Hello everyone, welcome to the weekend! I know how much you all love reading about houses for sale here on St. John, and today we have another beauty for you! We’ve mentioned it before, but it recently had a generous price reduction, so we thought it was worth another look. This is a great home for someone looking for a turnkey home in a private neighborhood. Please check out Villa Hermosa, another great piece of St. John Real Estate…
Villa Hermosa is a beautifully appointed three bedroom, 3.5 bath masonry home located in the quiet neighborhood of Fish Bay. It has spacious living areas, beautiful finishes and craftsmanship, stone accents and even a two-car garage, which is very rare on St. John. The home has a gourmet kitchen with high-end appliances and custom mahogany cabinetry flows into the spacious great room, which overlooks the pool area. This home has water views of Fish Bay and beyond.
As you can see in the images below, this home is impeccable. Please check them out…
Unfortunately it’s above my budget, but maybe one of you will be the next owner!
Villa Hermosa is now being offered for $1,599,000, and the owner is motivated. So go ahead and make an offer! For more information, please contact Tammy Donnelly of 340 Real Estate Co. at [email protected]
Well folks, it’s Wednesday which means we’re halfway though the week! We thought we’d take a day off from the typical “news” today, and chat about real estate instead.
For those of you who are looking to purchase a beautiful, high-end home here on island, there’s one that recently listed for sale. And even better, it’s located in a great neighborhood, has amazing views and is located close to town. Here are all the details straight from its listing:
Every detail of this spacious 4BR 3BA pool villa was carefully considered and meticulously implemented, in the pursuit of lasting design, beauty and craftsmanship. At first glance of this gently sloped lot in desirable Chocolate Hole, one is immersed with stunning views south to St Croix, west to St Thomas from three covered porches, expansive pool area and deck, as well as master and guest suites. Daily sunsets and cooling tradewinds complete the picture. Complimenting this high-end construction process is an impressive roster of amenities for the discerning guest or owner, including granite counters, marble baths, stainless steel appliances, mahogany ceilings, doors and trim, coral stone flooring, and central air conditioning. This villa will make the perfect family home and or short-term rental with its interior access to all the living spaces and bedrooms.
Flat grassy manicured lawns and mature gardens surround the house. Ample parking for multiple vehicles and turn around areas along with the gentle sloping driveway allow for ease in your approach and access to the house.
All things considered, the synergies of this property, including the neighborhood, lot, view, construction, and amenities make it an exceptional find.
After 20 years, the original contractor-owner, who built this “safe house” for his family, is offering his home for purchase. This home has withstood every storm. Walls are monolithically poured concrete, with steel horizontally and vertically throughout the walls far exceeding code requirements. Roof structure is an engineered steel-reinforced truss system and was steel strapped from the cross beam into the foundation. Custom built metal storm shutters bolt directly onto the concrete walls. This house was unscathed when the majority of the surrounding homes, and the nearby Westin, suffered major structural damage.
Please check out a few more pics…
Ready to own a piece of St. John real estate? This Chocolate Hole home is being offered for $1,675,000. For more information, please contact Tammy Donnelly of 340 Real Estate Co. at [email protected].
Hello everyone and happy Tuesday! Well yesterday’s poll showed how much you all love the island of St. John. We will run the poll a few more days, and then we will post the results. Have you ever given thought to potentially owning a property here on island as opposed to simply visiting every then and again? Well today, we have a nice piece of St. John real estate to share with all of you.
Nestled among the trees in tranquil Fish Bay, this cozy home has been successfully short-term rented for the past 10 years with the owners in residence. The upper level has a master bedroom and bath, as well as kitchen, dining, living areas and a screened-in breakfast room. Stone paths lead to charming sitting areas around the property, to the downstairs bedrooms, hammocks and decks. There is an 8,500 KW Kubota diesel generator with sound proof enclosure and 80 gallon manual fuel tank – a great added feature here on the island.
You can opt to continue this as a successful short term rental or convert it back to a traditional home to live in. This property is being sold as is.
Ready to own a piece of St. John real estate? Treetops is being offered for $770,000. For more information, please contact Tammy Donnelly of 340 Real Estate Co. at [email protected].
340 Real Estate Co. will donate a portion of the proceeds it receives from the sale of this property to the St. John Cancer Fund.
We know that many of you dream of owning a home on St. John, and today’s villa may be just the right one for you! It’s a well maintained duplex that consists of two complete two bedroom, two bathroom units. Here are all the details…
Villa Bellezza is located in the quiet neighborhood of Fish Bay on St. John’s south shore. It consists of two units – one upper and one lower. The upper unit has great views of Fish Bay and the Caribbean Sea. This home has lots of potential and even has room to add a pool. These units can easily be rented long term, or perhaps you can live in one and rent the other.
