Kim Lucas

The Great St. Croix Land Rush is Coming!

St Croix is poised to be the next "hot spot" in the Caribbean. With a new and wonderful director of Tourism, a fabulous governor and Lieutenant Governor, a new bevy of Senators who promise to continue to improve this lovely island, return of the cruise ships, and new resort developments that are inches away from ground breaking - all signs point to a "boom" on the horizon.

What does that mean to you? If you are an INVESTOR - it means get down here and buy LAND! If you're considering retiring here - it means get down here and buy LAND! I keep saying this - ST CROIX is the PLACE and NOW is the time! Land prices are really reasonable here (scroll down the page to see some great buys). Where IN THE WORLD can you buy ocean view property for under $100,000? If you are worried because you've never purchased land before, this 4-part blog series is for you.

How to Make Intelligent Land Investment Decisions

1. Start Small

Starting small in price and parcel size can help to insure that any mistakes you make in location or potential are small. Learn from any mistakes, and work into larger parcels with time.

2. Spread the Risk

Many investors shun partnerships - they want all profits themselves. But you will also take all the risk. When you first start purchasing land, consider a partner with experience in zoning or development or soils - anything that will complement your own knowledge. Sharing the wealth in the beginning may keep you from experiencing some unrecoverable financial pitfalls as you build your portfolio.

3. Diversify

Land is land, right? Not so. St. Croix has rainforest, and oceanfront, and inland homesites, and view homesites, and horse properties, and commercial plots - you get the idea. You have choices in development potential, price, location, and view - even on our small island in the Caribbean. Our prices now are SO reasonable, and sellers SO motivated, that you can easily diversify, spread your risk, learn the areas and potential, and position yourself to benefit from appreciation all over the island.

4. Examples of our Great Deals

Clairmont: This is a 2.56 acre homesite, that slopes gently about 400' to the north shore of St. Croix. On a ridge top, the plot enjoys excellent breezes and there is power nearby. Asking price $275,000 - with a panoramic ocean view of the blue Caribbean.

Whim: Three buildable lots, of .25 acre, in a mid-island location, are selling for $33,000 and $30,000. 2 are corner lots, and all are within easy distance of Frederiksted. Yes, that's right - 1/4 acre plot within a few miles of the ocean for less than $50,000!

You can tell I'm bullish about our economy and investing here. But I'll be honest with you about the development potential of any land parcel, and problems I might foresee in a purchase. So email or call, and ask for a copy of the newsletter I just mailed with descriptions of many types of plots available on St. Croix. And sign up to receive my next blog post on Beginner Decisions when You are Ready to Invest in Land.

Kim Lucas, REALTOR
kim@coldwellbankervi.com
340-626-3758
www.kimlucasvi.com
www.retireinthevi.com

Back in the '50's, there was a bar / restaurant in downtown Chrisitansted that was "THE" place to be, especially on New Year's Eve. I'm told that people from all over came to Club Comanche to see the old year end and start the new one. Lucille Ball, John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara are but a few of the well known folks who hung out at this establishment.

Over the last decade, Club Comanche had gone seriously downhill. It was open, but you wouldn't know it. No one ever went there - it was like a ghost town. And the rooms, the few that were actually inhabitable, were dirty, dingy and sad.

Recently, some enterprising folks gained control of it and have been working hard to restore and revitalize the business. Wednesday they had a grand opening to show off what they've done and give us a taste of what's to come.

In my opinion, they have done an outstanding job. The rooms have been tastefully "restored" to their original charm. The beautiful original wide beamed wooden floors and ceilings gleam and the furnishings are simple, yet very tasteful with a Caribbean elegance.

Plain white linen tabbed curtains grace the plentiful windows, which overlook a lovingly restored courtyard on one side, or the azure waters of the Christiansted harbor on the other. On the harbor side, the rooms are "suites" - with a nice sitting area as well as bedroom and bath. Throughout the "complex," beautiful mahogany & cane caribbean loungers abound, all covered with fabrics in gorgeous caribbean hues. It's the kind of place where you just want to fall into one of the many sofas and read a book!

The bar, which is open air, is bridged to both sides of the property and is truly a nice focal point for gathering and enjoying the sites of Christiansted town and the busy harbor. Bench seats line the place and there are plenty of "stand up tables" which render the space perfect for large crowds - which I anticipate they will see frequently.

