Caribbean Life - General Discussion

[NYGirl]

Editor's Note:

Discuss Caribbean Life Here!

 

Our wonderful moderator Wendy has graciously allowed us to put the "Life" topics in here since they are on HGTV AND very similar to House Hunters.  Thanks again Wendy.

[DownTheShore]

I always wonder about those folks who buy on St. Croix, on the drier side of the island. Where does their water come from, since I think most water is from rainfall catchment systems?

[proserpina65]

DownTheShore, don't you just wish you could be there when he runs out of water in the middle of his shower and has to wait another month until it rains again?  They didn't purchase that house did they?

Don't know if there was a Caribbean Life ep with the same scenario, but there was recently a HHI where they did buy the house with the huge water storage under the house.  And yeah, hopefully he uses all the water for one shower and they won't have more until it rains again.

[chessiegal]

New episode tonight on US Virgin Island St. John - they screwed up on the intro, saying St. John was 1 of 4 US Virgin Islands. Wrong - there are 3, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John. Fact check people.

[Albino]

Episode last night was a couple moving from Canada to Nosara, Costa Rica. I wanted to punch the wife (a holistic healer!) in the throat.  She wanted a home within walking distance to her daughter's school.  The realtor showed two that were between a 6 and 10 minute drive to the school, and one within walking distance. 

This is the thing...the roads were very narrow - basically one car wide and unpaved.  All mud, surrounded by jungle, crazy bumpy, and at the time of the tour had huge puddles of water that covered the entire road.  She was so "disappointed"...she couldn't imagine herself driving on those rudimentary roads twice a day.  For 10 minutes.  So...she'd rather walk in the mud and water?  With cars passing?  With a child?

Of course the husband - who wanted to live closer to shops and restaurants - caved because - as we all know, 'happy wife, happy life!'.  She wants what she wants!

Felt sorry for the daughter...she did not seem at all enthused about the move.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Albino

[scootypuffjr]

I swear, if I never hear that "happy wife, happy life" mantra again, it will be too soon.  So dismissive of the husband's wants and needs, and I'm just sick of hearing it.

[ByaNose]

9 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Yes, the seller is under no obligation to counter offer. They can just say no thanks. That happened to us on the sale of our last house,. Several weeks later we got into a bidding war and sold for full price.

You might have sold for full price but did you have lots of natural light? LOL!!!

[Ottis]

Just started watching this show. I want to understand the finances of people buying these homes, their ages and the safety of the area. I'd love to look at retiring in one of these places, but once you buy a house, what local costs do you have, and is it safe? Does everyone local think you are an ignorant American? I want more reality and less dream!

[AlleC17]

53 minutes ago, Ottis said:

Just started watching this show. I want to understand the finances of people buying these homes, their ages and the safety of the area. I'd love to look at retiring in one of these places, but once you buy a house, what local costs do you have, and is it safe? Does everyone local think you are an ignorant American? I want more reality and less dream!

you've come to the wrong show for reality!  :-)  I think if you are seriously considering it, research, research, research.  There are most likely ex-Pat forums you can join for specific countries, and those folk can give you some good advice.  Also contact a realtor in the area, after you have done some research.  That's what I would do, anyway.  I must say, I am intrigued by the idea too.

[snarts]

I'm always a bit envious of those who can move mid-career to paradise and work remotely.  Last night's episode with the youngish couple moving to St Thomas no exception.  She was a high school history teacher and he owned a home remodeling company in Kansas and yet they were moving to living in St Thomas full time.  How does that work?

[oakville]

I just saw the episode with the lady from Montreal who was moving to Montego Bay . The homes were relatively cheap with lots of land. I was wondering about the crime rate near Montego Bay. It seems like she was a single mom.

The other episodes I watched were based in the US Virgin Islands. Prices seem to be down there due to a weak economy.

[snarts]

Did anyone catch last night's Caribbean Life in the Dominican Republic?  What city was it?  The couple chose the new build originally listed for $112k that had miraculously been reduced to $75k and an adjacent parcel of land.  They were from West Bloomfield, MI and stated they were moving to the DR but she was a high school German teacher and had young kids that were never mentioned again.  I couldn't figure out if they were actually retiring or just buying a second home. 

