https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/ Guides to buying, renting and living on St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John, from primary sources. en-us https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/cost-of-living-in-the-usvi/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/cost-of-living-in-the-usvi/ Living in the USVI is costly in several ways: WAPA's posted residential power rates top 40 cents per kWh, and consumer prices rose 7.1 percent in 2024, over twice the U.S. rate, by the territory's own index. Census rents and incomes help you budget by island. Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/hurricane-and-flood-insurance-in-the-usvi/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/hurricane-and-flood-insurance-in-the-usvi/ Hurricane wind damage is covered only if your homeowners policy includes windstorm coverage, and flood, including storm surge, needs a separate flood policy from the NFIP or a private insurer. The USVI's insurance regulator advises never excluding windstorm and insuring at least 80 percent of replacement cost. Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/long-term-rentals-in-the-usvi/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/long-term-rentals-in-the-usvi/ In the 2020 Census, median gross rent was highest on St. John and lowest on St. Croix, and most homes on every island reported a cistern. Before you rent, confirm who pays for power and water, how storms are handled and that the landlord is real. Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/moving-to-the-usvi/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/moving-to-the-usvi/ Moving to the USVI can mean lining up eight things: shipping and registering a car, a Virgin Islands driver's license, pet entry papers, power and water, internet and phone, school registration, health care and a mailing address. This checklist shows what each office asks for. Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/property-taxes-in-the-usvi/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/property-taxes-in-the-usvi/ The Lieutenant Governor's office assesses USVI real property at 100 percent of fair market value and taxes the value, less exemptions, at the millage rate that applies under the Virgin Islands Code. Here is how bills, the homestead credit, clearance letters and appeals work. Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/short-term-rentals-in-the-usvi/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/short-term-rentals-in-the-usvi/ Renting a USVI home for stays of less than 90 days brings the territory's hotel room tax, filed monthly with the BIR on Form 722 V.I. Owners should also ask DLCA about licensing, read their association's rules and confirm insurance before taking guests. Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/st-croix-vs-st-john/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/st-croix-vs-st-john/ St. Croix has more than four times St. John's land and ten times its people, plus an airport, a hospital and lower 2020 home values and rents. About two-thirds of St. John is national park, and with no airport, most trips off the island start with a boat. Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/usvi-home-prices/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/usvi-home-prices/ In the 2020 Census, owners valued their homes at a median of $591,160 on St. John, $356,977 on St. Thomas and $247,090 on St. Croix. Those are 2020 owner estimates, not today's prices. Here is what the data show and how to research current sales. Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/which-usvi-island-is-right-for-you/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/which-usvi-island-is-right-for-you/ It depends on what you value. St. Thomas has the most people and the capital, St. Croix the most land and the lowest 2020 home values, and St. John the most parkland and fewest residents. Compare amenities and jobs, space and cost, nature and quiet, and getting around. Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/buying-a-condo-in-st-thomas/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/buying-a-condo-in-st-thomas/ What buying a condo on St. Thomas involves: the association documents to request, storm and insurance questions, rental rules and the licensed professionals to involve. Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/buying-property-in-st-croix/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/buying-property-in-st-croix/ How buying on St. Croix works: land, homes and condos, the survey, title, flood, water and permit checks that matter, insurance, and the licensed professionals to involve. Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/buying-property-in-the-usvi/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/buying-property-in-the-usvi/ A step-by-step guide to buying property in St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John, from choosing an island to recording the deed, with the offices involved at each stage. Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/can-us-citizens-buy-property-in-the-usvi/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/can-us-citizens-buy-property-in-the-usvi/ Yes. What buying in a U.S. territory means for mainland buyers: citizenship, currency, travel documents, what changes, and the questions to ask an attorney. Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/costs-of-buying-property-in-the-usvi/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/costs-of-buying-property-in-the-usvi/ The taxes, fees, professional costs and insurance to research beyond the purchase price in the USVI, with official figures dated and the right office to ask for the rest. Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/living-in-st-croix/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/living-in-st-croix/ What daily life on St. Croix involves, from where people live and what homes rent for to cisterns, hurricane season, getting around and local services. Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/living-in-st-john/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/living-in-st-john/ What daily life on St. John looks like in the public data: a national park on two-thirds of the island, ferries instead of an airport, cistern water and short commutes. Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/living-in-st-thomas/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/living-in-st-thomas/ What daily life on St. Thomas involves, from neighborhoods, utilities and driving on the left to hurricanes, schools and taxes, with a source for every figure. Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/st-john-vs-st-thomas/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/st-john-vs-st-thomas/ Neighbors linked by ferries and car barges, but very different places to live. Compare population, land, the national park, housing, work and commutes with sourced figures. Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/st-thomas-vs-st-croix/ https://www.usvirealty.com/guides/st-thomas-vs-st-croix/ The two largest U.S. Virgin Islands compared with official figures: population, land area, towns, airports and what each difference means for your property research. Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT