STT Rental Realtor your personal experience for “normal” people

Well if you use a realtor, expect to pay the fee. But if it were me, I would drive around the areas that you are interested in living and look for the signs posted on the side of the road. I know on the North Side of St. Thomas most of the locals use this method for posting over news papers and Craigslist. Also, a lot or at least some of the locals rent month by month not requiring a lease. My wife's aunt has a 3 bedroom and 2 bath mostly furnished apartment on the Northside over looking Magen's Bay for $1800.00 a month, but might be willing to negotiate a little for the right tenant, she doesn't use leases nor does she require references, as long as you got the cash, she's got the place. She also posts signs on the side of the road.

mike

Most rentals that the 'normal' people you are referring to are rented privately by the homeowner and are often not publicly advertised but have a sign on the house or road nearby or word of mouth in many cases. Using a realtor is more common for off island owners who want a management service and they pay a percentage of the rent for the convenience, the homes are usually an investment and generally the more expensive homes overall. [This may not be the case for condos.]

The island Trader/daily news and Craigslist are kind of a medium choice for homeowners but they do generate a varied response that can sometimes be overwhelming to deal with for an owner, my personal opinion.
A month to month short term rental is a small segment of the market and is not what the majority of private rentals are looking for or want -- they want a tenant who will sign a lease and live there for a while.
Realtors who spend a lot of time showing rentals are probably few and far between here and their inventory is probably small and not a MLS listing.

Good luck with your search and I do hope the forum can give you some help - keep networking, asking everyone if they know of a place, driving around the areas that you want to rent in, calling the ones listed publicly, and I have faith you will find a place soon if you explore all avenues.

It's rare to come across a landlord who'll rent month to month from the start but there are many who are happy to let the occupancy slide into a month to month after the initial lease period (usually a year) is up. I'd actually be rather leery of someone who didn't want to enter into a lease agreement at least initially and would check to make sure the house isn't for sale. Living without a lease you're very unprotected but if your lease segues into a month to month after the term is up, the same terms and conditions apply as in the written lease unless amended in writing.

OP, I'd suggest you find something temporary for a month or so and then when you get settled in and get to know your way around, follow the advice given and check on places found through general advertising and roadside signs. Craiglslist generally has a few listings advertising places for those such as yourself who need a temporary place while settling in. Good luck!