May 17, 2024 | Island News
We are so excited to hear that Virgin Islands Good Foods received a $30,000 grant from the Better Food Policy Fund through a collective action fund of the Tides Foundation. The grant, intended to support the Territorial Agriculture Group (TAG) project activities in 2024, is expected to be renewed for an additional $30,000 in 2025. This will be a boost to local agriculture and as reported by the VI Consortium, this will enable the continued development of TAG, a coalition of farmers, advocates, and agricultural professionals dedicated to advancing food policy and system improvements in the Virgin Islands. TAG, comprising over fifty farmers, represents a partnership across several farming organizations, all dedicated to building a resilient and inclusive food system in the USVI. Read the full article here.
Virgin Islands Good Food is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a thriving local food economy that supports USVI farmers and ensures healthy good food is accessible to every resident in the territory. Established in 2012, the coalition is a project under the St. Croix Foundation for Community Development, the organization works to bridge the gap between consumers, government, and private industry to facilitate long-term change and strengthen the USVI food system. Follow VI Good Foods’s Facebook page to learn more.
May 16, 2024 | Reports
Monthly sales data, inventory, and days on market for the St. Croix, USVI real estate market is available in our downloadable Coldwell Banker real estate reports. The is a report for each category: Homes & Condos, Condos, Homes, and Land!
If you are not familiar with with the implications of the data, please give us a call or email us directly with any questions. We are Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR) and Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) and have the experience and local knowledge to help you in every step of the process. We can help you narrow down neighborhoods based on your priorities. We can also advise you on the market trends in your desired neighborhoods.
Open reports by clicking on links below:
Homes & Condos – April 2024 Report
Homes – April 2024 Report
Condo – April 2024 Report
Land – April 2024 Report
Note: The average sales price and the average days on market could be skewed greatly by only one sale or because of the small number of sales
Apr 30, 2024 | QA
Question: “Outside of the listing, where else can I look for helpful information?”
Chris’s Answer:
Before buying, consider yourself in the “information gathering” phase. Yes, it’s more fun to dream of the structure you will build, but, take some time to also think of the practicality of building.
- For in-depth descriptions of the different codes, their uses, and their restrictions, go to: https://law.justia.com/codes/virgin-islands/2019/title-29/chapter-3/subchapter-i/229/. As you are reading a listing, the most common zones you will see are:
- R-2 – residential, low density (1 – 2 family dwellings), set backs 15’ on the front, 10’ rear and side
- R-1 – residential, low density – 15’ set backs on all sides
- The Department of Planning and Natural Resources is the USVI Government department where you will get your permits for building. Their web site will answer so many questions, perhaps even ones you don’t currently know. It will be worth your time to browse through it. You can also give them a call for clarification: https://dpnr.vi.gov/
- The Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs is a place you can search for licensed professionals. Here is their home page. At the top of the Home Page, click on License Search: https://dlca.vi.gov/aboutdlca/
Contact us with any questions about real estate on St. Croix!
First published on our April 2024 Newsletter
Apr 30, 2024 | QA
Question: “What should I take into consideration when searching for land?”
Christie’s Answer:
Here are some important considerations:
- Location on island – For a small island, there’s diversity in the microclimates of the estates. As you travel from east to west, we have grasses and scrub bushes to a rainforest. Drive around and experience the different areas to decide what you like and what you would like to be close to – diving, hiking, restaurants, shops, etc.
- Zoning – Will the property’s zoning allow you to use the land as you’d like?
- Cost – Will you be paying with cash or getting a loan? If you are getting a loan, becoming pre-qualified will give you the peace of mind that you will be comfortable your monthly payments. It also makes a stronger offer to the Seller.
- Terrain – Land will either be flat, gentle slope, moderate slope, or steep slope. What will best suit your design and needs?
- Road conditions – Most roads are paved, but many are dirt or gravel roads. How will this effect the building process and how will it effect your daily life after you have moved in?
- Proximity to other structures – Some people like the coziness of having neighbors. Others like more space around them.
- HOA – Is there an HOA fee, and what is its use?
- Covenants and restrictions – Sometimes estates or quarters will have restrictions on the use of the land
Contact us with any questions about real estate on St. Croix!
First published on our April 2024 Newsletter
Apr 18, 2024 | Island News
A massive bleaching event in the Caribbean in 2005 resulted in the loss of more than half of what was then the coral population in V.I. waters. In the Virgin Islands, researchers are still assessing the damage from the 2023 summer bleaching event according to the St. Croix Source (read full article here). USVI researchers also said the water temperature in the territory is currently 1.3 degrees Celsius higher than normal for this time of year.
Recently, the International Coral Reef Initiative and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that prolonged, exceptionally warm temperatures have caused the fourth ever global coral bleaching event. This is the fourth global event on record and the second in the last 10 years.
According to reports, mass bleaching of coral reefs has been confirmed in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, basins including parts of Florida and the U.S. Coastline, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Australia, the South Pacific, the Persian Gulf, coasts of East Africa, as well as Indonesia since early 2023. Experts say as the world’s oceans continue to warm, coral bleaching is becoming more frequent and severe. When these events are sufficiently severe or prolonged, they can cause coral mortality, according to the press release from NOAA. Read the full article here.
