term rental from FL when I move. I'll be keeping the downstairs apt for my use and my vehicle in its driveway, here. I have a great support system in terms of service personnel (electrician, plumber, gardeners, AC tech, etc.) that I've used for decades so hopefully all will be well. I have an excellent lease and have good neighbors. Finding good tenants is always the challenge. I won't rent to just anyone.

Even with my previous rental property, I wasn't an "in your face" landlord and would check on things every few months to see what needed doing in terms of maintenance or see how property was being kept.

I'm not considering selling until I see if FL is a good fit for me as I seriously wouldn't be able to afford to buy back what I have now in STT.

I, luckily, was able to sell my other rental house to tenants that occupied it for over 2 years. As a Realtor, it was the easiest transaction I've ever done.
Buying in FL was an easier decision for me given my situation, needs and wants. Actually, that transaction was the 2nd easiest thanks to the Realtor who was of immense help and became a friend in the process.

Life's a toss up. You just have to decide what you want to go for, plan accordingly as best you can and go from there.