# Caribbean Vacations Forums > St. Maarten/St. Martin Travel Forum >  >  Okay, I know that there are many Boobirds out there who will break out in hives at the mere mention of "the island whose name we never speak".Even so, I would like to someday commute back and forth fr

## Island Visitor

Okay, I know that there are many Boobirds out there who will break out in hives at the mere mention of "the island whose name we never speak".

Even so, I would like to someday commute back and forth from the caribbean, much as tim does.  St Barts is, frankly, a bit beyond my purse.  But a condo on St Martin is within reach.  Yes there are more crowds.  Yes there are tourists, etc.  I have a pretty good clue about why I shouldn't do it.  But I would like to hear some thoughts from people who think it might not be a bad idea.

Are there such poeple here?  LOL.

Merci.

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## andynap

You are asking for it. It could get ugly.

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## Island Visitor

> You are asking for it. It could get ugly.



I know, andynap.  But I threw out enough chum down in EE with American Idol and Barry Manilow that I figured we could swim in this bay for awhile before les requines had a chance to get over here.  We'll see...

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## MIke R

Listen.....remember when....oh wait you re too young for that...so let me restart......your kids as they reach junior highs school will start to exhibit this strange behavior with friends.....suddenly the sun will rise and set on this one friend, and only on this one friend....there will be no way your child will be able to exist without this friend...the thought of having another friend will send them into panic...they will only want to talk, walk, eat, and God knows what else with this friend....happiness, as they define it, can only be accomplished in the company of this friend....you as a wise adult will know this faze will pass and thus will tolerate it, albeit not so easy at times....



thats pretty  much  how I feel about those who think St Barts is the only place to go and would just DIE if they had to go somewhere else and  this place sucks and that place sucks and no place is St Barts and all that other nauseating whoohah that comes with it all...yada yada....you laugh at it... you tolerate it...but you know inside its not a healthy way to be and its a very limited way to view the world....

go for the condo if it works out for you...it will be a hoot..and St Barts is a mere fifteen minutes away

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## Island Visitor

When I saw the fin in the water, I was expecting a bloodbath.  Instead, that was more of a licking than a biting.   

Who says Old Sharks never mellow?

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## andynap

You are like the parent that shows his kid a big candy bar and then will only allow one lick. What a response. Yes- No-Maybe- Maybe with qualifications- Could be- Unless- If- But?????

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## MIke R

you want me to attack you??..I cant..I dont think St Martin is that bad....besides...here is another twist....because we are in the resort retail business we typically buy townhomes and/or condos to live in to be near the shops.....you know what the average return is when we have gone to sell it???....its REAL good, trust me.....and when we sell this one in Colorado it will be off the scale obscene good....thats just how it goes with condos and townhomes in resorts...so if it doesnt work out for you...you dump it....make a cool profit, call it a day, and walk away...

so where's the risk???

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## MIke R

> You are like the parent that shows his kid a big candy bar and then will only allow one lick. What a response. Yes- No-Maybe- Maybe with qualifications- Could be- Unless- If- But?????




[quote]
go for the condo if it works out for you...it will be a hoot..and St Barts is a mere fifteen minutes away[quote]


what part of that did you not understand?...I think I made it grey goose clear what he should do

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## Island Visitor

> you want me to attack you??..I cant..I dont think St Martin is that bad....besides...here is another twist....because we are in the resort retail business we typically buy townhomes and/or condos to live in to be near the shops.....you know what the average return is when we have gone to sell it???....its REAL good, trust me.....and when we sell this one in Colorado it will be off the scale obscene good....thats just how it goes with condos and townhomes in resorts...so if it doesnt work out for you...you dump it....make a cool profit, call it a day, and walk away...
> 
> so where's the risk???



Oh boy, like I REALLY needed to read that, especially with US Scair quoting a $398 roundtrip to SXM. 

I may have to book it soon.

Merci.

