Pre Move Visits

I think you just came accross a great business idea. As long as the price wasn't too high. It seems that a lot of people who are posting questions on this board about PM visits are also streching it to get everything there and find housing, car, ect.

Hello Ronnie,

That is a great idea. From my experience, I would have liked on a PMV to see a few grocery stores to compare prices and options, places like K-mart, Cost-U-Less for household goods, an overall tour of island including Red Hook, Havensight, Tutu, Skyline Drive, North side, of course Charlotte, and even the West End to get an idea of home options( I did this with family and friends and stopped for pictures and covered the island in an hour and a half). MountainTop has been remodeled since the new owner took over and it's look out point is incredible now. Also, Paradise Point for lunch. I think taking them to a marina to get out on the water is key to enjoying life on an island. I would think they need to see St. John or even Water Island. It would also be great for them to attend a board get together to network and talk to others who have made the move. I think they do need to go to a beach to enjoy their time. From the papers they can see what is available in homes, jobs, and cars, but I would encourage them to see a place to rent or talk to a Realtor if they want to buy. If they have kids - schools would be very important. They should see the public and private school options.

Some things to inform them: ship schedule determines island activity and even some stores hours and all food servers need a health card.

In my humble opinion, I think people can tell what they like and will know from a PMV if they would like living on an island. My husband and I predicted (without having firm plans) that we would probably live on island about two years. I lived on island two years and one day! I feel that taking a PMV is such a good investment. If you don't like it, you haven't made the move so no harm and you will have beautiful pictures and maybe come back another time. If you find it to your liking, you have a better idea of what to bring, what to store or leave behind, etc. The islands are one of those places that you have to see in person to understand. Before I came to the islands for the first time, I had a completely different picture in my head. I had read books fiction and non about the islands and had never pictured the commercialization (is that a word???), the poor, the big city crime, nor how beautiful the water really is nor how truly lively many islanders are even though they are still perceived as laid back. Did that make sense? Anyway, Ronnie you have a great idea and I would have volunteered to help you if I still lived there. Good luck!

Teresa

For me - again, this is my personal opinion from my experience - It would be a great service to offer people. People come down and don't understand how to get around easily without renting a car which can be intimidating, but also an important factor to moving here - the whole traffic & driving on the left thing - but better left to someone else when you are trying to get info - find places - etc.

That being said, for me the best thing about how I did my PMV, which never ended as I didn't leave the island, was that I lived in a local's house, drove a vehicle and acted like I lived here. I went to the gas stations (which are different from those we may be used to stateside), grocery store, some local eating places (not just the popular ones with the tourists) like Singh's and Chocolates and the Larraine Chicken Shack here on STX. It was important for me to mingle with the people of the island and immerse myself in what I would deal with living here.

Sometimes when people come and do a PMV, they are really on a vacation meeting with realtors, etc. and not fully getting the grasp of what actually living here is like.

It's a great idea Ronnie. Good luck!

Great suggestions so far ladies. Thanks. Now to work on price. Keep the ideas coming!
Ronnie

Ronnie: Make sure you stop on the island tour for whelk roti!! 😉 😉

Seriously, part of a PMV (and I have resisted that term for a long while) is to find out how you to do things on your own. If you package it too neatly, people will not get the idea of how difficult some things still are...

I sometimes take recent arrivals around with me on my daily routine fi you can call it that. I take them to my grocery store as well as Cost u Less and Pricesmart, Kmart, and the like. They see how many places I have to go to just to get basics. It's things like that I would do. Island tours of course.

Ronnie

I think it is a great idea to provide a targeted package. That said, I too worry that if it is too managed, the visitor doesn't have the opportunity to experience the island themselves. Balance between the two objectives will be important, but not impossible.

Well, with my schedule, there will be plenty of time for them to experience things on their own. Trust me! I pla to have a well thought out regimen. Keep the ideas coming! Thanks.

Ronnie

Hi Ronnie,

I think it's a great idea. I wish I could have hired you for this! If someone comes down for a premove visit you could offer your services for just a couple of days to show people the different areas one could live (pros and cons), the major stores, the major employers within their field, take them to a car dealership to get an idea of cars on island, provide them with our local papers to look over, maybe you could create a list of important phone numbers of WAPA, Innovative, reputable car mechanic etc. We stayed at your place when we moved and you were very helpful. But, I will say I wanted to pick your brain more but I didn't want to be rude! I would have gladly paid you for a little extra help.!

Good luck Ronnie I think it's a great idea.

I like the idea of a PMV expediter. A PMV should tell you what it will be like to LIVE here long-term, not what it will be like to LEARN to live here. Getting lost and being clueless is not a very helpful experience during a PMV. So take them straight to the stores and Realtors and restaurants and the Post Office. They'll observe important things along the way, like what the people are like, traffic, distances, waiting times, prices, selection, availability, etc.

