Coffee, Tea, & Listings: Your New Favorite Way to Start the Week

Jul 2, 2026 | Island News

Coffee, Tea, & Listings: Your New Favorite Way to Start the Week

There’s a whole lot of different here on St. Croix — and that includes how we tell you about listings that caught our eye. We invite you to pull up a chair, pour something warm, and hang out with us for a few minutes on Coffee, Tea, & Listings.

If you haven’t caught one yet, here’s the gist: we’ve been “pulling good together” on this island since 2002 and running our business together every single day since, and now we sit down with our mugs (coffee for one of us, tea for the other, we’ll let you guess who’s who) and walk you through what’s new, what’s sold, and what’s simply too pretty not to share. It’s part market update, part island love letter, and part “you’re basically hanging out with your favorite neighbors who happen to know everything about real estate.” And on a good number of episodes, we’ve got a very chill co-host: our cat Percy, who has never once cared about square footage but absolutely cares about knocking things off the table just out of frame.

We’ve spent two decades building our reputation as the Powers Behind Real Estate here, and our newsletter has always leaned into photos, videos, and topics we genuinely find interesting. Coffee, Tea, & Listings is that same spirit, just shrunk down to fit in your pocket. You get a mention of a waterfront lot deal or a beachfront condo view, sure — but you also get us, being ourselves (and occasionally being upstaged by a cat).

Where to Find Us

You don’t need a Crucian mailing address to enjoy the show. We post Coffee, Tea, & Listings on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Give us a few minutes of your scroll time, and suddenly you’ll know more about St. Croix real estate than most people who’ve lived here twice as long.

Fair warning: watching enough episodes may result in an unshakable urge to check flight prices to St. Croix, google “gently sloping waterfront lot,” and start a Pinterest board titled “Someday.” This is a known side effect. We cannot be held responsible for your sudden and passionate interest in Buck Island views (or for wanting a cat exactly like Percy).

The Best Part? You Can Actually Talk to Us

Here’s what we love most about this whole thing: we mean it when we say we want to hear from you. Got a question about that condo from Monday’s video? Curious what “Crucian rescue animal” energy our office runs on (spoiler: a lot of dogs and cats, Percy included)? Wondering if that waterfront lot with the John Hix architectural plans is still available? Send it our way. We answer real questions from real people, no velvet rope required — whether it’s about the listing of the week or something else entirely that’s caught your eye on St. Croix.

So next time one of our videos pops up on your For You page, don’t just scroll past. Hit follow, stick around for the coffee (or tea, or the occasional cat cameo), and if a listing catches your eye, reach out. Worst case, you get a friendly, knowledgeable answer. Best case, you’re sipping your own coffee on your own sea-view patio a few months from now, wondering why you waited so long.

Follow along: TikTok Facebook · Instagram · YouTube

Have a question about a listing? Reach out to us — we’d love to hear from you.

What are the pros and cons to buying a home “as is”?

Mar 4, 2025 | QA

Question: What are the pros and cons to buying a home “as is”?

Our Answer:

When a home or condo is being sold “as is”, this simply means that the Seller has decided that they will not make repairs or improvements, and the Buyer is purchasing the property in its present condition.

While it may seem like “as is” homes are always in poor condition, this is not always the case. An “as is” clause is simply meant to help communicate that the seller won’t be making or financing repairs. Since the seller is not fixing any issues, the asking price for an “as is” house is typically lower than a comparable house. Here are some important “pros” and “cons” to consider.

Some reasons why buying a home “as is” could be right for a Buyer:

Exciting design opportunities: While not all “as is” homes need a complete makeover, they may be the perfect base for exciting renovations.
Negotiation power: Hoping to buy in a neighborhood that may be out of your price range? “As is” homes are typically priced lower than comparable homes, so you might find your dream neighborhood suddenly come within reach.
Opportunity to invest: Real estate investors looking for fixer-uppers buy homes to renovate and flip for profit. Whether you’re looking to do this as a business venture or have always wanted to buy a fixer-upper, an “as is” home may be the right venture for you.

Sone challenges with “as is” properties that Buyers should consider carefully:

Potentially expensive repairs: If renovating doesn’t excite you, then buying a home “as is” may not be your best choice. Depending on the home’s condition, it’s possible there could be expensive repairs that are hard to avoid.
Long renovation projects: Major renovations can take time. This might mean your home is out of commission for some time before you’re able to move in, or at the very least, you’ll be dealing with a noisy and dirty environment until the projects are finished.
Possible safety hazards: An “as is” home may have hidden problems you’re not aware of that pose safety issues.

Also check out our video about this topic on YouTube:

5 Home Remodeling Strategies

Aug 29, 2023 | QA

Home remodeling can be challenging, especially on an island where resources are fewer, and items can take time to arrive by boat. Whether it’s something relatively easy like changing the paint color, or something major like a complete home remodel, if you plan ahead the process is not only survivable, it can even be fun and very rewarding. It changes your life!

Don’t let renovation anxiety stop you from achieving your real estate dreams. Here are 5 strategies to help you remodel your home:

Keep track of your progress, no matter how small, in a journal or photographs. It’s important and encouraging to see how much progress you’ve made toward reaching your goal as you go along.
Avoid decision fatigue. It’s good practice to purchase fixtures (sinks, faucets, ceiling lights, and even door handles) well before you need to install them so you don’t encounter delays. Batch fixtures by the room or by type. This will put you on a path to interior design success.
Consider working on one room or floor at a time and sealing it off with plastic sheeting to prevent dust from getting everywhere. And though it should go without saying, always keep one bathroom fully functional.
Get clever with cooking. You use your kitchen every day, so if it’s under construction, things get a little tricky. Stock up on no-bake and one-pot recipes (all you need for the latter is one hot plate). Use an outdoor grill to get away from the construction scene and dust.
Keep your eyes on the prize! No matter how much preparation you do, renovations can be draining. One of the best ways to maintain enthusiasm is by taking “before and after” photos. The visual comparison will help you relax and remember just how far you’ve come, serving as an instant pick-me-up on tough days. It also becomes a record for any future reference.

Our Clients, who’ve become our friends, purchased this home with us. They’ve completed their beautiful kitchen renovation. See the BEFORE & AFTER photos they shared with us (above)!

Looking to buy a home to renovate? Check out our video below as we walk through some questions you should consider when searching for a ‘fixer-upper.’