Featured Clients Archives - David Fedeles, St. Croix Real Estate

September Newsletter: Grab Your Toothbrush

September 14, 2020 by Team Fedeles

We hope this note finds you healthy and in good spirits. As St. Croix moves back into a “Safer At Home” mode, Team Fedeles continues to take precautions as we help our clients’ dreams come true.

If you’ve looked at The Wall Street Journal recently, you may have seen a spectacular St. Croix villa featured in the Mansions section. This was none other than our listing, La Belle Hortense, and our wonderful clients, The Stapleton’s, in an article about luxury turnkey properties. But don’t take WSJ’s word for it — grab your toothbrush and come to St. Croix!

We also received the kindest praise from The Jensen’s, who have owned two plots of land and two Villa Madeleine condos over the past 18 years. Team Fedeles recently negotiated the sale of one plot of land and, prior to that, their condo.

This has been a strange year to say the least. One of the highlights for me has been carryout and socially distanced meals from Ha’Penny Bay Beach Club — and I’m really looking forward to getting back to good times with my Ha’Penny friends this Fall. Tuesday dinners by Chef Loni are phenomenal (my mouth is watering just thinking about her chilled cucumber soup). Thursday game days are fun and again with Chef Loni’s amazing food for lunch! Our annual night with the Governor is such a special opportunity — here’s a photo of me with Governor Bryan taken at Governor’s Night. And I can’t imagine holidays without my Ha’Penny family. If you are looking for ways to connect with new island friends and would like to consider membership, check out the new Ha’Penny Bay Beach Club web site and like the Club on Facebook.

Are you ready to sell your St. Croix property? Per the Real Estate Market Watch below, home, condo and land sale prices are up, up, up! Contact us today for an assessment.

Featured Client: Turnkey Properties

September 8, 2020 by Team Fedeles

The Wall Street Journal recently featured our clients, The Stapleton’s, in an article about turnkey properties in the Mansions section. The article, In the Caribbean and Bahamas, Turnkey Properties Are the Biggest Luxury, shares how vacation-home buyers in hard-to-reach destinations opt for fully furnished properties.

Turnkey properties, or as the article calls them, “toothbrush ready,” are pretty common on St. Croix. As such, many homes are sold furnished or partially furnished. This 8,000 sq. ft. residence in Estate Shoys, named La Belle Hortense, is offered with tasteful art and furnishings, so you truly only need to bring your toothbrush!

The main house of this turnkey property has 4 bedrooms and 4 en suite baths. Plus, there is a detached one bedroom with one bath guest house. Outdoors is a beautiful courtyard, pool, BBQ and wet bar. Meanwhile, inside is a gourmet chef’s kitchen, deluxe wine cooler, spacious closets, and the finest in amenities and finishes. The home is a practical investment, too, with solar and net metering, private well and drinking water filtration, and hurricane resistant windows.

Perhaps one of the most important features…La Belle Hortense is just steps away from sandy Shoys Beach.

Featured Client: No Strangers to St. Croix

August 28, 2020 by Team Fedeles

Vinnie and Anita Jensen, of Dawsonville, GA, are no strangers to St. Croix. they have been long-time visitors and have owned property on St. Croix since 2002. In fact, they have been two-time lot owners and two-time Villa Madeleine owners over the years.

Team Fedeles recently worked with them to sell a Villa Madeleine condo and a plot of land. The land transaction required several rounds of negotiation and resulted in a favorable outcome for our happy clients.

The Jensen’s have visited St. Croix frequently over the years. They had originally intended to move to St. Croix; however, family medical issues have led them to keep their main residence in the States.

Their favorite things about St. Croix are the beautiful blue water, which they had sweeping views of from Villa Madeleine, and the restaurants. Two of their recent favorites are Duggan’s Reef and The Buccaneer.

We asked Vinnie and Anita if they’d be willing to share any details about their experience working with Team Fedeles and they said:

We’re blushing, Vinnie and Anita. Thank you for your kind words. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with you. Please don’t be strangers!

February Newsletter: Taking the Leap

March 3, 2020 by Team Fedeles

It’s Leap Year! Are you ready to take the leap of becoming a homeowner on St. Croix?

We’ve been having fun on Facebook showing off some of the incredible features of our clients’ listings. From a home with two pools to a condo with its own private pool, we can help you narrow down your search for St. Croix real estate with a pool. Or maybe it’s important to you to find a home with furnishings, like this impeccably decorated home (with a killer closet, we might add!). Buck Island view, we can help you find that too!

It’s also been a joy getting to know The Keane’s as we seek the next happy owners of their stunning two-home beachfront property, Paradise Found, in Cotton Valley. In their Featured Client blog, they shared what they love most about their home:

“The Caribbean ocean at our doorstep, the ability to snorkel or scuba dive right off our beach, as well as paddle-board. Lying in the hammock between the palm trees and unobstructed views of Buck Island. We really love sitting at our pool with a glass of wine looking out at the sailboats and catamarans gliding past!”

In January, Governor Bryan gave his second State of the Territory address. Watch the video or read the transcript. A key theme throughout is how his administration has improved the Territory’s financial position, laying a solid foundation for continued improvement of our economy. The Governor was also in Washington, D.C., last week discussing GERS, Medicaid, National Park land and federal tax legislation impacting the territory with senior White House officials. Follow Government House – US Virgin Islands to see a new Facebook live series of interviews with the current administration, The Press Box, as well as other updates from the government.

We were thrilled to see the recent news that the BMV Launches “Skip the Line, Renew Online” Vehicle Registration. Now, vehicles that are 6 years old or less do not require a physical inspection and vehicles between 6 to 10 years old are inspected every two years. If your vehicle fits that bill, be sure to register online. If you’ve ever had business at the BMV in the USVI, you know how great this is!