The Club Comanche is not completely finished yet - but it is obvious that it is going to once again be a hot spot here in St Croix. And thankfully, the new owners have taken great care to keep the wonderful "old Caribbean" feel to the place and have faithfully restored and enhanced this historical treasure. Truly, a Phoenix is rising from the ashes here in St Croix!

Enjoy our slideshow of the Grand Opening Festivities and visit my web site for information on retirement and relocation to St. Croix.

Kim Lucas, REALTOR
340-626-3758
kim@coldwellbankervi.com
www.kimlucasvi.com
www.retireinthevi.com

As I walked the streets of Christiansted last evening after attending the much anticipated grand opening of Club Comanche, a former St Croix "hot spot," I was just overwhelmed with love for this quaint town. I am so fortunate to live here among all these wonderful people and this gorgeous architecture. I can't imagine being more blessed.

The light was so nice, and the full moon was already up by 5:30 last evening. I couldn't help but snap some photos of the places I love in this little town. Note the first photo - the Namaste Cafe - a new coffee shop in town and delicious!

St Croix is such a lovely place to visit - and it is the best place on the planet to live!

Visit my website for details on relocation to St. Croix, and contact me with your real estate questions.

Kim Lucas, REALTOR
www.kimlucasvi.com
www.retireinthevi.com
kim@coldwellbankervi.com
340-626-3758

Life Brings Unexpected Changes

In September, 2002, my mother passed away and I got a really big wake up call. She was young, vibrant, attractive and, I thought, healthy. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on my birthday in July and in two months she was dead. Fortunately, I was on sabbatical from my business and was able to take care of her for that two months. I was her only living relative! What a gift that was for both of us.

That same year, my only child went away to college, and I found I was sick of running my company (which I had founded 18 years prior). You could say I was feeling at loose ends. So, I decided to sell the business, sell my Atlanta home, and remarry. On our honeymoon, my husband and I learned that his 21 year old son was moving in with us. At the time, we were living in my mom's bungalow with only 2 bedrooms and my home office. We simply did not have enough room in the bungalow for our new "blended" family. So, I did what any impetuous woman would do - I went to an auction and bought a big house!

Embracing Your Dream and Going for It

The house was gorgeous on the inside - all light and airy and spacious with wonderful views of a golf course - but ugly on the outside (which is why it had not sold and had to be auctioned). We moved in and rented the bungalow, but I still wasn't satisfied. I got the bug to live near the ocean. We didn't have a clue how, where, or when we would do it - but agreed on the intention and I set wheels in motion.

Our newly-acquired house went on the market and within a couple of months, I rented it to a physician. My husband, his son, and I moved into a tiny apartment. My daughter was settled in nicely at college with no plans to live at home again. This apartment was to serve as "home base" for us as we traveled from island to island looking for our next home.

We traveled to the Caymans, Panama, Costa Rica, Eleuthra, Freeport, Abaco, Belize, and all over Florida. and Alabama. We found a little condo in the Caymans that my husband really liked. I was not sold on the Caymans, because I would not be able to work there, and I love to work. Nevertheless, to please my husband, I started trying to purchase this condo, but couldn't even get the real estate agent there to return my calls.

Finding a Home with That Special Feeling

I took that as a sign and decided we had to make one more trip. I'd never heard of St Croix - except by a fortune teller in New Orleans who told me I'd lived there once in a past life....but that's another story! We landed here and both fell immediately in love. The hairs on my arms stood up almost the whole time I was here! That's my "truth test." When the hairs on my arms stand up, something important is going to happen. We looked at 10 houses here in St. Croix - and #3 house was IT for both of us.

I was reluctant to make an offer, because my money was tied up in the big South Carolina house. But I gathered up my courage and submitted an offer anyway - a really low one - thinking they would never accept.

The Pieces Fell Into Place

As I flew back home - wondering what I would do if they DID accept - my husband offered some wonderful advice: keep the faith. Just believe things will work out and they will. I forget that sometimes.

On landing, I checked my voice mail from the plane, and there was a message from a real estate agent letting me know I had a full price cash offer on my home in South Carolina, and another one with an acceptance of my offer on the house in St. Croix! To make matters complete, my husband's son decided to move back to Atlanta - so all the pieces were truly falling into place!

We moved to St. Croix on Nov. 30, 2005, about one year from the date we'd decided to live near the ocean. The universe does deliver when your intentions are clear! I'm working as a Realtor, have made many friends, and just can't rave enough about the great people, laid-back lifestyle, fantastic weather, and amazing spiritual community I have found in St. Croix.