Each unit has large living spaces, as well as large wraparound decks. They also each have their own cistern. There is a large flat parking area that can easily fit four vehicles, which is somewhat of a luxury here on St. John. Check out a few more pics…
Ready to own a piece of St. John real estate? Villa Bellezza is now listed for $849,000. For more information, please contact Tammy Donnelly of 340 Real Estate Co. at [email protected]
Well folks, from what we are seeing and reading, it’s cold up there. Dangerous cold in some spots, so please be careful. Our goal today is to warm you all up a bit, so we thought it would be a great day to tell you about a beautiful vacation home that recently listed for sale. It’s been renovated from top to bottom and is pretty much booked for this season, which means there is ample rental income on the horizon. Interested? Want to know more? Then please read on…
Casa Ya Ya is a beautiful two bedroom, two bath home located in Coral Bay. It’s been renovated from top to bottom, and has new doors, windows, furniture, appliances, bathroom vanities, kitchen cabinets and more. The 2019 season is already booked, so all you have to do now is enjoy the income.
The attention to detail in this home is outstanding, and there are stunning views from every room. From the home, you have panoramic views of Coral Bay, East End, Sir Francis Drake Channel and the British Virgin Islands.
Casa YaYa is a one level home, and its great room opens up to an expansive pool and deck. The is a large, 10-foot window along the east side of the home, which allows for breezes and natural light in every room.
The living spaceAlternate view of great roomBeautiful views from every roomNew furnishings throughoutBeautifully crafted vanityThe view from a master bedroomCasa YaYa is a masonry home.
Casa YaYa is being offered for $1.5 million by Tammy Donnelly of 340 Real Estate Co. For more information, please contact Tammy at at [email protected]
Hello everyone and happy Friday! Let’s end the week with a little real estate browsing… shall we?
Someday Soon is a charming and comfortable villa with gorgeous views of Coral Bay harbor, the East End of St. John and beyond. This successful short term rental features two master bedrooms with ensuite baths, air conditioning and king beds. Someday Soon was remodeled and redecorated in 2016 to include new furnishings, new kitchen countertops, a new, expansive wraparound deck and an upgraded pool. This home has ample outdoor living space – both covered and uncovered – so you can easily take in the gorgeous views. Someday Soon is move-in ready for you to enjoy! Check out a few pics:
The living spaceOne of the home’s master suitesBeautiful decking with harbor and ocean viewsThe home also has great hillside viewsThe view from Someday Soon
Looks great, doesn’t it??!! Those views!
Someday Soon is located on Highway 108 in Coral Bay. It is just a few minutes from Coral Bay’s great shops and restaurants.
Someday Soon is being offered for $1.2 million by Tammy Donnelly of 340 Real Estate Co. For more information, please contact Tammy at at [email protected]
Yesterday we introduced you to Christine and Mark Fano, the owners of a beautiful new home over near Klein Bay. The Fanos recently completed a 21-month build of their home. Seeing how so many of you have dreamt about building your own home in paradise, we thought we’d share their story. Today we’re talking about what it’s actually like to build on St. John.
“It was difficult and exciting at the same time,” Christine said about the construction process. “The amount of time, money and stress that affects the owner is overwhelming to be honest. People did warn us about it, but unless you’re experiencing it, you don’t completely understand. And being thousands of miles away, did not help!
Casa La Famiglia
“The last six months of our build was completely overwhelming mentally. Thank goodness our kids were understanding. At the end of the construction process, things were going at a fast pace. Having to order every little item for the villa from pasta strainer to a lemon press, then King sized everything for the beds to outdoor cushions … then organizing furniture delivery to Miami, and then to St. John with customs was a full-time job in itself. We had four-20 foot containers full of literally everything in and outside of our home.
“Receiving emails on a daily basis of problems and issues that needed to be addressed ‘immediately’ was very taxing on us. Everything needed to be choreographed in perfect order because if one thing isn’t done, other things cannot be done. What we found out later was that our experience is the typical experience of those that build on island. Did it make us feel better? Not really!”
So what was the biggest surprise they encountered during their build?
“The biggest surprise was how nice of an experience things were during the build until the last six months,” Christine said. “I could write a book, but much of it was a blur and would be impossible for me to recollect. That is why I am happy I wrote my blog.”
(You can check out Chrsitine’s building blog here.)
While coordinating the build, the Fanos chose to incorporate many of the same personal touches guests at their home in New Jersey would expect.
“Our family is all about hospitality,” Christine said. “If you came to our home on the mainland for a visit, I wouldn’t let you leave unless you had coffee or tea with something to eat. We designed Casa La Famiglia for guests that absolutely want luxury with a warm personal experience.
