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Hello everyone my name I Jay.
My wife and I are strongly considering a midlife move to St Thomas. I am a residential building contractor by trade and my wife is a Programmer/System Analyst. We are life long boaters and fell in love with the islands on our first trip in 2002. We have been back on two additional trips since 2002. The last of which was over the Thanksgiving Holiday. A normal trip for us includes a few days on land and a week on a charter boat. We will be back down the last week in February for nine days. We are spending the first night on St Thomas then a day and night on a charter boat (Foxy’s on Yost) then seven days in a Villa at the Westin. This is a change for us but I thought we should spend a little more time on land and try to get a better feel for grocery shopping and the likes.
I have read all of the what to expect stories on the relocation page as well as most of the other links. I have actually been reading the board on and off for some time for general info on the islands prior to trips. For a timeline for relocation we had been talking about a year to year and a half from now. We own a piece of investment property here that we are considering selling this year and rolling that money over into a rental condo as a first move. This would give us a leg up as having somewhere to stay upon arrival and take care of some tax issues that I will have if I just sell the property outright.
I would like to have any information or first hand knowledge that anyone has with the construction business. I would likely want to open my own small company like I have here. I primarily do kitchens, baths, decks and small to medium additions here. I now the demand is there, it’s a question of the government regulations, licensing and red tape that I have questions about. I am used to a backwards anti business government I live in West Virginia currently.
Also my wife just sent her resume to the University of the Virgin Islands for a job they have posted on there web page currently that is almost a carbon copy of her current position in the States. Does anyone have any first hand info about employment at the University? She may never hear anything about the posting but in the event that she does it may radically change our timeline. I know that good professional employment for her will be the key to our relocation, (insurance, benefits, retirement, etc.) so if this job would pan out we would have to make our timeline fit. I would have the option of working for someone else in the short term if this works out. I also hold a fifty ton masters captains license and would likely be able to find at least a seasonal job to help tie us over in the event this comes through.
Last but not least schools/children aren’t an issue for us as we don’t have any children and don’t plan to have any.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Jay
Posted : December 26, 2006 2:41 pm
Jay: There is a guy here who has built just about an entire career on redoing kitchens and he is leaving island. There are a lot of condos here that are 20 or so years old with innerds in need of renovation. If you have a good work ethic and do quality work, the word travels quickly. Yes, there are small annoyances like a business license and liability insurance, but once you get those, and you do a good job, you will probably have plenty of work.
Posted : December 26, 2006 7:18 pm
I know who East Ender is talking about. He did a friend's kitchen & what a talent! I have no clue what's involved in getting your business license but others have done it.
Before I moved here, I had sent my resume out to several places & a few weren't interested because I wasn't here. Luckily, I did get an interview & was hired so possibly it might help for your wife to follow-up with any resumes she sends out once she's here or try to get an interview.
I would think she'd have not trouble with those qualifications & also not just limited to UVI. I'm quite sure banks & other businesses would be interested also.
Wish you could redo my kitchen! Good luck! Sometimes you just have to take the plunge.
Posted : December 26, 2006 10:14 pm
I am also new this board Jay and have an almost identical situation. I plan to return in May and would like to buy property there. I own a tile company in FL. and would need some work also. Been a marble mechanic for 17 years all first quality jobs. Post me back and we can compare notes and perhaps work together. Chris.
Posted : January 1, 2007 9:55 pm