Found the city, here's one of the decoy houses:  http://drcoastalproperties.com/properties/123-Sale-Houses-Villas-Cabrera-EUR170000/

Edited July 24, 2017 by snarts
added decoy houses

[Thumper]

New episode of Caribbean Life -- Rhode Island family looking in Bonaire (which I had to look up!).  The wife has such a flat, unemotional tone to her voice.  I don't know if that is her normal voice, or if that is her voice reciting lines.  Very odd.  I can't figure out of this is a vacation home or a permanent move; they haven't mentioned jobs.

Edited August 7, 2017 by Thumper

[Mittengirl]

Bonaire woman's whole demeanor was flat.  He seemed animated, like he was enjoying the experience, but she showed about as much excitement as a I do in the dentist's waiting room.

[Neurochick]

On January 23, 2017 at 6:52 PM, snarts said:

I'm always a bit envious of those who can move mid-career to paradise and work remotely.  Last night's episode with the youngish couple moving to St Thomas no exception.  She was a high school history teacher and he owned a home remodeling company in Kansas and yet they were moving to living in St Thomas full time.  How does that work?

  I guess it works if both parties don't have student loans, or kids for that matter.

Edited September 4, 2017 by Neurochick

[ByaNose]

1 hour ago, Neurochick said:

  I guess it works if both parties don't have student loans, or kids for that matter.

The grass is always greener on the other side. It sounds so cool to just pack up and move to paradise but I guess it depends what you have going on in your life. Some would do it even if they had kids, too. In the end, it comes down to money. Either, you have enough and you don't have to work or you find a job where you work remote and get paid doing it. 

[Neurochick]

18 minutes ago, ByaNose said:

In the end, it comes down to money.

Very true, that's why I mentioned not having student loans.  

[chessiegal]

Just saw pictures of St. Thomas - terrible. Wonder how many folks we've seen on Caribbean Life lost their homes to Irma.

[laredhead]

Chessiegal, I was thinking the same thing today.  There have been a lot of shows filmed in that part of the Caribbean, and damage that I saw to St. Thomas looks devastating. 

[MsProudSooner]

I remember more than one Caribbean Life show where the buyer wanted a concrete block home instead of wood frame.  I wonder how they fared against Irma.

[AnnaRose]

34 minutes ago, MsProudSooner said:

I remember more than one Caribbean Life show where the buyer wanted a concrete block home instead of wood frame.  I wonder how they fared against Irma.

They may have had a chance to withstand Irma if they were built to Fortified for Safer Living standards, which I believe requires specific steel and concrete construction.  

Quote

From the link above:

FORTIFIED construction has been tested in real life.  Prior to Hurricane Ike, IBHS designated 17 FORTIFIED for Safer Living homes in Galveston, TX.  Of these 17 homes, 14 survived Hurricane Ike.  The three homes that did not survive were damaged by neighboring houses that did not meet FORTIFIED requirements.  These neighboring homes were washed off their foundations and slammed in to the FORTIFIED homes.

If I was building in a hurricane prone area, I would insist on that type of construction.  

Edited September 9, 2017 by AnnaRose

[laredhead]

I would want it to be fortified and high on a hill outside of storm surge limits.  Saw footage this morning or miles of once beautiful houses on hills overlooking the ocean.  They all look like they are in shambles. 

[chessiegal]

11 hours ago, laredhead said:

I would want it to be fortified and high on a hill outside of storm surge limits.  Saw footage this morning or miles of once beautiful houses on hills overlooking the ocean.  They all look like they are in shambles. 

If that's the footage they keep showing over and over, it is the Bitter End Yacht Club in Virgin Gorda. Those structures on the hill aren't homes - they're bedrrom/bath cabins on the hill and not built to withstand hurricane winds like Irma. I've stayed in one - it was a wooden structure with a thatched roof.

