David Fedeles, St. Croix Real Estate

Coldwell Banker St. Croix Realty

April Newsletter: Resilience 2.0

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If there’s one thing Virgin Islanders prove time and time again: we’re a resilient bunch. While COVID-19 is a new type of challenge, our community is responding in the only way we know how. With resilience.

Like most of the U.S., the U.S.V.I. is under a stay-at-home order through April 30. Our beaches were temporarily closed for the safety of all residents and re-opened on Monday, April 20. Only “essential” businesses are open with adjusted/limited hours and extra safety precautions. Many restaurants have responded with carryout ordering and grocery stores have impressively taken the situation in stride. No shortage of toilet paper here! See below for links to various resources.

Thankfully, real estate has been deemed an “essential” business and our clients who had been excitedly waiting to close have been able to do so. In fact, we’ve had one buyer and two sellers close in April — Congratulations to all!

Here’s how we are adapting our showings to keep sellers and prospective buyers safe:

  • Sellers are asked to open all doors, including bedrooms, bathrooms, closets, balconies, etc., so no doorknobs or handles need to be touched.
  • Similarly, all lights are to be turned on and blinds/curtains drawn, so no touching of switches or cords is necessary.
  • Buyers and agents are advised not to touch anything and to remove their shoes.
  • We are practicing the recommended 6-feet social distancing.
  • Masks and gloves are worn as deemed necessary.

We’re also capable of preparing a 100% virtual listing presentation, and we use Google Hangouts and DocuSign for meetings and paperwork.

COVID-19 U.S.V.I. Resources:

U.S.V.I. Restaurants & Businesses

We urge you to continue supporting these businesses and restaurants as you are able. If you’re not local to order carryout, consider purchasing a gift card for a restaurant or excursion for your next visit. Send a gift from a St. Croix shop. Write a review on your favorite business’s Facebook page.

Stay safe and healthy, wherever you are!

Warm regards,
Team Fedeles

February Newsletter: Taking the Leap

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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

December Newsletter: Home for Christmas

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One of my favorite songs this time of year is I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Bing Crosby.

I’ll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents under the tree

Christmas eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I’ll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

This time of year, we enjoy welcoming our snowbird friends “home” for the season, as well as new and long-time visitors. Like clockwork, folks arrive to escape the cold or for their favorite holiday festivities, like the Christmas Boat Parade (view our photo gallery) and Coquito Festival. The St. George Village Botanical Garden hosts their traditional Under the Mistletoe tree auction fundraiser and Christmas Spoken Here, which is a wonderful day to shop for gifts from local artisans and vendors.

Loved this outline of St. Croix on the “Sea Feather” during the St. Croix Christmas Boat Parade

Maybe you’re looking for more of an island-themed jingle. This year’s Crucian Christmas Festival will honor Stanley and The Ten Sleepless Knights for 50 years of music! There will even be a Carnival village named “Stanleyville,” according to the St. Croix Source. TSK holiday favorites include Mama Make Your Johnny Cake and Guavaberry.

The USVI Festivals Facebook page can help you plan your Crucian Christmas Festival experience. We found this handy calendar of events that says the date when each activity will take place.

As we look toward the start of a new year (and decade!), big things are happening on St. Croix. Limetree Bay hosted a community open house in November to share information about the refinery restart. I shared a row on a recent flight with two gentlemen who were on island to help secure the pipeline and it sounded like all was going according to plan. You can learn more about the effort in this article, Restart of idled St. Croix oil refinery set for early 2020 after delay.

Finally, if you’ve ever enjoyed a sunset from St. Croix, we think you’ll agree with #1 from this list of 20 Destinations With The Most Stunning Sunsets. “St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands is a special place for many people. Yet, it is not as big of a tourist destination as some of the other areas on our list. However, it is one of the most naturally beautiful and affordable places you can visit.” And, we might add, to live!

No matter your playlist this holiday, may there be plenty of presents under the tree and the love light gleam all around you. And if you’re ready to replace snow with sand, we can help you find the home of your dreams on St. Croix!