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## TPunch42

Dare I reply... I actually think it is a good idea.  you all have accused me of wimping out on St. Martin in my "survival" comment.  But I actually do like St. Martin. The French side being the prefered.  It has a regge party environment that is relaxed and a lot of fun.  I hate the airport in SXM but so does everyone.  Live near Grand Case and fly that way or live near the RE ferry.  Once our kids are a little older we will probably spend time on SXM every visit just to mix things up a bit.  

My real complaint about SXM on this particular trip is hassle factor. nothing more...Plus I would rather stay in Grand Case near the yummy food than on the Dutch side with the Casinos.  Not my thing as much, but all in all St. Martin is fun, if you are staying, it is a nightmare though for those quick connections between places.  Nothing you don't already know.

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## Island Visitor

I think the french side is a better place to live perhaps but the dutch side has friendly tax laws concering yanks owning property.  Because of this, the dutch side apparently is becoming Yanktown with lots of condos being sold to folks from les etats.  The resale would therefore probably be much better on the dutch side.  Plus, the french side charges yanks a 35% tax on the capital gain after a sale.  Comment dit-on "ouch"?

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## TPunch42

Not a big deal... Aren't their some condos on Dawn Beach?  What about that area.  Seems a little quieter.  Copecoy is gorgeous too but seems near all the time shares.  where are you thinking about?

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## Island Visitor

Looking at both Cupecoy and Dawn Beach and yes there are some interesting thoughts in both places.

The French side would probably be more quiet and perhaps nearer to things that interest me and I will certainly look at it.  But the taxes and rouge tape on the french side are a little more daunting than the freewheeling dutch cowboys.

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## andynap

Dawn Beach and Cupecoy are on the Dutch side.

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## Island Visitor

> Dawn Beach and Cupecoy are on the Dutch side.



Exactly.  They are the northernmost dutch beaches on the east and west side respectively.

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## andynap

Well actually Oyster Bay is the northeastern most on the Dutch side.

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## Island Visitor

> Well actually Oyster Bay is the northeastern most on the Dutch side.



I was considering Dawn Beach - Oyster Pond to be the same area as they run into each other.

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## andynap

In 1986 we stayed at Oyster Pond Yacht Club which next to La Sammana was THE place on SXM. I hadn't gone back that way until last year when we visited friends who were staying at Oyster Bay Club. I couldn't figure out where the old Yacht Club had been until I passed thru the reception desk and an epiphany-- the reception area was what the entire Yacht Club Hotel was at that time. Talk about a change of life.

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## Island Visitor

The hurricane did a number on SXM and some places survived, other places died never to return whilst even other places were reborn in more grand fashion.

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## Theresa

Here is a link to a new condo development on Pelican Key.  It isn't the French side, but having stayed at the La Vista property next to this new development a total of six times, I know you're only a quick drive away from the island's finest restos and beaches. 

Eleganzia SXM

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## Cheri

So, does this mean that our SBH Island Visitor will now become the expert SXM Island Visitor.  Oh, think of the fun we will have!  You might have to convince Kara to start another website with all the information that will be posted.  Seriously, I am looking forward to hearing about your SXM visit and your impressions of the island and what information you come up with.  Because like everyone, we often dream of owning a place in St. Barth and living there part time or even just living there via renting for several months a year.  But unfortunately unless we win the lottery or money comes falling from the sky...probably more likely than us winning the lottery...our visits to SBH will probably never last more than 3 weeks or a month (we're presently veeery slowly working our way up).  But owning a condo on SXM and hopping over to SBH could be possible (as you pm'd, a getaway from the getaway...good one LOL).  Keep us posted on what you come with on this journey.

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## Island Visitor

I am having mixed emotions about scheduling a trip.  On the one hand, the rates out of ATL on Dulta are fantastic.  Perhaps they are figuring on collecting low airfares for flights they know they will never fly?

On the other hand, were I to do something in SXM, it would only be as a Poor Man's St Barth.  I realize that SXM and SBH are twenty miles and fifty years apart.  And I know that SXM is most decidedly not SBH.  But it is blue water with french restaurants and a civilized view of bronzage.  As such, it is worth a look.

