USVI-On-Line

PIA I would never call you fluffy

I, too, am very interested in this topic, but at present, it's a dream! I retire in 2 years, my husband a few more and we plan to have beach property, but it could be anywhere. I browse the island real estate that's for sale occasionally and know property is high on SJ, but I'd sure like to live there eventually!

PIA I have to get down and cook for you and Les again I've got some new receipes to show you.

Pia, you crack me up!

Fluff away!

Both my husband and I were raised in the construction business and without fail, during every trip the subject of building or renovating a house on STJ comes up.

Twice we stayed in houses that had major maintenance issues and watched in horror as electrician and plumbers came and went day after day, sometimes several times a day, without fixing the problems. I would think owners get sky high maintenance bills and service call charges.

Your right on there PA girl it was cheaper for my friend to fly me down to wire and plumb his new hot tub then to hire it out and I could get it done sooner.

We didn't build our villa to make money, and we never really considered it an investment. We built it because we love St. John and wanted to have a home there...

And 4 1/2 years after completion, I don't regret anything we did...

The cost? Considerable to this day...

There's the management company, the pool guy, the landscapers, the pest guy, the cleaners, the greeters, the maintenance guy, the phone bill, WAPA, internet access, property taxes, etc...

Things wear out quickly. We've replaced the DVD player, the outdoor speakers, the toaster, the coffee pot, and of course, a couple of blenders! A few things disappear mysteriously, but all-in-all, I'm generally very pleased at how well our guests respect and take care of things while they are there.

And we would almost break even, if not for the mortgage. Those payments come out of our income in Maryland, and if not for the fact that our house there was paid for, and we both have full time jobs, we wouldn't be able to do it. Retirement? Soon come...

But wow..... 4 times a year we get on a plane and fly to our favorite place in the world. And we walk into a house that is truly our home. We have so many good friends that we look forward to seeing on every visit. And even after so many visits we still discover something new every time! And continue to thoroughly enjoy the things we've enjoyed all along...

Would I do it again knowing what I know now?

Oh, yes... In a heartbeat...

Randy in MD wrote:We didn't build our villa to make money, and we never really considered it an investment. We built it because we love St. John and wanted to have a home there...

And 4 1/2 years after completion, I don't regret anything we did...

The cost? Considerable to this day...

There's the management company, the pool guy, the landscapers, the pest guy, the cleaners, the greeters, the maintenance guy, the phone bill, WAPA, internet access, property taxes, etc...

Things wear out quickly. We've replaced the DVD player, the outdoor speakers, the toaster, the coffee pot, and of course, a couple of blenders! A few things disappear mysteriously, but all-in-all, I'm generally very pleased at how well our guests respect and take care of things while they are there.

And we would almost break even, if not for the mortgage. Those payments come out of our income in Maryland, and if not for the fact that our house there was paid for, and we both have full time jobs, we wouldn't be able to do it. Retirement? Soon come...

But wow..... 4 times a year we get on a plane and fly to our favorite place in the world. And we walk into a house that is truly our home. We have so many good friends that we look forward to seeing on every visit. And even after so many visits we still discover something new every time! And continue to thoroughly enjoy the things we've enjoyed all along...

Would I do it again knowing what I know now?

Oh, yes... In a heartbeat...

thanks Randy-- that is precisely the information i am seeking-- how often do things need replacing? what is the WAPA bill if you are renting? how much is pool maintenance? those types of things-- no this wouldn't be an investment to make money -- but perhaps an investment in my sanity (or lack thereof? ) and i am trying to figure if renting would defray any of the associated costs -- thanks!

Lori

waterguy wrote:PIA I have to get down and cook for you and Les again I've got some new receipes to show you.

Tom -

You know Juice and I live quite a bit closer and would be happy to have you try out those recipes on us.....

I'll be the stand in "Fluffy" for Pia (who is the better half by the way....)

waterguy wrote:Your right on there PA girl it was cheaper for my friend to fly me down to wire and plumb his new hot tub then to hire it out and I could get it done sooner.

I cringed many of times when reading the building blogs. Island time or not, it is unbelievable what some of the contractors get away with. My husband laughed out loud when I showed him Seagrape's post about following the guy hauling dirt, loads went from something like one a day to eight a day.

The was on unbelievable encounter when we stayed in Peter Bay where the maintenance guy came out twice because one of the water heaters quit. Both times he denied there was a lack of hot water. (he came when we were out, I wonder if he actually showed up at all) He didn't replace the element until the third trip, after I stood there with him and we both put our hands under the stream of cold water and he ran out of excuses. I suspect the owner got charged for first two calls in addition to the third.

We are always "designing" our STJ dream house on vacation and this trip he came up with the idea to have a huge storage room on the lower level stocked with extras of everything - faucets, replacement tile, light fixtures, glass shades, remote controls, toilet paper holders, garden hoses, etc. so there was no running around looking for these items, whatever was needed for maintenance would be right there. Ah, the dreaming.......

We have owned Sun Moon & Stars in Coral Bay for almost 2 years and would do it again in a second! Owning is exciting, challenging, frustrating and expensive, but in the end there is no better feeling than coming "home" to St John where we have formed so many positive relationships with other owners and residents!

If you decide to take the plunge one major thing to consider is size of the villa. Ours is about 900 Sq. ft all on one level so it is very manageable in terms of cleaning, maintenance, furnishing replacement, etc. This is huge if you plan to rent and the size also affects other expenses including electric bills (which can be huge at almost $.50 kwh!). I would also recommend that you choose your villa manager carefully and find an indivdual connected to the community. Our villa manager is wonderful and only manages a few villas on the hill so she is able to give our home personalized attention. She also has excellent relationships with all the necessary tradespeople so getting someone to the villa for quick repairs is easier. A good villa manager can save you thousands!

We are lucky if we break even on a cash flow basis, but we also try to visit 3-4 times a year and make it a working vacation to keep the villa in great condition. This limits the need for contracted work other than very minor repairs which saves us a lot. I hope that helps!

AHHH a villa in the islands it's also a dream of ours. . . . . But for now work, work ,work to make the dream a reality & also a bit of luck : ) !!!

I agree with Randy...would do it again (and will be - starting in a week or so!). There are many little expenses that you don't even consider, but they do add up. We learned quite a bit by building ourselves and hiring some helpers. We feel that this next build will go much more quickly and smoothly. However, we go down there knowing that just about anything can happen! It's hard work! We sometimes compare it with giving birth. Lots of pain, but you forget about it after a while. It's a different type of labor!

If you do decide to build or remodel, you should be ON ISLAND! We have seen workers arrive late and leave early. Many people have been taken advantage of. So, be careful! I'm sure Pia's wealth of knowledge will be very helpful!

Good luck with your decision!

Seagrape

Seagrape you're building another villa on STJ??