interviewing for landlord

all right I will be the first to say ...what?.......are you looking for free rent and business space for free too?........which island ?......... we have a whole bunch of new kitchen laws....and business set up is not fast or cheap...good luck

I agree with the previous poster. Maybe you should come down here for a PMV so that you don't set your expactions to unrealistiuc levels. Much has happened and changes in the last few years and "barter deals" on rent are not at all common anymore as they used to be.

Clarification:

island - STX

business setup - I am well aware of the business setup time and expenses, hence my previous years worth of paperwork and filings, etc.
As a matter of fact, if anyone wishes to move a business to the VI one should expect at least two years worth of red tape and general, "Yeah...We'll get right on that."

rental - Let's take the old Top Hat in Christiansted for an example: during remediation the asking price was 70K ( very reasonable) with a then current income generation of 2.5K/month off the existing business rental below. Had the living space above been occupied by the remediator and the unoccupied business space below rented by the same, the rental income would have doubled and the labor costs for the remediation would have been reduced by 30% to 40% with the net result having been a reduced time loss to bring the property up to a selling cost of 1.5, well worth the negotiated living space for the savvy investor. Likewise, any real estate that is unoccupied or uninhabitable is operating at a loss.
Money is just a representation of labor and skill expended. I will move back home and expend my labor and skill on fixing that which is broken and manufacturing that which is needed; my labor and skill which is valued by someone will be exchanged for something of value to me, and I, in turn, will pay a percentage of that to the government for services rendered which we have deemed of value to us all. This is economy in a nutshell.

brass tacks: So, who wants to be my landlord? What properties do you have that you believe would suit both our needs for long term growth and development? I will be establishing over the next couple of years a composite repair and manufacturing shop that will require access to shipping and receiving, a retail operation, a small eatery or two, and an artist studio. Of course, if living space is adjacent, that would be lovely.

welcome replies: Those interested in beginning business negotiations are naturally most welcome, however, no reply is unwelcome as wisdom is found in both the crab who is hunted and the fisherman who thinks he is the hunter.

I sincerely hope that my terse writing style has not offended, most whom know me ask who writes for me as it apparently does not match my laid back attitude. I left home after my apprenticeship to become a craftsman, find a bride, have children, and bring them back home. I am very anxious to show them that life's troubles are everywhere, the only thing you can choose is the scenery...after traveling the world, nothing beats the VI.

I don't think anyone is offended, I just think you will not receive any serious replys. Your needs are specific and obviously well thought out. But, in my opinion, you will need to be on-island to network, pound the pavement, and find the right opportunity.

When I read the original post, and again when I read onionhead's second post, I immediately thought of Tillett Gardens on St. Thomas. I believe it is for sale. Maybe Donna (glynnswife) is reading this and can tell you.

onionhead, no offense, but do you think you could rewrite your request in a little more lay terms. I understand economy, but my eyes started crossing.:-)

Onion head, I like you already. You speak my lingual intelect,hence my wgaf attitude! welcome.

All well said, thank you. Yes, I agree that I will most likely have to be there to work my magic, I'm merely priming the pump, so to speak. My master had taught me, during my apprenticeship, that all projects can be brought to completion by following three steps: clean, prep, finish...and no step will be successful until the previous one is completed. Cleaning and prep are the nastiest and the most likely to be rushed through; I have done step one, which took 20 years, I've been working on step two (the prep) for four years. Once I reach home, I know that the prep still won't be over for a while...I may come from there and have patience (or resignation...sometimes I can't tell the difference) but I can't expect my wife to immediately understand that chickens are the real rulers and have no concern for the boundaries of man.

I'll be there soon (soon for us), and find what I need. In the meantime, if you run across a landowner that is in a quandary and out of options, my imagination and skills are a wonder to behold, as are all of ours given the right impetus. Let's make something beautiful.

I'm heading back stateside for a while,I will keep checking the board though to see how things are going for you. I,also,did 4 years of "prep" and now have a good base "coat" to go from here. I wish many good things for you and your family,(I have girls).