Life and real estate in St Croix vs St John or St Thomas

Living in the US Virgin Islands

I received an email from a prospect who wanted information on how to choose one of the 3 Virgin Islands for investment and retirement. Here's my (somewhat prejudiced) viewpoint.

St John

If you like St John, you will really like St Croix. I had vacationed in St. John many many times before I'd ever even heard of St Croix, and loved it. But, I could never afford it there. Honestly, I really would not want to live there. That said, it is truly one of the most beautiful places on this earth and is a great place to vacation. St John is much more expensive (real estate-wise) than St Thomas or St Croix. It's also less "livable" - not many grocery stores and certainly no large ones. 80% of the island is a national park.

St Thomas

St Thomas is much more crowded and the traffic can be really bad and very congested. I, personally, do not care for this island, and would not consider living there. Yes, it it beautiful, as are all the Virgin Islands - but it is also very touristy. St Thomas is the cruise ship capital of the world! The real estate prices are also higher than they are in St Croix.

St Croix

St Croix has about the same land mass as St Thomas, and many fewer people. St Croix has very diverse topography. It is only 22 miles long and 7 miles wide, but there's desert and rainforest land, and agriculture and residential uses. Cruise ships visit, but nowhere near the number that dock at St Thomas. The cruisers come to port in Frederiksted, which is currently what I consider a sleepy little town with great restaurants and bars and the best beaches on the island. I'm sure that will change someday - and it will be bustling and busy - but now it's quaint and lovely, except when the cruise ships are here.

Crime

We do have crime, but it's no worse than anywhere else, and tends to be petty stuff. Much of it is drug-related. It doesn't slow me down one bit - I feel very safe in my home and going out too.

Real Estate

The real estate prices on St Croix are very good, especially now. It'sdefinitely a buyer's market. There are a couple of gated communities on the island. Judith's Fancy is my personal favorite. It's very centrally located, nicely diverse, and has 24/7 security. Homes in this neighborhood range from $450,000 - millions.

Economy

I also believe that St Croix is poised for some major growth. A new distillery is currently being built, Home Depot will be breaking ground soon, a new resort/casino/marina has been approved - so there are many jobs coming and new developments on the horizon. More cruise ships are scheduled, which creates more opportunities for vendors and shop owners throughout the island.

Jobs

If you show up on time and are reliable, you probably won't have any problems. If you are in the building/ construction trades, you should be able to find work. I wouldn't count on getting rich here - the pay is not great - but boy oh boy are the benefits good!

Lifestyle

Enjoy the 365 days of sunshine and warm weather, gorgeous beaches, friendly people, lots of fun things to do (read my blog for this weekend), and many, many volunteer opportunities. We have all the advantages of being a US citizens in a US territory on an island that has a real "island culture" - laid back, friendly, relaxed. YA MON!! DIS IS GOOD!

Come on down to experience St Croix - a week is about minimum - and I'll be happy to give you a nice island tour! I have an ocean front condo that I rent out at a 20% discount for my customers - check it out at www.sunsetsuitevi.com. Visit US VI gives a good overview of the 3 islands, and search St Croix properties for sale on my web site, to get an idea of prices.

Helping you live the dream,