You might think that finding a place to live would be easy; if you look on the internet or in the various realtor's magazines, it seems that there is an over-abundance of property for sale or just standing vacant. (More so on St. Croix than St. Thomas). Prices stay high, however, maybe because people are just willing to hold on to property -- taxes are ridiculously low (at least compared to Wisconsin)!
Jean and I haven't been sure where we'd want to live either. She's decided that 100 feet above sea level is her comfort level in case of future tsunamis. Where we are now (300 feet above sea level) guarantees a view and cooling breeze, but sometimes the winds seem overwhelming to me; I hear them rattling the palm trees and think a storm is brewing. (The rain, when it comes, is often silent). We rather like the west end, but Fredriksted is pretty decrepit, and I think you'd have to worry about home security there. The far east end -- the White ghetto -- is too dry and too expensive, although it would be nice to be close to the yacht club.
So it seems almost fate that a place that we noticed in April has come back on the market after being under contract for seven months.
The place has been standing empty for seven years; there are still family photo albums and old National Geographics on the shelves. Termites have been at work, but the place is mainly concrete anyway. Extensive pressure washing would be the first order of business -- well maybe after reinstalling a front door and getting the roof re-sealed!
We're probably a little crazy to even think of a project like this just after leaving our 10 year Prairie School project behind in La Crosse, but since we don't have jobs yet, it's just a fantasy anyway.