HOWEVER, I have surfed several St Marteen sites over the last few days.  And given that andynap and I almost melted down the Anguilla server with a couple of offhand comments a month or so ago, I have been loathe to write the following.  Alas, there is a pretty loud chorus of posts talking about crime on St Marteen.  And these posts are coming from people who claim to be longtime lovers of the island.

I dont believe everything I read and I know you have to exercise caution wherever you go.  Much to the amazement of Old School Cruzans such as Miker and Andynap, I have actually negotiated two crimeless weeks on St Croix.  Being big, ugly and lucky probably have helped.  Common sense certainly hasn't hurt.

It is one thing to zip into an island, stay in All The Right Places and then zip out and talk about how safe the place is.  It is quite another to put down roots, such as a condo would be, and then deal with it all in property if not person 24/7.  When you have to get a new television or curtains or a dishwasher, you really do have to go to those places that aren't in the Tourist Compound.

So where does this leave me?  Perplexed to say the least.  Part of me would love to grab one of these cheapy airfares and zip down to SXM and see what it looks like.  Even so, part of me hesitates.  

Bottom line is that I need to think up some scheme that could get me onto St Barth which is where I really want to be anyway.  Even so, I will probably give SXM a look at some point.  In the meantime, I am following the websites pretty closely.

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## MIke R

live on a boat and the cost of living problem an island has doesnt exclude you from anywhere...

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## Island Visitor

> live on a boat and the cost of living problem an island has doesnt exclude you from anywhere...



I have spent numerous hours looking at boats and am quite intriqued.  I even had a couple I wanted to go look at in, of all places, St Marteen.

Alas, the caribbean is only fun for me if The Mrs is along for the bronzage.  She is willing to put up with most of my crazy plans.  St Croix, Martinique, St Marteen, anywhere to be in The Blue.

Alas, mama dont do boats and has told me I will have to do that with my second wife.  Unless Sweet Might Jesus calls my current wife home early, there wont be a second wife.  Ergo, boat aint happnin, captain.

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## MIke R

gotchs...well mine was born with the seas in her veins, which is how we even met....so the tub for two is definetly in the Caribbean future...but  first theres this little detail of raising a child to deal with...LOL

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## JEK

> Bottom line is that I need to think up some scheme that could get me onto St Barth which is where I really want to be anyway.



IV,
Take a page from the Tim book of SBH ownership.

1. Wait for a big blower to come through and grind a house off of its foundation.
2. Scrape away the leavings and apply new building a piece at a time.
3. Spend 50 % of  your 32 weeks on the island keeping the house varnished, painted and polished like a new schooner. 
4. Await the next big blower.
5. Repeat steps 2-3.

Note Tim has only "enjoyed" steps 1-3.

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## tim

Jean,

You make it sound like so much fun.  LOL!

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## Island Visitor

JEK:  I should much prefer writing a check and hauling up a carload of wine and champagne to celebrate.  Your Buzzard Approach probably has merit.  Even so, don't do buzzard well.

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## andynap

IV- the best chat lines for SXM is the one on www.thedailyherald.com and www.traveltalkonline.com.

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## Island Visitor

Merci andynap.  I'll go give those a look.  I really would like to do an Exploratory Jaunt to  _L'Isle Amical_

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## Island Visitor

While I am there, I may pop over to Nevis, about which I have done extensive internet searching but no On-Site yet.

Nevis looks very attractive.

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## nnoska

ben start a corp. buy a villa with 2 or 3 people and enjoy where you want to be, sirloin and filet aint the same thing and not to be one of thoughs people mike doesn't want to hear how other places suck, (i dont think other places suck i travel as many new places as i can per year but st.barts is st. barts why settle get creative make it happen)

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## JJHarrington

The Cupecoy Beach Club is outstanding.  Call Joe or Carol Casacio at Cupecoy Beach Club, The Market Place 2010 County Line Road Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 Phone No: 1-800-955-9008 Fax: 215-355-8119 email:   info@cupecoybeach.com &lt;mailto:info@cupecoybeach.com&gt;

We have stayed there many times, usually at the tail end of a St. Barth trip. Believe it or not SXM actually has some beaches AND restaurants that compare very favorably with SB.

