What is the "Dream" you are being invited to "Share"?
It’s a place "here", the U.S. Virgin Islands; a place "there" (Stateside as they say down here) and a boat to go back and forth!
Why the U.S. Virgin Islands?
For those of you unfamiliar with America’s Paradise in the Caribbean, a brief history. First came the Taino Indians who were supplanted by the Carib Indians, followed by the Europeans. When the smoke cleared the Danes were in possession. The United States bought them in 1917 for $25,000,000. Fast forward to 1959 and the Cuban revolution. Americans and their money moved to OUR islands and the rest, as they say, is history! There are three main U.S. Virgin Islands (not to be confused with their close neighbors, the British Virgin Islands). St. Croix is the largest (4 times the size of St. Thomas), flattest and, at 35miles distance, somewhat remote. The only Virgin with a casino, it also hosts the largest oil refinery in the Western hemishpere.
St. Thomas, at 4 miles wide and 13 miles long, is the second largest! It is the number 1 cruise ship destination in the world and the economic engine of the three islands. St. John is the smallest and, being two thirds national park, relies solely on tourism.
So why should I invest in U. S. Virgin Islands real estate?
First, because THEY ARE AMERICAN. They speak English, use American money, have the same laws and postal system, etc. In other words, you won’t be a stranger in a strange land. On the other hand, they are also Caribbean and they do drive on the left! They are familiar, yet, foreign.
They are unbelievably beautiful!
I have been to some beautiful islands (Hawaii, the Seychelles) and they may be able to compete on land, but there is no competition when it comes to the waters! There may be many jewels in the Caribbean, but the U. S. Virgin Islands are OUR jewels!
They are remarkably multi-cultural.
There are people from all over the world living there! I frequently asked residents from some far flung place how they found their way to this little speck in the Caribbean!
The economy is booming!
Cruise ships keep getting bigger, there are more of them and St. Thomas is a must stop. Sometimes there are too many cruise ships in the harbor for all of them to dock, so they ferry the passengers to shore in their tenders (lifeboats)! Also as the dollar weakens, fewer Americans will be traveling abroad and more foreigners will be coming here, so I expect the economy will continue to thrive into the foreseeable future.
It is a market with which I am familiar.
I lived here for 25 years, 15 of which were in real estate and/or related fields.
About the boat....
Sailing is my passion. I have been privileged to sail from Marguerita, Venezuela to Newport, RI., around the Seychelle Islands in the Indian Ocean as well as assorted other adventures and I want to share that experience with others. The boat will be a 42 foot, 4 cabin Jeanneau Privilege catamaran and will travel between St. Thomas and Bridgeport, CT twice a year. First investors in the dream get 1st choice of time and place when they would like to "share" that "dream"!
Sound interesting?
Stay tuned!
