US Virgin Islands

Locals and visitors alike are buzzing about the chance for a new National Park for St. Croix! The up to 2900 acre site located on St. Croix's south shore, is home to a pristine coastal barrier coral reef system, a historic great house dating back to the 1730's, as well as evidence of pre-Colombian settlement. The proposed property, Castle Nugent Farms, is home to a special breed of cattle, known as Senepol which are unique to St. Croix. The effort is being spearheaded by long time local family the Gasparis, who own Castle Nugent Farms and are strong supporters of the protection of St. Croix's natural and cultural resources.

Currently, the National Park Sservice is seeking local and visitor input on several park options. To offer support for this important opportunity for St. Croix, please write, call or email:

John Barrett
National Park Service
100 Alabama Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-562-3124 ext. 637
john_barrett@nps.gov

For more information please visit these sites:

St. Croix Environmental Association (SEA): http://www.stxenvironmental.org/castle_nugent.html

National Park Service: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkId=423&projectId=19240

Best Wishes, Lorine

Lorine R. Williams

Coldwell Banker Land de-Wilde

340.690.9628

www.buyintheusvi.com

lorine@buyintheusvi.com

Fantastic St Croix Travel Deals!

• $150 Airline Credit
• 4^th Night Free

Planning on visiting St. Croix this fall? Two valuable deals mean that now is a great time to book travel. Book your trip before October 5th and qualify for $150 airfare credit when you travel on either American or Delta Airlines. The airfare credits are good for both you and a travel companion ($150 each.) In addition, visitors who book three nights at participating hotels can stay an extra night for free. The hotels represent a great variety of styles and sizes, including the Buccaneer, Carambola, Diva Carina Bay Resort, Hibiscus Beach Resort and Sand Castle on the Beach.

Book through AA vacations, Delta Vacations, CheapCaribbean.com, Expredia, or Travelocity for travel now through November 15^th. For complete details as well as a complete list of participating hotels, consult the USVI tourism website at http://www.usvitourism.vi/package_and_promotions.

Hope we'll see you soon! Lorine

Lorine R. Williams

Coldwell Banker Land de-Wilde

340.690.9628

www.buyintheusvi.com

I've been corresponding with a woman who will be retiring soon and wants to move to St. Croix. She has a price range for a condo chosen within her means, and wants to walk to shopping, the beach, events, as much as possible. She'd also like a new complex.

If you would like to move permanently to St Croix, or consider an investment you could rent out for a few years, here is the answer I gave to her questions.

"You are embarking on a journey that I took 5 years ago - the quest for the perfect retirement spot! I traveled extensively looking at LOTS of islands - and believe me - St Croix is about as good as it gets. It is a wonderful place to live and work - all the benefits of being part of the USA - but with an island culture. Doesn't get any better than that. St Thomas is crowded, overpopulated, and dirty. I would not want to live there. St John is prohibitively expensive and not a real "livable" island - although it is the most beautiful of the 3 US Virgins. St Croix does have its share of crime - but we have a great governor who is working diligently to get things under control. Most of the crime here is petty - like in most tourist destinations - but it's a big nuisance and needs to be stopped.

"Currently there are NO new condo complexes on the island, but thankfully some are planned. There's going to be a new development near Christiansted that will include a variety of housing options, a "town center" and of course beautiful sea views. It's called Orangestad and I will send you some listings showing the plans.

"Right now - condos range from $65,000 to about a million. Big range, I know, and what influences the price is LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. The safest complexes with the most security are also the most expensive. I don't know of any condo complexes that are in walking distance to grocery stores, shopping, etc. Orangestad will be the closest to that concept.

"Condo fees range from $250 - $1200 a month. The fees include insurance, sometimes cable, sometimes pest control, and of course landscaping and pool maintenance."

I could say so much more, about our Buyer's Market, about the low low prices sellers are asking, about how St Croix is poised - because of Gov. deJongh and his efforts - to recover boldly and early from the worldwide economic downturn, about his plans to make our island self-sustaining and protect our resources. But call or email me yourself and I'll tell you all that, and how great it is livin' the dream in our Caribbean paradise.

Be sure to visit my web site if you are planning for retirement, and you will find the answers to a lot of your questions. That's all for now, I'm off to the beach,

You folks on the mainland think IDX is "old hat" but it's a new toy we just were able to install through our MLS.

To those of you who search for listings, and don't we all - even if just to keep up with the market or dream of someplace warmer when it's snowing - you know an IDX solution is 1000% better than plain vanilla MLS. It gives you options, and ways to see results, and map searches, and personal searches - that we never had the ability to offer you before from St. Croix.

Here's the link to MY LISTINGS, and visit my Coldwell Banker site to search the full MLS, or my Retire in the VI search page.

And, of course, contact me when you find something that interests you. I'm livin' the dream here in St Croix - come join us!

Moving to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands offers so many rewards: the white sand beaches, the warm and welcoming Caribbean waters, the culture, flavors and unique history of a diverse population. However, transplants from the States can face challenges adjusting to their new lives. I offer 3 easy steps to embrace the "Crucian" way of life.

Step #1:

Begin each interaction with locals and visitors alike with an unhurried smile and a warm greeting. A friendly "Good Morning / Afternoon / Evening" will go a long way to easing interactions with shopkeepers, bus drivers, and government workers. (A quick note, "Good Night" is also used as a greeting in St. Croix, not just to say "Good-bye.") Many from the States have come to see these interactions as "time wasters" or superfluous, but they are still important in St. Croix. Before demanding service from a clerk - stop, smile, pause, greet. Easy!

Step #2:

Accept that "simple" tasks that might have been accomplished in a few minutes may take a lot longer in St. Croix, and plan on that time. Driving through town during "rush hour" may take longer than expected because the driver of the car in front of you stopped to visit with his friend. Picking up a few sandwiches for a sailing trip to Buck Island may take 20 minutes, not 5 like it would in a New York deli. If you feel yourself getting frustrated, remember Step #1 before you take it out on the clerk.

Step #3:

Don't merely "accept" the slower pace, but embrace it and all that it represents. Some have theorized that this is due to the lack of seasons; each day is just as beautiful as the next, so what's the hurry? In every aspect of our lives today we are expected to multitask, be connected and on-line, filling every minute with productivity. St. Croix represents a more respectful, more civilized way of life that is gone is most parts of the world. Stop and enjoy the tranquil waves as they lap at the waterfront, watch a hummingbird negotiate its way through your flower garden, stroll through downtown and chat with the taxi drivers about their day. Next time you way may find yourself bragging about how little you did in your day, not how much!