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My husband and I moved to STJ full time May1st. We considered moving part time but jumped in full time. We are mid to late 40"s .. not rich. not poor... WE LOVE IT... Today makes five months. Are groceries expensive? YES....Is WAPA expensive? YES... are we surprised? No... we did our homework. Bought a car on the island...Sold two cars in the states..a 3,000 sq ft home... EVERYTHING .. for a 850sq ft apartment in cruz bay... We have never been more happy !! We feel safe and have no plans of returning to the states... these boards can scare you... some are down right mean.. I wanna say welcome and it CAN be done !!!
Posted : October 2, 2014 12:42 am
Why did you pick STJ over some of the other islands? Just out of curiosity.
Posted : October 2, 2014 12:52 am
Why did you pick STJ over some of the other islands? Just out of curiosity.
Crime.
Posted : October 2, 2014 12:54 am
Topic starter
We felt very safe... It was more laid back than STT... its beautiful, nice restaurants, nice beaches... small town feel. Easy to know the locals and fit in.
Posted : October 2, 2014 1:04 am
STJ Newbie - Congratulations on making the move! My husband, 6 year old, and myself are in the planning stages for our move, hopefully in August 2015. I have a few questions regarding finding housing on STJ.
- Is there a real estate company that specializes in rentals?
- What are good public resources to find an apartment?
- Can you provide information in regards to your typical WAPA bill and how much you conserve the use of your power?
We have been to STJ numerous times (just returned from our 4th trip this year) and truly find the island special. Now I need to plan the big move.
Thanks for all of your help!
Posted : October 14, 2014 6:27 pm
I'm following your blue print in the next couple of years. I like STJ because of the small town feel myself as well as the park system. I love the idea of downsizing. Great to hear your story. keep us updated!
Posted : October 14, 2014 8:29 pm
Good for you! My husband & I are planning our move to STX, hopefully for next year. We have 2 daughters, now 9 & 6, that are super excited to swim with the sea turtles at Buck Island. Things seem to be falling into place as well as can be and we can not wait to make the USVI our forever home.
Posted : October 14, 2014 10:21 pm
The biggest long term management company on St. John is Scenic Properties, and you can call them at 340-693-7777. Other than that, there is a board at Connections in town where people list places to rent, jobs, things for sale, etc. A lot of places are just word of mouth. I highly recommend that you you don't rent sight unseen. There should be lots of options on housing if you plan on coming in August/September. That is generally the time people here tend to either leave (temporarily or for good) or find a new apartment.
As far as WAPA… it really depends on what you have running. The best way to conserve is to learn to live without AC. I've never had it in the 15 years I've been here, and rarely feel the need for it. I also have my hot water heater on a switch. I only turn it on 15 minutes before I take a shower and then shut it off. I also line dry my clothes. AC, Dryer, Hot Water Heater, Pool Pumps, all those eat a lot of energy. WAPA bills can run anywhere from $100-$500 a month depending on what you use.
Posted : October 15, 2014 9:22 am
Topic starter
Magee.... Not much I can add that Julie did not say. She is correct !! I have WAPA included with my rent... but that is very rare. I hope you follow through with your decision to move. It is VERY different to live here vs vacation here but I wouldn't wanna live anywhere else:)
Posted : October 15, 2014 9:41 pm
