rural living on STX

There really aren't any neighborhood maps of the sort you're looking for. You can have chickens and goats most places but if chickens are not already in the neighborhood, you're neighbors won't appreciate them and you may very well end up with poisoned chickens. Safety is always a concern but if you're careful about who you rent to you should be fine.

I got a really nice map with "most" of the roads on it from Map World. The other map I use a lot is the free one that is called the pocket map.
I use three maps when I am trying to find something. Even when you are down there, things aren't very well marked. I have note and road numbers marked in ink on the big one.
Probably the most farm like would be places in the middle of the island, or maybe up North by La Vallee.

There are larger maps all over the web. I just saw one at www.st-croix-real-estate.com

That is some realtor's website with a link to a map that shoes more detail.

i too am interested in rural areas. will be in stx for my pmv april 18-may 2. can't wait. raised in maine, moved to what was a small town in southwest florida in 1979, ready for rural stx.

People IT IS ALL RURAL......you will have insects that will invade your house on a daily basis, mongoose, attack chickens, goats, horses, cats (no squirrels and such). You will find dead gecko bodies in places that will make you want to cringe. There is nothing cosmopolitan about stx.

Attack chickens?

Yes, I have been drop kicked, chased, and pecked by quite a few roosters here in PA . (geese are much worse-they bite at the ankles, butt, and you can imagine what else) My own adult family members have been cornered in the chicken coop having to wait for rescue by axe. That rooster took his turn being dinner.
About all of STX being rural, what I mean when I say rural is a house that has from 3/4 to a full football field of open land in between the neighbors. To me, rural also implies the possibility of a long private road or driveway. Sorry if I've been misusing the term rural.

There are lots like that, even ones with house, the question is do you have the money for it? This is not the backwoods of Kentucky its going to cost money to get that. You could buy land like that in the rainforest (few places on the west end that isnt built up) for under $25k but if you want a house on it you have the same problem again.

You can buy a great map of STX (on one side, STT $ STJ on the other) by Franko at VI Trader.com. You can link to that site from the home page of vinow or vimovingcenter. Click on maps on the left side of of vi traders page. I bought this map a few years ago and found it very useful. It's also coated so it resists water damage.
Drive around in some of the more secluded areas and you'll find there are some neighborhoods that have chickens roaming around. The real question is whether you'll be accepted in those neighborhoods.

Don't forget there are chickens that wander the yard at Lord God of Sabaoth Lutheran Church and in the Apothecary Courtyard . Both are in downtown Christiansted.

Good point about being accepted by the neighbors. I was hoping to spend my first year of renting really getting involved in local issues-doing as much volunteer work with local people as possible. Plus, If I am teaching in the public school system or being a volunteer tutor, I hope to make a few local friends.
Are there any structured volunteer groups that help young people, the elderly, or clean up groups to do painting and small repairs? Are there any church groups with community outreach programs?

You can see the pocket map at this website:
http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/maps.shtml

It has most of the "estate" names on the map, which is how property addresses are listed in the MLS. Some estate names occur in more than one section of the island, so just ask if you aren't sure which property is where until you understand how the island lays out. STX is cut into 11 "quarters" (don't ask me how they did the math!) that are kind of equivalent to breaking the island into counties. Then the estates are more like neighborhoods. Some estates are quite large and some are very small.

Houses tend to be more spread out the further you get from the downtown areas. There are residential platted neighborhoods here and there where the lots are small and the houses are close together, but then you may have a few miles of scattered homes on larger lots. Much of the island is undeveloped and you will see miles and miles of vacant farmland on the south shore, especially once you are a few miles east of the refinery.

How successful you will be at finding a house in a rural setting with elbow room between the neighbors depends quite a bit on the price range you can afford. Some of these properties will still have a second apartment that can be rented out to help with the mortgage payment and also so you have at least one close neighbor in case you do need help with something or just like having someone there to watch the place when you travel off-island.

There aren't many places for sale on acreage, but there is often a lot of vacant land around a home that is for sale and you may not have many neighbors for a very, very long time, if ever.

BETTY - Your post said it all, and when you mentioned "attack chickens" I about fell out of my chair! I needed that reminder and laugh!! But you forgot about the Iguanas in the tree, and the wandering horses that love to stop traffic - LOL.

CHRISTIE - I love your attitude and if anyone can help you it would be Alexandra. Good Luck

Hope to meet you someday on the island!

Moving to rural STX
Island Rat

There are lots of rural housing on STX available for both rent and sale. Ric and I live just south of the North Shore (Cane Bay) We're on the road over the hill between La Valle and Mon Bijou. We rent a house on someone else's property and those on the Board who have visited us can attest to it's "ruralness".

But you can't fine such places until you are here. Then is just a matter of researching and SEARCHING.

Dogs? Kid? Unable to climb stairs? All these thing make the search more difficult.

Good luck.