Wanting to move to US VI

Hi Richard.

The "Virgin Islands Settler's Handbook" is very informative and can be purchased here: http://tinyurl.com/h6uyh There is also a lot of relocation information here: https://www.vimovingcenter.com/ The stories in the "What To Expect" section are especially illuminating as they are the experiences of folks who did what you're thinking of doing. After you've done some research, feel free to return with specific questions and we'll try to answer them.

Richard - you have the right job skills to be of interest to many building contractors here. They will probably want to meet with you in person before talking to you much about job opportunities with their companies however. This is because many people play with the thought of moving to the islands but don't follow through in the end. If you are on the island in person, you have a lot more credibility with employers and they can evaluate you in terms of how you might fit into their operation.

There are a variety of rental properties available on the different islands. The monthly lease rates may be more than you expect due to the expense of hurricane insurance landlords must pay that drives up the price they have to pass onto tenants. Most rentals don't allow pets, but if your pet is small enough you should have at least a few options. Most rentals are fully or mostly furnished and equipped, so you may not need to spend much bringing down what you now own. Make a trip to the island to explore how things work here. It's very different from the mainland and your preconceived notions of what you need to do in preparation for a move will undergo a drastic revision once you have been here. Sell most of your stuff or put it in storage and bring the bare minimum when it is time to make the move.

If you are out of work and able to relocate pretty much immediately, you might bring a couple of suitcases and check into some cheap short-term housing for a couple weeks to check out the island. If you decide it's for you, spend those weeks looking for a job and a rental property. Some people get lucky and it all falls into place. It depends on how spontaneous you are and what your expectations are. Other people make multiple visits over a year or two just to decide if they want to give island living a try. Everyone is a little different in their approach.

For people without a lot of ties or spouses, children, pets, etc. to bring along, just jumping in has at least some chance of working out. The more baggage you have, the more preparation you need to make. The islands chew up and spit out some people, so do beware. Others wouldn't leave for anything in the world. Nobody can truly predict what your own experience here will be.

There is someone who just got his general contractor's license. I have seen his work....wonderful! and will be using him to build an addition on my house where the roof is concrete, so the living room can have a large, oblong walk out area for dining. Complete with balustrades.

Anyway, I think he is putting together a larger crew. If you will start as crew and not chief, it may be a foot in the door. I will ask him if I can give out your name.

As an FYI: On STX I have noticed that the competition is getting steeper, and the work of a much higher quality, faster, etc. I think this is a good thing. The important thing is that this means there are more companies and more work opportunity for you.

Just one year ago when I moved here, it was hard to get good references for construction. Now there are many.

Hope that is helpful and will get back to you if this man will allow me to give out his email address,

Dan

Hello Dan

First and foremost I would like to Thank you very much for posting a massage to me.

Please feel free to give this person my name and if we can find a way for me to chat with this person.
Of course there are question I have for them and I am sure they will have many for me as well.
You/ this contractor can email me at any time and maybe set up a conference call with the contractor.

I as you know, am looking to move there if the work is there for me and yes the price is right.
I will be starting with not much of anything, it has be suggested to me to sell most everything I have and come there with just a few things ( I do have a 16lb Peekapoo dog). Oh yes indeed she does tell me what to do, or so she thinks. She is very well behaved.
I am not sure of housing/apt. and so on. This also raises the question about my vehicle thqat I just bought.

I guess I should not go into so many qutions with you, being that you are so kind enought to share this information with me.

Thank you very much

Richard James M.

Hello Dan

I hope that your morning is or has going great. Again thanks for writing back so soon.
When reading your email, in your first paragraph you mentioned that the contractors wife has a "cafe" I had a real good chuckle about that. The reason was is that for years I had been a chef/ cook along the east coast of the US. No I had not going to school for that but yet I have work in very fine restaurants.
I am asked all the time that I should open a classical type restaurant. Let me tell you about that, I prepare great food, expedite it all but don't really care much about the money/ business end about it.

Wow I didn't realize that the cost of ship my things there would be the expensive. Never-the-less I do think that I would need to bring my truck and tool, things like that and a few things to were. This truck I talk about there is a reason that I pretty set on bringing it, and kind of funny and sad at the same time.
since 1993 I have been fighting with DMV here in Central FL "Melbourne", (I live in Satellite Beach just shout of COCOA beach) when I move here back then DMV took my license away from me for Dui's. and said I would not get it back.
I have had many lawyers over the years none of them would fight I like wanted them to. Not until this last lawyer I had she is the best, she also didn't want to fight it all the way for me but I push and pushed her. In the time I had her she move to Washington DC, so I had to fly here back a forth a yew times We finally got my case in the right courts , a 3 panel judge, when she presented my case and the facts they decided in my favor. All in all DMV fought it yet again, but still we prove that we where in the right and that DMV had not right taking my license. I just received it back about 3-4 months ago.
Then the company that I was working for demanded that I buy this kind of truck to use for work and so on. They had said that I would be reimbursed but that didn't happen as to many other things. All in all I got my license back and a new truck that only had 900 miles on it and it's a 4x4.
I am sure that there is a lingering question in your mind about the dui's and drinking, no I don't drink now and have not since 1993 🙂

I had read in your email that you had a new truck but could not drive it do to your disability. I don't mean to be nosey, may I ask what kind of disability you have.
I am a person that if I don't know something I ask. I am a very honest person, maybe too honest sometimes. I most of the time say it like I see it, and say how I think what ever the situation is needed to be alleviated.
This sometimes get me in hot water with who ever.

Dan if you wish to you can give this contractor my name and email address and phone number. By the way what is this contractors name lol. what kind of construction is he into, remolding, Structural, and so on.
Give me a building from 1 story to 25 stories and I am in, my strong points are in structural, concrete forming setting up block crews, setting up rebar crews and so on. But this doesn't not mean that I can't do remodeling and so on.

I am also into the gardening thing, I have a good eye for landscaping, and love to get my hands dirty.
I am not sure if your the one I should be asking this but here it goes, what kinds of rate of pay are out there for this kind of work?
Where I am the pay is not bad at all, or at lease I could save some money for my retirement.

Let me tell you something about myself. Lets see I am me haha.
No I am 46, 6 foot tall mostly in great heath I was born up north in Conn.
lived and work in NYC for a few years. Went to Virginia For a few, Cooking and construction. and now since 93 here in central FL work construction so I guess to you say most of my life I have been building things. At the same time cooking in fine restaurants, but didn't like the late night hours to that, but still would do it if need be.

Ho get this I work construction, and cook love gardening and write poetry and has a small dog. so get that a diamond in the ruff I have been
told by some high class women. I am somewhat shy when face to face and I do keep to my own. A private person you can say.
Please give my email address to the contractor/contractor's if you can.
On here or over the phone it's just so much easer to talk, don't ask why it just is for me .

Anyway Dan thank for everything you have done for me this far.
I would give you my last name but it's a mouth full and it long but will give it to you when needed.

Thanks again Dan

I have a very nice studio available to rent short term. It's a great place to start and figure out where to live from here. Depending on the pet- pets are welcome. I have construction connections that could help in finding a job.

Go to; www.artbylucinda.com/villa and view the studios. Email us for weekly rates.

Thanks, Lucinda