Mainlanders With Some Questions Healthcare Career Related

It's expensive to live here.
WAPA rates have decreased but still higher than what you're probably used to paying, especially if you use AC, day and night.

Not all condo associations allow pets. Few do.
If they do, there are restrictions on type, size and weight and only allowed with board approval.

Not a whole heck of a lot is locally grown, IMO.
You can find some things but even a lot of the roadside stands have produce from Dominican Republic. You can find local fish. Might be pricy.

Have you checked into condo costs?
Be sure to check the monthly hoa fees as some are very high.
Homes prices are high even for a small fixer upper.
Do your homework here.

As for the hospital, someone else can chime in on that.

We are both looking for a slow down, and a simpler way of life where we can be contributing members in a small community where people actually care about each other and help each other, rather than walk all over each other in hopes of making an extra dollar. We are both handy, and fully capable of building or fixing things ourselves. We are non materialistic, and don't expect a resort lifestyle.

Wait for the Mars colony. The whole world is after an extra buck. This place is no different. I have met many great people here yet would not say this is a community where people care about each other any more than anywhere else...

Some other questions we have are regarding the cost of electric. While we could get used to living without AC over time, leaving our dogs at home in the sweltering heat all day doesn't seem wise. Also, how are the costs of locally caught seafood and locally grown produce vs. processed garbage and meats that come from the mainland? We prefer to eat local, and our theory is that eating local in the islands is cheaper than eating a mainland american diet where stuff is flown or shipped in. Accurate?

Local food is non existent or pricy as Alana said. You will not got enough food at farmers market. Period. Unless you can survive on pumpkin, seasoning peppers and herb. Some fruit is available in season. All fruits here, while good, are a lot of work for a little actual fruit. Food costs, while some disagree, run our family 2 adults, 1 toddler $800/month. We buy little processed foods other than pastas and deli meats. I tell the story to my family and friends all the time when my wife got here a few months after me she wanted to go grocery shopping and get a Dole Salad Kit for dinner. $7.99. She said, I'll eat meat for salad.

We will both keep updating this thread with new questions as they arise. Hope to hear back from some of you folks soon!

It's expensive to live here.
WAPA rates have decreased but still higher than what you're probably used to paying, especially if you use AC, day and night.

Not all condo associations allow pets. Few do.
If they do, there are restrictions on type, size and weight and only allowed with board approval.

Not a whole heck of a lot is locally grown, IMO.
You can find some things but even a lot of the roadside stands have produce from Dominican Republic. You can find local fish. Might be pricy.

Have you checked into condo costs?
Be sure to check the monthly hoa fees as some are very high.
Homes prices are high even for a small fixer upper.
Do your homework here.

As for the hospital, someone else can chime in on that.

I've looked into condo costs and have found some in the 150-250k range. Have found some properties on STT that are renting for 800-1000 for a 1 br, slightly more for a 2 br. St. John, where we would prefer to be, is seemingly more expensive. Have not found any info on HOA fees. I figured right now we would stick to renting for at least a year, to get acclimated and find the properties worth looking into. I didn't know anything about Tampa before living here for 3 years or more. If I would have bought when I moved here, I probably would have ended up with a terrible home in a terrible area. I'm figuring it won't take more than a year to figure out where we would like to buy, should we decide to stay.

Spartygrad,
I know the paper chase exists everywhere, but the slowdown of it and the chance to meet genuine people appeals to us. We live in a very pretentious city full of 30,000 a year millionaires. Tired of that attitude. I'm currently a traveling healthcare provider in a different city every week, and the only places I've found likeminded people have been out west in he mountainous and forest areas of Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Wyoming. We have entertained the idea of heading out there as well, but we really like the idea of the slow down - which doesn't exist out there.

What kind of dogs do you have and how many?

Food costs, while some disagree, run our family 2 adults, 1 toddler $800/month.

I can't imagine how you could possibly spend that much on just food!

Food costs, while some disagree, run our family 2 adults, 1 toddler $800/month.

I can't imagine how you could possibly spend that much on just food!

we have to pack non processed foods for Sam for school. Fresh fruit is expensive. I have to look at total breakdown I did last month but it was like $775 on just food. Not including diapers, soap, toiletries...

There are several VI realtor web sites with MLS access that you can use to look at currently available properties for sale. Some may have rental info. The listings will almost always identify the HOA fees and property taxes and usually pet policy. There are condo listings on STX right now from $30K to $1.5M so if you are not looking for luxury or amenities you can probably find something in your price range. You can also contact a realtor for rentals. Rentals may have their own pet policies more restrictive than HOA.

Where do you live now?

Where do you live now?

Currently living in Tampa, FL area.

Alana, we have two dogs. One is a daschund dominant mut, and the other is an Australian Shepard dominant mut. Both are friendly towards other pets and extremely good with children and other people.

Hummmm :S.....the original post comment stated:
While we could get used to living without AC over time, leaving our dogs at home in the sweltering heat all day.

I understand "sweltering heat" in Florida that you are familiar with, but it is not that hot in the USVI.

Currently, our daily temperatures are 80 - 83 degrees.
The highest temperatures are August and September at 89-90 degrees. Even at 89 degrees, dogs are comfortable outside in shade or indoor laying on cool tile floor.

