USVI Realty is an independent guide to property in the U.S. Virgin Islands: what to know before you buy, rent or invest on St. Thomas, St. Croix or St. John.
We publish island and neighborhood guides, step-by-step buying and renting guides, a directory of communities and local services, and a map of the 416 estates.
Every figure links to its source, and prices carry the date we checked them.
We are not a real estate brokerage. We do not list property or represent anyone; we help you prepare for the conversations you will have with licensed professionals. About USVI Realty
Footage: Kaalomai Kirdani, CC BY 3.0
Three islands
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One territory, three different islands. Open a print to read its guide: St. Thomas, St. Croix or St. John.
The islands, counted
- 42,261
- people lived on St. Thomas in the 2020 Census, the most of the three islands.
- 83
- square miles of land on St. Croix, the largest island, home to 41,004 people.
- 2/3
- of St. John is national park, and the island had 3,881 residents in 2020.
- 416
- estates divide the islands, most on the lines of the old plantations.
- 1917
- is the year the United States bought the islands from Denmark.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Island Areas Census and TIGER/Line 2025; National Park Service, Virgin Islands National Park; U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs.
Photo: CaptJayRuffins, CC BY-SA 4.0
Find an estate
Property descriptions in the islands often name the estate. Type one to see where it is.
416 estates across the three islands. Pick one on the map or search by name.
Estate boundaries are for statistical reference, not legal land descriptions. Verify a parcel with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Sources: Census TIGER/Line 2025 and 2020 Census, Table 2.
How buying works
The general path from first look to recorded deed, and who is involved at each step. It is a map of the process, not advice.
Before you look
- Choose an island and an areaYou
- Line up financing or proof of fundsYour lender
- Find a licensed real estate professionalLicensee
Making an offer
- Agree on price and contract termsBuyer and seller
- Set inspection and financing conditionsYour attorney
Under contract
- Inspect the building and the cisternHome inspector
- Survey the boundariesSurveyor
- Search and insure the titleTitle company
- Quote windstorm and flood coverInsurance agent
Closing
- Sign, pay closing costs and transfer fundsClosing attorney
- Record the deedRecorder of Deeds
You hold a recorded deedLt. Governor's office
Directory
Communities, government offices and the property professionals a purchase or a move involves, island by island.
Listings are free, and each one shows the date its details were last verified.
Questions
Is USVI Realty a real estate brokerage?
No. USVI Realty is an online resource for people researching property in the U.S. Virgin Islands. We do not list or sell property, and we do not represent buyers, sellers, landlords or tenants.
Can U.S. citizens buy property in the USVI?
The islands are a U.S. territory: the United States bought them from Denmark in 1917, and U.S. citizenship was conferred on Virgin Islanders in 1927. Our buying guides explain what that means for you.
Read the citizens guideWhat is an estate?
A legally defined subdivision of an island. The Census Bureau notes that most estate boundaries are those of the plantations that existed when Denmark transferred the islands in 1917. The Estate finder shows where each one is.
Open the Estate finderWhere do your facts come from?
Each guide lists its sources, mostly the U.S. Census Bureau, the National Park Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior and USVI government agencies. Prices and rates carry the date we checked them.
How can my business join the directory?
Listings are free. Send your details with the Add your business form; we verify every listing before it is published.
Add your businessKnow the islands before you buy
The USVI Real Estate Buyer's Guide: the process, the costs to research and a checklist, free.