“After our villa manager picks guests up from the ferry, we have a delicious dinner waiting for them at the house and we also have cocktails and drinks with appetizers in the refrigerator for them. I then phone the house to welcome them to St. John and Casa La Famiglia and to check on them to see if they need anything. Before they leave, we always touch base with them wishing them a safe trip home. Lastly, when we send our guest’s back their deposit, we always send a personal thank you note and a small bag of Cruz Bay Grill Rub from St. John Spice. Guests really like that, a piece of St. John they can enjoy.”
Knowing what they now know, would the Fanos build again?
“Yes, we would absolutely build again but we had done our due diligence prior and knew pretty much what we were getting ourselves into financially. But when someone asks me if they should build … that is a loaded question! It depends on the person asking and their personal situation. I would never want to stop someone for doing something they were dreaming of, but there are big risks when building on island,” Christine said.
“I would suggest strongly that potential homeowners have 30-40% more waiting in the bank than what their budget actually calls for. To add much, much more for interior and exterior furnishings as well as linens, kitchen equipment and the rest. Basically be able to furnish the whole house inside and out. To make sure they have a good solid marriage, good health and are not stretching themselves financially in order to build. Remember that you’re signing a contract with your builder…he won’t care if you get sick, lose your job, your business is slow or anything else. Be financially prepared for the worst case scenario.
“There are plenty of half-way built villas or vacant parcels that were bought years ago that are still vacant. What we found is that some land purchasers got scared once they hire an architect and see the estimated costs involved even before the bidding process begins. If someone can’t find what they want in a villa and do not want to build, another recommendation would be to buy a home in the location you love, gut it and do what you want. I have seen that done a few times and it absolutely makes more sense financially for many people, and usually work can be completed within a year. That is a project that homeowners can absolutely control in terms of budget.”
And lastly, in addition to creating a warm and welcoming home for guests to enjoy while on St. John, Christine also has a cause near and dear to her heart.
“My son Christopher has autism and we hope to work with the autism community and the USVI government to bring autism awareness, education, recreation, services and training to the Special Needs Virgin Islands community.”
The Fano Family
For more information on Casa La Famiglia, please visit CasaLaFamiglia.com
Yesterday we showed you a small sampling of villas for sale on St. John. Now we’re pretty certain that many of you have daydreamed at least once or twice about living on island, but perhaps the full time island life isn’t for you yet. So maybe the idea of owning a rental property that you can visit from time to time may sound like a good alternative. Well today we want to introduce you to a family who has done just that.
Mark and Christine Fano first found St. John back in 2010 when Christine was looking for a place for her family, which includes sons Dominic and Christopher, to spend the Easter holiday that year. Their requirements were quite simple:
“Warm ocean temperatures, heat, sun, but not too windy,” Christine said. “No more than 3 1/2 hours away with a direct flight from our home (in New Jersey), family-friendly, quiet, safe where you can leave your hotel or villa without worry, and variety in land topography, just to name a few.”
So like many other people, Christine did quite a bit of research online and quickly found that St. John fit the bill. They then began researching accommodation options when they came across a building blog, which inevitably prompted them to think about their retirement.
“We are in our 40s, which is young from what people tell us, but we wanted to have something now so we could enjoy with our children and make memories,” Christine said. “The first week we vacationed and visited St. John. We looked at many homes on island and nothing fit our criteria. Certain things like location, you can’t change. We didn’t want to be driving 15 minutes to go to a market and wanted to be on the sunniest side for the later part of the day when we would normally get back and swim in the pool. Beauty was important as well as practically for us and our guests.
“It was important to look at homes and their rental income as well. We are business owners so we looked at things with that in mind. We researched what villa locations were best for homeowners and renters. We knew we wanted to be close to Cruz Bay, but we also wanted a quieter location where it felt like a neighborhood,” Christine said. “Basically, we were not going to settle in terms of our personal needs, especially because the large amount of money it costs to build, and then maintain a large, full A/C 5 bedrooms home on island.”
So after a bit more research, the Fanos decided to build their own retirement home on a parcel near Klein Bay. The first dig happened in the Spring of 2011, about six months after their architect Mike Oxman completed the drawings and after all of the permits were approved.
Casa La Famiglia took about 21 months to build (a record from what we’ve been told!) and was officially completed in February of this year. And if you ask me, it came out beautifully. See for yourself:
Coming tomorrow:Read more about the construction process, some surprises they encountered along the way, as well as some personal touches they’ve incorporated into their vacation home.
Everyone dreams of living in paradise, right? There are currently 152 homes for sale on island. Of those, only 15 are listed for less than half a million dollars while 99 are listed for over $1 million. Here’s a small sampling of what your money can buy you on St. John.