One is a daschund dominant mut, and the other is an Australian Shepard dominant mut. Both are friendly towards other pets and extremely good with children and other people.

I'm sure they're lovely but just be aware that finding a rental which accepts pets is tricky. You would probably be more successful finding a free standing home - more doable and less expensive on STX than on STT. Condos which accept pets are, as Alana mentioned, very few and far between and I don't know of any on STT which would accept two dogs.

Caret Bay Villas but they're pricey.
Pineapple Villages - ditto.
Sea Cliff a possibility but usually only small dogs, 30 lbs. and under, I think.
All with board approval.

it gets stifling hot down here. i get heat/sweat rashes-never did before moving here. will dogs have a problem? depends on how much breeze you get and what type of windows you have. air conditioning would be nice. i can dream, right. thank god for the air conditioner in the car.

food costs for 2 of us, we can easily spend up to 800 a month on food for us. we dont buy steak and lobster. we eat a lot of fish and chicken.

everyone always wants a slower pace of life-you can create that anywhere you live if you want to.

sounds like you both have marketable skills and should hopefully not have a problem finding work.

interesting that you assume people here dont eat american mainland crap. the islands have horribly high rates of obesity and diabetes. you can find health alternatives easier in the mainland grocery stores and farmers markets then you can here. and cheaper too.

It's very interesting that the biggest issue that we seem to be running into is the dogs. Didn't know it would be such a problem. What's the deal here with no love for fur babies? Especially if I'm buying a condo. I understand rental properties not wanting to allow dogs to protect their investment, but if I'm spending my hard earned money on a condo it makes no sense.

There are issues with barking and keeping properties clean from pet excrement.
I'm sure you wouldn't wish to live next door to a yappy pup.
Many condos are used as vacation rentals, some cater to both hotel guests and owners. HOAs find it easier to ban pets than deal with issues allowing them can entail.

I have 3 dogs between 12 - 85 lbs. and am presently feeding 5 stray cats and spay/neutering them, one by one as I trap them.
I own my property and it's fenced
Fenced rentals are hard to find.

Thank you for the insight. How often do small homes become available for rent, and how much do they usually cost? Obviously leaving our furry children behind is not an issue. If at all possible, we would prefer to rent a house anyways.

We don't mind living out of the hustle and bustle and in the hills, actually we prefer it.

Fencing isn't an issue for us because our dogs are indoor pups, and when we take them out they are on a leash.

Also, Alana. I have noticed plots of land for sale on St. John. If we were to purchase a plot of land with the intent of building on it, how expensive is it to build? I know there is a home depot on STT now, which I'm sure has simplified things some, and made building somewhat cheaper. As I have mentioned, neither of us have expensive tastes. So we would probably build something to the tune of a 2/2, 1200 sq ft range.

And that brings the question of rental properties as well. When someone comes to the islands for a visit, how often do you find that vacationers rent houses instead of condos in the busier areas?

AmandaandJames, have you been here? It rather sounds that you haven't and, if that's the case, I think an exploratory visit (a PMV) is definitely something you should do.

I'll respond to your questions later as am heading out, shortly.

Building a small house on STJ starts at $500 per sq foot. It will take over a year to two years to get the project done. If you want stress free life do not even think of building on the islands unless you can hire white glove builder and you have a fat bank account.

I bought a house on STT that required new kitchen, floors and windows. It took 8 months of struggle to get this done. Now I am looking at replacing all rotten decks with hurricane proof concrete. Just thinking about it gives me shivers.

Locating craftsmen who show up and do decent work is challenging here. You have to be onsite to supervise. Getting materials, appliances and fixtures is challenging and expensive to say the least.

Sailor, thank you for the response. After further research, building doesn't interest is. Renovating isn't out of the question however, especially because I have enough carpentry knowledge to install most things myself. Also, I'm sure my father (master carpenter) wouldn't mind me flying him down for a month to assist in any projects.

We have not been to the Usvi before. I have spent a fair amount of time in the caymans. I have a general idea of what living in the islands is like, but have never been to these specific ones. They interest me because my credit transfers, my professional license transfers, and it's still a us territory.

We have not been to the Usvi before. I have spent a fair amount of time in the caymans. I have a general idea of what living in the islands is like, but have never been to these specific ones. They interest me because my credit transfers, my professional license transfers, and it's still a us territory.

Make a PMV! These islands are nothing like the Caymans and planning a big move here with just a "general idea of what living in the islands is like" is a recipe for disaster!

There are issues with barking and keeping properties clean from pet excrement.
I'm sure you wouldn't wish to live next door to a yappy pup.
Many condos are used as vacation rentals, some cater to both hotel guests and owners. HOAs find it easier to ban pets than deal with issues allowing them can entail.

I have 3 dogs between 12 - 85 lbs. and am presently feeding 5 stray cats and spay/neutering them, one by one as I trap them.
I own my property and it's fenced
Fenced rentals are hard to find.

There are also issues with liability insurance coverage. Our HOA premiums are reduced substantially because we increased restrictions on number and size of dogs. We paid out around 15k last year (our copay amount) when a renter's dog attacked a resident.