STXBob - good point! Lots of people complain about the process of getting all their utilities turned on, setting up the PO Box, etc. but those issues do eventually become a thing of the past. It's good for new arrivals to know that they will have a period of effort and adjustment, but it's also good to know that life will settle in down the road.

On STX, the lack of street signs makes it more complicated for a new arrival to learn their way around than they would have in a town on the mainland where signage is the norm. A tour guide is a helpful thing. I try to assist buyers with getting some of their initial tasks completed but many others struggle through it on their own. I'm sure many new arrivals would jump at the chance to have someone mentor them through the first month when their move comes a reality, as well as take advantage of an escorted PMV.

I have always looked at Villa Fairview as a way to ease people into living here. They won't, at the least, havoc to deal with getting it all done right away. They can stay for a month and take their time looking for a nice place. That being said, I also see this as a need for those PMVers who are really looking into making this their home and should be showed the basics of what to expect. With all the suggestions I have been getting, it will be easy to come up with a format to do it! Thanks again.

Ronnie

Shawn, I never tire answering questions from newbies. I may chuckle, but still do answer! Sorry you didn't. You were in fast track mode when you got here though!

" I never tire answering questions from newbies"

I am etching this in stone. And you'd better chuckle!! 😀 😉

Yes, EE you were the first and after so many years, still asking questions!

Ronnie

I agree that it is a great idea and I would have used the service considering I was there by myself for a month before my husband moved. I also say that I learned more from driving all over the island by myself and stopping to ask where things were than if someone showed me everything. The directions that people give you are so far out there, but somehow I always found it "around the big tree" , "broken down car", etc.....I agree with Onika that it has to have some "exploring" time.
good luck!

Kellymac,

I had to laugh. I remember getting directions to pick up my new water pump. Turn on a street behind the cemetery that has a big tree in the middle of the road and look for a house on the right that has a bunch of boxes on the porch. I found it and he even had a little store front on his back porch of which I assume was his home.

Ronnie,

Be sure to explain a cistern, septic, and critters that comes along with living in an island home. 🙂 But also the cool things like wild parrots, iguanas, unusual fruit (genips, sour sop, passion fruit, sugar apple, mangoes, etc) We do not have those here in the states!

Teresa

Wha??? No genips and iguanas in the states??? How do people live?? 😉 😉 😉

Hi Ronnie.
I am actually awaiting a transfer that hopefully would bring me to STT.
Knowing very little about it other than what I find online, I think your idea is wonderful!!!
It could be similar to the process the military uses. You have a sponsor at the receiving end of your transfer, who will stay in touch, answer all of your questions and help you in every way possible, including sending you a pre move package, newspapers and tourist brochures, real estate mags and so on. Picking you up at the airport and helping you get settled in.
Some kind of "pre-premove" questionnaire may be helpful to you as well as the person moving there. Questions like what a perspective transferee wants to pay in monthly rent, pets vs. no pets, private school or public and so on. Not sure what all the questions should be, but I do know that the folks on this forum all have one that caused them a bit of stress prior to their move.
I hope you can get this idea off the ground and good luck with it!!!!!
Jay

Hello there! Somehow I missed this thread and thought I'd comment as I did a lot of this last year. I have been 'shut down' as I have an addition going on shortly to make the PMV room into two so it will be more comfortable. Then the parents come, but that is another story altogether!

I generally ask people if they need or want anything upon arrival. In general, they already have a plan. It includes a car, possibly an interview and several meetings with realtors.

Each day on the average day, we sit and have a soda, tea, whatever after the journey. We discuss everything from utilities (I am very candid about what I pay, as the house is 'concrete' and therefore they have something real to compare things to).

On the day of arrival, I always offer to take people to the store, but in general, it is their first outing, so they choose to drive.

Where I see your service being MOST IMPORTANT is for the person or people who do not come down with anything but a vague plan, but who are also determined to move. The one negative experience I have had was with just such two people. After one day (of trashing my guest room) they decided they didn't like STX, and were off to STT, where I believe they are now.

With no plan, guidance would be helpful, and if you are looking for referrals, I certainly would point people your way. I cannot walk, stand or drive all day, so I am a poor candidate for this kind of thing.

I may have missed it above, but do you also have guest space to rent? I'm curious as I have gotten a lot of contacts, but due to construction and my parents, the rooms will not be ready until around February 1, '07.

I also agree to a large extent of pushing people to be as independent as is possible so they don't feel like they are on the vacation they remember so well, but I'm sure you can achieve this balance.

If you can, please PM me so I know what/when etc. regarding folks who write or call,

Dan