Lets start with the cream of the crop – Kismet. Kismet is an incredible seven bedroom home in Chocolate Hole. It’s described as being “a genuine architectural masterpiece.” Here’s a bit from its listing:
“From its ultra private perch atop Maria’s Bluff, the villa offers 360-degree views framing miles of open ocean, numerous protected bays, sleepy outlying cays and thousands of acres of green hillsides within the vast VI National Park. A sprawling compound befitting its one-of-a-kind location, Kismet’s subtle Moroccan undertones are woven throughout the artisan quality finishes of its numerous guest suites, common living areas, billiards room, home theater and separate caretakers residence. Stepping outside, one seamlessly enters a magical knoll top oasis with a central pool deck, shaded verandas, and meandering footpaths throughout the exceptionally manicured grounds.”
See for yourself:
Kismet is listed for $13.5 million.
On the lower end of the market is a super cute one bedroom home located in the valley off of Gifft Hill. Turtle Haven is an idyllic home that incorporates vaulted ceilings, a contemporary kitchen and bath, and a spacious great room that flows to the generous screened deck. Check out a few pics:
Turtle Haven is listed for $349,000.
For those of you who prefer Coral Bay to the Cruz Bay end of the island, Estate Fortsberg just may be the property for you. Watch stunning sunrises and listen to the sounds of the sea from this beautiful and well appointed four bedroom home. Estate Fortsberg is located on one acre of land within the National Park which contains ruins of a Fort and Cannon Battery, according to its listing. In addition to four master bedrooms suites, the home has a fully equipped kitchen with granite countertops, outdoor showers, expansive decks and most importantly, incredible views. See for yourself:
Estate Fortsberg is listed at $2.4 million.
Want to check out the other 149 homes for sale? Here is a list of several real estate agencies on the island:
Now here’s a pretty interesting business opportunity for the right person. Check out this story by the St. John Tradewinds:
Eco-tourism Guru Selengut Seeks Buyer For Concordia With Eco-developer Vision
World renowned eco-developer Stanley Selengut is in retirement mode and has asked a long-time/part-time St. John resident to assist him in his search for the right person to carry on his pet project on St. John, the eco-resort Concordia in Estate Concordia on the southeast tip of the island.
The resort is in a pristine area with sixteen contiguous lots overlooking historic Ram’s Head, Salt Pond Bay, Drunk Bay and Nanny Point which Selengut previously deeded to the V.I. National Park.
“Stanley asked me about six months ago if I would help market the property,” said New Jersey Attorney Jack Zakim. “I am marketing it casually.”
“I put together a power point presentation of the property with photos, a few short videos and Stanley’s bio that will enable you to learn about the property and the man in a matter of minutes,” said Attorney Zakim.
Selengut Wants Eco-tourism To Continue
Selengut told St. John Tradewinds earlier this year that he would prefer to work with a buyer who wanted to continue his eco-tourism approach to Concordia and Zakim hopes to accomplish that as well.
Zakim, who said he met Selengut for the first time in an airport about ten years ago, has a long association with St. John, having first built a house on Ajax Peak in the early 1980s and subsequently becoming involved in the owners association of the Gallows Point Resort.
“Concordia is located on the pristine southeast corner of St. John overlooking Salt Pond Bay, Ram Head and the Caribbean with fabulous vistas,” according to Zakim’s promotional literature.
“The eco-resort caters to tourists who enjoy quiet relaxing vacations with close proximity to beautiful beaches, hiking trails and the splendor of the National Park which surrounds this magnificent property which has a mix of 17 cottages constructed with recycled material and 25 eco-tents,” it continues.
“The eco-resort is operated by a dedicated management team who love the property and enjoy their work as evidenced by a virtual 100 percent occupancy rate during the season and a healthy bottom line,” the promotional literature adds.
“This is a rare opportunity to acquire a special property with a profitable, green, sustainable, business in the U.S.A. that can be absentee operated by a great management team with room to grow the business and continue the mission of my good friend who has been an inspiration to many,” said Zakim.
Extensive Property Holdings for Sale
In addition to the resort which sits on an assemblage of approximately twenty acres zoned W-1 (waterfront pleasure use), Selengut owns fifteen vacant parcels, most with spectacular views that will be offered as an assemblage with the eco-resort to the right party, according to Zakim.
A description of the lots is available in the link http://www.digitaldudes.com/concordia-index.html under “Downloads”/”Land Parcels”.
Since two-thirds of St. John is owned by the U.S. National Park Service which surrounds the eco-resort, there is virtually no commercial development in the area where the few isolated parcels of private property that occasionally come to market are sold at a premium, according to Zakim.
Selengut also owns a nearby guest house in Estate Mandahl leased to resort employees for affordable housing and a contiguous five acre parcel within walking distance of the eco-resort, Zakim added.
For information and photos of the island and eco-resort, please click on http://www.digitaldudes.com/concordia-index.html and if you have questions call (201) 488-7211 or email [email protected].
