Moving to St. John

Good morning curiousgeorge,

If you're not doing a pre-move visit, your best bet is to secure temporary lodging for a week and visit the bulletin board at Connections every morning until you've found housing and a vehicle.

For right now, read the Tradewinds online, and check Craigslist (both Caribbean and Virgin Islands) for rentals and trucks.

Good luck to you!

Thanks fdr.

We did a pre-move visit last January, and have a job set up there. We check Craigslist and Tradewinds constantly. Just thought someone might have something for rent on this board. Thanks for the suggestions! Lot's to do!!!!

try the classified section on this site, click forum list

Thanks Bombi. Have been searching that section as well. Also, posted a message on there a couple of weeks ago, with no results or comments.

What is Tradewinds?

Tradewinds is the local St. John weekly. It is online.

http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com/

@ curiousgeorge - sounds like you're on top of things, then. That's pretty much all you can do from off island. Good luck with the move!

Thanks fdr, we're definitely trying to stay on top of things. Been planning this move for a couple of years. My husband and I have had the opportunity to live in other countries, so we do know what it's like, as far as making a huge move and trying to pre-plan as much as possible. Just wish we could get more responses as far as rentals, as no one seems to want to provide the info (why doesn't "Connections" have a website with their postings?).

But then, maybe there's a very simple (and understandable) reason for it, like keeping the "up-in limbo"/"party-goer" people away, or maybe it's because they plainly want to keep the island the way it is, with no heavy traffic, no changes, no mumbo jumbo...just a day-by-day slower pace of life on a beautiful island. Who can blame that?!

Anyways, look forward to getting to that place.

Connections is a small operation. No reason to have a website. They provide a service by posting rentals. FDR was correct. You should not expect to secure a permanent rental until you are on island.

Good morning curiousgeorge,

Keep in mind that St. John is a very, very small community. We mostly communicate and conduct business in person or, when that's not possible, by telephone. It may seem backwards to you, but it's how things work down here. Moving to an island this size is different from simply moving to another country.

For a community of 4,500 people, if a long-term rental is being advertised off island (e.g., on Craigslist), it's usually either (1) more expensive than anyone who lives here wants to pay or (2) something else is wrong with it. And "wrong" can be anything from condition to location to a dangerously steep unpaved driveway to roosters to psycho landlords.

It is very difficult for most statesiders to believe that you can come down here and find a place to live in less than a week, as that's tough to do on the mainland. Here it is the norm -- usually it's easier to find a place to live immediately than in a few months' time.

Welcome to your first challenge of island life! Let us know how it works out when you get here.

Oh, and lest anyone be confused, Connections does have a website - http://www.connectionsstjohn.com/ -- they just don't post the classifieds on there.

Thanks again fdr, for the much needed advice. Will let you know how it goes.