We’ll leave you with this Meet Team Fedeles video so you can get to know Stephen and me a little better. We hope your extra day this month involves taking a leap into something exciting!

Warm regards,
Team Fedeles

Featured Client: Paradise Found

February 11, 2020 by Team Fedeles

This house simply creates memories”

Brian and Cathy Keane have owned their Cotton Valley beachfront home for nearly 15 years — and have created an endless number of memories, from family and friends birthdays to weddings and anniversaries to fantastic family gatherings.

Originally from Dublin, Ireland, they moved to the States 32 years ago with the intention of moving back to Ireland within five years. That never happened! They now live in Villanova, PA, and love it, “but not during the winter!”

The Keane’s have four grown children — three boys and one girl (also the youngest, “and, yes, she is our princess,” Brian adds). Some of their favorite memories in their home involved their kids. One son proposed to his girlfriend on their beach. And last November, their daughter and her boyfriends surprised them by flying from their home in Hawaii to join the family for Thanksgiving.

With a dream of having a vacation home and a place to retire, Brian and Cathy searched for the perfect location for years.

We visited an exhaustive number of Islands and kept coming back to St. Croix. To our minds it offers the best of everything – variety of quiet beaches, a rainforest, great food options (we are foodies!), cultural diversity and easy access to the mainland.”

They truly found a gem in Cotton Valley. Beachfront, nearby restaurants, and easy to hop on East End Road to explore all that St. Croix has to offer. While they are selling Paradise Found, they are searching for something smaller on St. Croix.

Paradise Found has been equal parts fun and hard work for the Keane’s. “There is almost no part of our home that has not been improved upon.” The main house has undergone major renovation, including a new kitchen, new master bedroom with state-of-the-art en suite bathroom, new bathrooms, hurricane-proof doors and windows throughout, and new air conditioning. Meanwhile, the guest house has a new balcony, and the property features elevated pergolas, a new irrigation system, and lush landscaping.

We asked what has been the most challenging renovation and the most fun renovation. Cathy’s answer, all in one: the kitchen! We imagine it’s the part that gets the most use, too, with all of that entertaining!

But their favorite part of their home has nothing to do with what’s inside. Their favorite feature…

The Caribbean ocean at our doorstep, the ability to snorkel or scuba dive right off our beach, as well as paddle-board. Lying in the hammock between the palm trees and unobstructed views of Buck Island. We really love sitting at our pool with a glass of wine looking out at the sailboats and catamarans gliding past!”

Top 7 Favorite Things To Do On St. Croix

The Keane’s love the outdoors and all the things St. Croix has to offer, including:

Scuba Diving
Snorkeling
Paddle boarding
Kayaking
Hiking (especially up Goat Hill and between Jack’s and Isaac’s Bays)
Sailing
Eating

St. Croix is the birthplace of vertical farming and and we truly enjoy eating local, healthy, and organic foods and produce. The island offers a wide array of cuisines – and our mission is to savor them all!”

The Keane’s came to Team Fedeles on the recommendation of several friends and other professionals, and we are so grateful! Upon meeting, we discovered our Philly connection — David being from the same area outside of Philadelphia as Brian and Cathy. Not only do we share favorite sports teams and experiences, we connect with our similar sense of humor and large look on life.

Cheers to the next chapter of yours, Brian and Cathy! Another family will be very lucky to make their own memories in your beautiful St. Croix home.

October Newsletter: Living the Dream

October 22, 2019 by Team Fedeles

We’re all about helping our clients live their dreams — and we’re pretty lucky we get to do it right here in paradise.

Our clients, The Williams’, were recently featured in the Coldwell Banker blog, Homes for Dogs Project Winning the Hearts of Sellers. We admire Tom and Diane so much for all they have done to help the animals of St. Croix — and we’re grateful that they entrusted us with their listing, in part because of our shared love of dogs.

The Williams’ listing overlooking Salt River Bay, complete with solar net metering.

Waterfront living is a dream for many people who have their sights on St. Croix. If you are one of them, we thought you might appreciate this Waterfront Neighborhoods article by our Coldwell Banker colleague. Contact us to learn more about communities with a beach just steps away, like the prestigious Estate Shoys listing that is featured below.

This spectacular villa in gated and guarded Estate Shoys features unique works of art, net-metered solar and hurricane windows.

There are many big milestones for St. Croix businesses coming up in 2020. Centerline Car Rentals is celebrating 30 years with a St. Croix vacation giveaway, while two of our favorite resources, GoToStCroix.com and the St. Croix Explorer Map, celebrate 20 years. Congrats to all three for fulfilling their dreams of becoming such vital parts of the St. Croix community over the decades.

Caribbean Journal recently published an article with an update on the Marriott Renaissance reopening. The property is set to open in Spring 2020 and will be managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, the largest third-party hotel management company in North America. We also understand that Divi Carina Bay is targeting Spring 2020 to re-open.

Make note of these upcoming dates:

Oct. 31: Galloween, stop by the Coldwell Banker office in Gallow’s Bay to trick-or-treat ?
Nov. 3: Fall Back for the end of Daylight Savings Time — remember, the U.S. Virgin Islands are on Atlantic Standard Time (AST) and do not fall back. Starting on Nov. 3, we will be one hour ahead of EST.
Nov. 21: the first Art Thursday of the season
Nov. 29: Thanksgiving Jump Up!
Dec. 8: Beauty & The Beast Triathlon (we’re looking forward to watching our own Stephen Swanton show what he’s made of!)
Dec. 14: Christmas Boat Parade