Peer-to-Peer: David Fedeles, CRS, Coldwell Banker St. Croix Realty, Christiansted, Virgin Islands
What appealed to you most about the CRS Designation?
For me, it was about the referrals as well as the designation itself. The very first client who was referred to me came down and bought a home, and now that client has two other properties here.
What are the special aspects of the St. Croix residential market that you help your clients navigate?
It’s a small market of 50,000 people and 82 square miles.
I have been in the real estate business here for over 30 years. I handle primary homes and secondary vacation homes—just about any residential property. I’ve been in the business so long that I have clients who I’ve put into condos, then into family homes and now I am handling their sales so they can go back stateside to live with their grandchildren. And the way some people come to me has changed somewhat. I have young buyers who want to buy remotely through my website, as well as traditional buyers who have visited the island and decide to purchase a vacation or primary home here.
Do you network with other Council members or other REALTORS®?
Sure. I have referral parties for the other CRSs working on St. John and St. Thomas, and they do the same for me. I only work on St. Croix, though. It’s expensive to get a seat on a seaplane to jump to the other [U.S. Virgin] Islands, nor do I know those market areas.
Can prospective buyers get a good idea about a home or property just by looking at a website?
It’s one thing to see a property online, but it’s really important for buyers to come down—even if they come for just two days. They need to feel the breeze—the breeze is everything down here—and experience the views. If their financing is good, I can find them a property and get a contract signed in two days.
Are your customers generally looking for luxury homes?
I work with a cross-section of people. I am never tied to just one segment—I work with buyers from all socioeconomic strata. I understand the high-end buyer; before I was in real estate, I worked in finance for Fortune 100 companies, so I can read that kind of client well. I have a keener sense of their needs and, frankly, they can require a little more work. But I treat all my clients the same, whether they are looking for a high-end place or a $250,000 condo.
One couple, who was viewing my listings with me and their selling agent, were looking to buy a luxury property. They were prepared to make a cash offer, and eventually I asked them how they had that much cash. It turns out they had invested in bitcoin and were now bitcoin millionaires! It was an interesting experience because besides looking at the house and the views and so on, they were asking me a lot of questions about the staff who would be working on the property. It turns out they were crazy about the local goat stew and wanted to be sure they could get staff who could prepare an authentic version.
I hear that you were the featured REALTOR® on an episode of “Beachfront Bargain Hunt” on HGTV. How did that happen?
I was interviewed by the producers and I shared the names of clients I had been working with. They chose a delightful young couple and their two kids from Chicago, who had already purchased a place. For purposes of the show, the production company asked the whole family to come down here for a week so they could shoot some footage of them enjoying the beach—kids in the water, kids on horses and so forth. We also did some mock showings. Ultimately, the couple ended up with a place across the street from the beach and some additional land adjacent to it so they have proximity to the beach and unlimited view potential.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I am a big swimmer. I used to swim competitively years ago, but now I swim, snorkel and run for fitness. I used to love downhill skiing, but I broke a femur skiing down an incorrectly marked run in 2015, so now that’s out. I am also a very good chef and enjoy traveling. 