My life has changed a great deal in the past three years. I look back and can hardly recognize the person who moved here! My husband has moved back to the states, and I am where I am meant to be. This is a new chapter in my life, and I am so glad to be living in paradise with my dream come true!

Lessons I Learned

Treasure your loved ones - they will not always be with you.
Believe in your dreams - they can come true.
Take a chance if your heart tells you it's right to do.
Be open to and embrace change.
Share your Paradise, so others may dream.
The universe delivers whatever you want when you believe it will and set your intentions.

Contact me to discuss how I can help make your dreams of living in an island paradise come true.

Kim Lucas, REALTOR
340-626-3758
kim@coldwellbankervi.com
www.retireinthevi.com
www.kimlucasvi.com

Experiencing my First Hurricane

At about midnight on Wed., Oct. 15, as I lay in my bed snuggling with my trembling cat, I realized that I was "officially" a virgin islander now - complete with a Category 3 hurricane experience under my belt. Except we don't wear belts here. Too hot.

All in all, it was an interesting and somewhat frightening experience. The most frightening thing was not knowing what to expect. Now I know. Next time won't be so unnerving.

Preparations commenced on Wed. afternoon in the pouring rain. I gathered together a few single friends and we went about the task of picking up all "loose stuff" around the house. You know, those fallen coconuts, potted plants, grills, patio furniture, stuff like that. LOTS of stuff like that. My house looked like a storage center with all of that stuff inside!

My ex and a new and wonderful friend/neighbor (thanks Ken) put up my storm shutters. That took about 3 - 4 hours and they were completely and wretchedly soaked from head to toe. Fortunately, they were not cold. It was a balmy 78 degrees.

My girlfriend and I then went about putting away all "loose objects" in the house, in case we did get a busted out window and wind got in. Man, I have a LOT of knick knacks. My next task is going to be getting rid of some of that "stuff!" I'm definitely now in a better frame of mind to SIMPLIFY!

We had hot coffee and soup for the soaked fellows - and after all the preparations were made - we had more to eat and settled in to talking and hanging out. About 8:00 p.m. the power went out - and the winds picked up.

At around 10:00 p.m., our friend Ken ventured out and went back to his place (just down the driveway). I went to bed and snuggled with my cat - who was really freaking out. My girlfriend turned in to read by flashlight. My ex stayed on the couch listening to the radio. I lay there listening to the wind and praying for our safety and the safety of all our friends. I couldn't imagine what the seas must look like- and I shuddered to think about what was happening to the boats in the harbor.

Although I was in bed - I was keeping up with the reports on my I-Phone - and learned that the storm had intensified and picked up speed - and was headed for the east end of the island rather than the west. I breathed a little sigh of relief for my condo, which is at waters' edge on the west end. At around 11:30 - it sounded like a freight train was passing over - and cell service was lost. The lightening and thunder were constant and our front door started to rattle noisily.

Amazingly, I must have fallen asleep shortly after that, and when I awoke around 2:00 a.m., it was really quiet. We made it! What a relief!

By 6:00 a.m., everyone was up surveying the damage. We had a couple of very large trees down - both just a few feet from our house. Whew! The streets were littered with debris, downed lines, fallen trees. My girlfriend was anxious to get back to her place to survey the damage there - but we couldn't get more than a quarter mile from my house! We also learned that there was a curfew till 11:00 a.m. to allow the emergency workers to do their thing. And kudos to them - they have done an outstanding job of clearing the roads and getting the power and services restored quickly. When we did get out (around noon on Thurs.) - much of the debris had been cleared and the roads were relatively clear. I was and continue to be impressed!

All in all, it was bad, but it could have been so much worse. I believe about 30 boats were lost (my sympathies to you boat owners...) and who knows when our power, internet, and phones will be fully restored - especially on the hard hit east end. But what matters is, we all made it. And, we are coming together as a community to clean up and rebuild.

And the Brew Pub and Coconuts on the Beach are serving. The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day here in paradise. And there's no place on this earth I'd rather be.

I can help make your dreams come true of life on a Caribbean Island.  Visit my web site and request my Relocation Package or Guide to Retirement in the Virgin Islands.

Kim Lucas, REALTOR
www.retireinthevi.com
www.kimlucasvi.com
kim@coldwellbankervi.com
340-626-3758