Warm regards,
Team Fedeles



October Newsletter: Living the Dream

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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

August Newsletter: A Season of New Beginnings

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This summer we said “Congratulations and Goodbye” to Kristi. She got married and became Kristi Myers in May, and will move to Alabama with her husband, Will, to start their family. They plan to visit often and eventually move back, since St. Croix will always be home to them both.

At the same time, we welcomed Stephen Swanton to Team Fedeles. Stephen has already proven to have excellent attention to detail, a keen eye for photography, a true interest in the real estate industry, and great enthusiasm for helping our clients. You may also recognize him from the winner’s platform of the 2018 Beauty and the Beast Triathlon or from “pedaling” his handcrafted kombucha and cold-brew coffee from Bici Cafe at the La Reine Farmers’ Market; look for his kombucha on tap at local gyms, yoga studios, bars and restaurants!

In June, I was honored to receive the Coldwell Banker President’s Circle Award for the 7th year! I certainly couldn’t do it without such a capable team and supportive clients. I am grateful for the privilege of working with such wonderful people in such a spectacular place!

Have you been considering a new beginning by starting or moving a business to paradise? Learn more about the tax incentives associated with making a business investment on St. Croix through the USVI Economic Development Authority. We’d be happy to show you our current commercial listing or help you find another commercial property on island.

If your idea of new is building your very own dream home, check out our assortment of land for sale. You’ll find quite a range of prices and sizes. And one common theme: views, views, views!

St. Croix’s newest spirit, Mutiny Island Vodka, held their grand opening of the Sion Farm Distillery this past weekend. Located in the former Island Dairies building, they are distilling vodka using breadfruit. If you didn’t make it to the grand opening, you really need to stop in sometime for a cocktail and snack.

Our seller, Lou Cerrulo, shared his After Maria St. Croix story from his new home base of Florida, but we’re counting on seeing Lou back on St. Croix soon. We look forward to welcoming him back home — and we’d love to welcome you too!

Warm regards,
Team Fedeles

Going Green on St. Croix

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St. Croix’s landscape is going green thanks to some periodic rainfall. We’ve had a relatively quiet storm season so far, with only a couple of tropical storms that showered us with welcome rain. Cisterns are full and the hillsides are lush and green, with pops of yellow as the Ginger Thomas starts to bloom.

Meanwhile, community groups are coming together to help us go green with recycling. Leatherback Brewing Co. is accepting aluminum beer and soda cans for recycling. Drop-off is any time they are open: Mon-Sun 12-7pm. And Plaza West and a group of community volunteers are leading a plastic drop off and recycling project. There are drop off locations all around the island — join the Facebook group to learn more.

Speaking of green, you can now roll the dice to win some green as Divi Carina Bay Casino re-opened in September. They are featuring live music on the weekends — check out the variety of entertainment on St. Croix Calendar (which is maintained by Coldwell Banker St. Croix Realty). Divi Carina Bay All-Inclusive Resort has announced plans to re-open in Summer 2019.

And if we’re going by the definition of “fresh, new,” Team Fedeles has a green logo. What do you think? Also, congratulations to GoToStCroix.com for your new web site. It’s stunning and will surely help many visitors to St. Croix plan their perfect vacation.

There are several events coming up on St. Croix. Here’s a few that you may want to plan your travels around:

Of course, Galloween (Halloween in Gallow’s Bay) is coming up on October 31. Please stop in to the Coldwell Banker St. Croix Realty office to say hello (and Trick-or-Treat)!

About David Fedeles

Twice voted Best Real Estate Broker on St. Croix. Coldwell Banker President's Circle three years in a row. Read More…

St. Croix and New York

David Fedeles is a licensed real estate broker in both St. Croix USVI and New York. If you are looking for your dream home in America’s Paradise, David is ready to work with you!

Contact David Fedeles today!

Tel: 340-778-7000
Cell: 340-690-4665
info@fedeles.com
Office Location:
Coldwell Banker St. Croix Realty | Gallows Bay Mkt
5030 Anchor Way, Suite 12 | Christiansted, VI 00820