JIM from Michigan

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## andynap

The problem with Cupecoy is the beach comes and goes and you can't tell when. Also, it has become a haven for the alternative lifestyle group- down by the cliffs.

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## nnoska

not that there's anything wrong with that, right andy

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## Island Visitor

Since we last discussed this, I have monitored the web and real estate options.  There is a LOT of construction going on over on the Dutch side particularly.  Apparently traffic on St Martin has become a nightmare with Those In The Know not even trying certain trips at the wrong time of day.  

A lot of what is being built on St Martin looks very nice.  There is just a LOT of it.  As such, I believe I shall pass on my plans to Go Condo on St Martin and just watch all this from a distance.  Many thanks to everyone.

As to the persons who now favor Cupecoy, I am concerned for them all as it appears that several cliffside complexes are one good wave away from being ON Cupecoy.

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## JEK

St. Martin's newly dubbed "Gold Coast" sports large villas in ideal for weddings, retreats, family gt-aways

Newport, RI (PRWEB) June 25, 2006 -- Wimco Villas, specializing in rentals of privately held luxury villas in the Caribbean and Europe, now offers a collection of nine contiguous yet private beachfront villas in a gated community in St. Martin

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## PIRATE40

I am game for starting a small LLC to purchase a villa on St. Barth with 4 or 5 regular visitors...share all upkeep and rent it out when no one wants to use it to help pay for it....any one checked out St. Kitts? I see some great prices on vacant land with ocean view..35,000....small homes...450,000....definetly doable.....I am going to charter someone from the St. Barts flying club to give me a tour and maybe drop me off for a few hours....I did notice a few properties on St. Barts for under a mil. ......could work.

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## Island Visitor

What small amount of time I dont spend in this website, I spend studying caribbean real estate.  I looked LONG AND HARD at making a purchase on St Maarten or St Martin but was finally dissuaded by the Pro-St Martin Websites that had all Gone Miker over the place.  

It was a shame too because SXM is easy to reach and the prices weren't too obscene (though they are getting frisky now).

I also looked extensively at Nevis and a little at St Kitts.  I checked out St Johns, made a rash (and possibly foolish) decision and bought some hillside St Croix jungle, checked out the BVI, did some prelim on Les Saintes and a little work on Martinique.  Looked at AXA pretty hard and did some spotchecking of the Bahamas.  Here is what i found:

There are no "secrets" out there.  Everything that is desirable and has some infrastructure is being priced accordingly.  To get real deals, you have to go to unimproved spits of sand or buy into an island "whose better days may be behind it".  

St Kitts has appealling prices and is supposed to be a pretty nice island.  Ditto (even more so) Nevis.

Even so, given the choice between trading Saline and Nikki Beach for horse-racing and cricket, I have decided to forego other islands.  If I cant own a piece of St Barth, why own a piece of anywhere else?

Your thought about doing an LLC on St Barth is probably a good one.  Alas, there are so many peculiarities of french law (not to mention posters in this site  :Wink:  that it would require of LOT of legwork and research to feel good about the deal.  In the perfect world, an established group of folks who have already met each other and socialized before (are we talking the STL gang here?) would be better suited to pull this type of deal off than, as Frankie might say, Strangers In The Site.

I am intrigued.  However, having already been foolish with money on one caribbean island (nice view, though) I have promised my wife to be more sober in future expenditures.

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## PIRATE40

I fully understand the problems of "strangers" pulling off a joint effort in regards to a purchase...I only am able to compare this personally to a joint effort in regards to my aircraft purchase with strangers. One "good" thing is that you are dealing with a like crowd, special people who want to be part of a special place and are effluent enough to  be able to accomplish this and want to protect their interests. I would have no problems dealing with anyone from this website that had ROSITA'S 
approval...lol

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