ETA: Here's a story on the destruction.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/08/hurricane-irma-decimates-bitter-end-yacht-club-on-virgin-gorda.html

Edited September 10, 2017 by chessiegal

[chessiegal]

Thinking there won't be enough of the Caribbean left to do shows after Irma and now Maria. I also wonder what it's doing to the cruise industry that have no ports to go to in this area. 

[chessiegal]

Maria is heading to St. Croix with 175 mph winds. Yikes! What's left of the Caribbean for them to film?

[roseslg]

There are a few places that are not as damaged, but they are not as easy for Americans to get jobs as it would be in a U.S. territory.   I grew up in the Caribbean and still have lots of family there and everyone is on pins and and needles as these hurricanes come through.  

 

I would hope the house hunters had hurricane insurance.

[pep4]

Does the Montana Home-Dream Home series go here?  1st episode isn't over, but I've concluded it is best to watch it muted.  Was curious if that floor that was half below grade had any moisture issues.  Anyone able to get past the inane attempts at humor?

Edited September 20, 2017 by pep4

[Mittengirl]

I wonder if HGTV would consider doing a Where are They Now - After the Storm?  

[MsProudSooner]

22 hours ago, pep4 said:

Does the Montana Home-Dream Home series go here?  1st episode isn't over, but I've concluded it is best to watch it muted.  Was curious if that floor that was half below grade had any moisture issues.  Anyone able to get past the inane attempts at humor?

If i had a view of mountains like that, I probably wouldn't care about anything else.  

[Neurochick]

On September 18, 2017 at 8:16 PM, chessiegal said:

Thinking there won't be enough of the Caribbean left to do shows after Irma and now Maria. I also wonder what it's doing to the cruise industry that have no ports to go to in this area. 

From what I've seen, it's mostly the Eastern Caribbean that has been damaged.  Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, Jamaica, Bermuda, are still okay I believe.  Bermuda got hit badly two years ago and I think Nassau is still okay, the cruise ships are there as I write this.

[pep4]

Cabo:  Wow, just $200K for the awesome view and the rooftop? What's the catch?

Bucerias, Mexico (aka Puerto Vallarta):   Hate to say it, but all I could think about was that NJ mom who turned herself into burnt toast.

[oakville]

On 9/22/2017 at 10:24 PM, Neurochick said:

From what I've seen, it's mostly the Eastern Caribbean that has been damaged.  Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, Jamaica, Bermuda, are still okay I believe.  Bermuda got hit badly two years ago and I think Nassau is still okay, the cruise ships are there as I write this.

The hurricane damage to these areas has been so severe, that it will take a few years to rebuild. The show never mentions whether the homes have been built to withstand a category 5 hurricane. I feel horrible for all those people who bought homes that in Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

[sugarbaker design]

On 10/1/2017 at 11:00 PM, pep4 said:

Cabo:  Wow, just $200K for the awesome view and the rooftop? What's the catch?

4 flight walk-up!

[chessiegal]

Watching Caribbean Life and wondering how many of these still have a home (St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Martin).

[AlleC17]

On 12/24/2017 at 2:03 PM, chessiegal said:

Watching Caribbean Life and wondering how many of these still have a home (St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Martin).

I actually stopped watching the show as I can't enjoy it knowing that the hurricanes came.  :-(  Especially Puerto Rico.  It just breaks my heart. 

[stormy]

Last night's episode with Brooke and Colt moving to St. Croix, made me think the same thing.

I wish they'd do some follow-up episodes.

[Pickles]

8 hours ago, stormy said:

Last night's episode with Brooke and Colt moving to St. Croix, made me think the same thing.

I wish they'd do some follow-up episodes.

You can google them. It sounds like they survived the hurricane and their house and boat were fine too. The article I found says they lived there for two years before buying a house! Someone was collecting donations for them for the island detestation.

Devastation

I clearly did not pay attention to the Brooke and Colt episode. I guess it was stated that they had lived there for two years?

[stormy]

I didn't catch that. They said they lived in a travel trailer for two years to save the money to move to St. Croix.

