STX condominium market

One name: Kim Lucas. You'll love her! Tell her Adrian sent ya! I met her on my PMV we rented from her and we became fast friends. She is wicked smart and knows real estate like nobody's business 😉

You should see her condo :-0 it's amazing - we always swim with dolphins in the "backyard" when were over there. Love!

Are there any parts of the island (perhaps in elevated areas) where one can be comfortable without the A/C, or with very little A/C use? Thanks.

We live @ about 700 ft elevation overlooking Salt River in STX.

We have AC but have not used it since our arrival here in 2012.

Ceiling fans and breezes make all the difference in the world.

Our pool actually got so warm last summer (90 degrees) it really wasn't refreshing during the day. Still is a great resource to use to beat the heat and really a welcome treat in the evenings.

I recorded 95 degrees outside temp at least twice last summer but that was in the late afternoon and it cools down fairly quickly after the sun goes down and its very comfortable.

BTW, no matter where you come from, you will become acclimated after a year or so and will even feel cool to some times cold in the winter
months and the sea will be cold to you when northerners on vacation think it's warm.

In our opinion high and breezy is GOOD.

We second A&A recommendation of Kim Lucas, she's GREAT!

CD

We lived at the Reef (East end STX) for 3 years with no AC.

Now we live in STT and we ran our AC in Sept/Oct in our bedroom/at night. And we got the baby's room an AC that gets run every night because we have to keep windows closed due to a workshop behind our place.

I have been looking into Condos as well. One thing I have noticed is the Monthly Condo Fee is...well everywhere. It also is not part of the Mortgage Calculator. For example, I could afford a Mortgaged Condo for $180,000.00 But with the additional Condo Monthly fee of $312.00 on top of the mortgage payment it makes it un affordable.

I have seen Condo's fee's included on really expensive ones but I have also seen Condo fee's in excess of $400.00 for $200,000.00 ones.

$400 condo fee is relatively low for STT condos.
Depending on the association, the condo fees maintain all external maintenance, grounds and maintenance personnel, trash removal, pools, manned security, sewerage, back up generators (if they have), electronic gates, insurance, etc. which all adds up.
They also have to have a reserve for hurricane damage, etc.
Be sure to ask how much in reserve and see all association rules, regs and by-laws prior to a purchase.

Question about the "gated communities" on STX. In one message thread, someone mentioned that they are not very common. But from my condo search, all of the hits came out with these "gates". Any downside in living in the gated communities, compared to, ... umm, ungated ones? Thanks.

Gated communities don't deter break ins...just ask anyone who lives in Judith's Fancy. They probably just make you more of a target.

I don't live in a gated neighborhood but we did put a gate up at the beginning of our private rd. 3 neighbors pitched in.

I don't think it makes us more of a target. It makes it harder for the thieves to get down our rd. Plus people don't come down our rd. and dump their trash like they used to. That drove me nuts.

Love our gate, best thing we ever did.

Agreed Margaritagirl...I would love to have a gate at the end of my driveway if only to make it more difficult to burglarize my house.

some condo fees have been as high as 1200 a month