I'm glad to hear all is well with them.

[sskrill]

Does the log cabin show go here too?  I didn't see a separate thread but this thread seems more beach themed.

But I need to say this about log cabin guy - why do women let their grown ass husbands wear choker necklaces??  Black leather choker with something dangling from it ... guy, you're like 50 .... no.  No.

[Haleth]

On 12/24/2017 at 7:03 PM, chessiegal said:

Watching Caribbean Life and wondering how many of these still have a home (St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Martin).

I have a cousin who lives on St Croix.  They got their electricity back on Christmas day.  The pictures of the devastation are terrible but the concrete houses withstood the winds.  (Windows not so much.)  It will be years before everything is cleared.  They really need tourists to return.

On 1/12/2018 at 4:03 PM, SunnyBeBe said:

Can someone tell me if there is still an Advisory on travel to Mexico?

My daughter got married in Puerto Vallarta in Oct and we'd been there once before.  I'd go back in a second.  It is a paradise, but like anywhere else there are places you go and places you avoid.  Be smart.  (I can't speak to living in Mexico.)  

[laredhead]

Haleth, I have some friends who went on a cruise in December with stops at various places in the Virgin Islands.  She said they almost cancelled after seeing the damage done by the hurricanes, but decided the area needed tourist dollars so they decided to go ahead with their plans.  She said the damage is incredible, and yes, it will be years before things return to somewhat normal.  Their economy is based on tourism, and they need those tourist dollars to recover. 

[chessiegal]

8 hours ago, sskrill said:

Does the log cabin show go here too?  I didn't see a separate thread but this thread seems more beach themed.

But I need to say this about log cabin guy - why do women let their grown ass husbands wear choker necklaces??  Black leather choker with something dangling from it ... guy, you're like 50 .... no.  No.

If you're talking about Maine Cabin Masters, they have their own forum.

[oakville]

I noticed a new show called Bahamas Life airing on Friday nights. The couple was selecting a home in the Exumas. The options were very nice & the prices were pretty reasonable. I love watching these types of shows on a cold winter night.

[izabella]

On 2/4/2018 at 4:36 PM, oakville said:

I love watching these types of shows on a cold winter night.

That's the main reason I watch them, too.  It's so restful on the eyes to see sunshine and ocean and palm trees when it's the freaking frozen tundra outside.

[answerphone]

I just watched the LA couple buy the mansion in St. Thomas. It would be nice if HGTV but a tiny update at the end, telling the viewers how their property was after the hurricane. 

I'm sure we're all thinking about that.

[chessiegal]

OMG! First couple tonight at 9 pm EDT looking in St. John's. I've never heard a woman with worse up speak. Get a grip girl - not every sentance is a question. So annoying.

[KLovestoShop]

I find it annoying that so many of these beach, islands and whatever shows wind up with the Hunters turning down every option they've been shown and at the end you see the couple saying things like "We haven't found our dream place yet".  Why even tape these people if they can't find a property?  Even during the updates at the end, they still didn't find anything.  

[AnnieBeez]

8 hours ago, KLovestoShop said:

I find it annoying that so many of these beach, islands and whatever shows wind up with the Hunters turning down every option they've been shown and at the end you see the couple saying things like "We haven't found our dream place yet".  Why even tape these people if they can't find a property?  Even during the updates at the end, they still didn't find anything.  

Don't ever watch Escape to the Country then! [Actually, I loved the show, and everyone who likes house porn should watch.] It took me forever to get used to it. 

[chessiegal]

In "How Close Can I Beach" couple looking in Kure, NC - first house was a townhouse with a reverse floor plan. First, husband says he's never heard of that. Really - what rock have you been living under? Then the wife makes a comment about would they want to walk up and down 2 sets of stairs, when on 2 floors you could clearly see the house had an elevator that was completely ignored.

[chessiegal]

And then the wife in St. Johns - twice said when driving - look at all these trees! It's like we're in a forest! Me - yelling at the TV - you're in an effin forest! My husband - guess she can't see the forest for the trees. :-)