Selling property in the U.S. Virgin Islands

USVI Realty does not list properties or represent sellers. This page is an educational overview of what a sale involves, so you can prepare and know what to ask the licensed broker, attorney and tax adviser you choose.

Before you list

Gathering paperwork early saves time once a buyer is involved. Useful records include:

• your recorded deed and any survey or plat you have
• recent real property tax bills and proof of payment
• permits and inspection records for construction, additions and major repairs
• association documents, if the property is in a condominium or community: the declaration, bylaws, rules, budget and any special assessments
• insurance policies and claim history, including windstorm and flood
• utility and water records, such as Water and Power Authority account details, cistern cleaning dates and water test results

You can look up your parcel and tax bills through the Office of the Tax Assessor’s online search, and find recorded documents through the Recorder of Deeds’ online records portal.

Pricing is a conversation for a licensed broker or a licensed appraiser. The V.I. Board of Real Estate Appraisers, part of the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs (DLCA), licenses certified residential and certified general appraisers.

Keep your insurance in force until closing. In a July 2023 bulletin, the Commissioner of Insurance urged policyholders to renew on time, because a homeowners policy that lapses may be hard to replace given limited capacity among licensed insurers.

Disclosures and inspections

Ask a USVI real estate attorney what you must tell buyers about the property’s condition, and how to put it in writing. Raise known problems with your attorney early, such as roof leaks, cistern cracks, storm damage, unpermitted work or past flooding.

The Real Estate Commission’s code of ethics asks brokers to learn the pertinent facts about every property they take on, so they can avoid misrepresenting or concealing them. Expect a licensed broker to ask you detailed questions.

If the property has a cistern, recent cleaning, disinfection and water test records can answer buyer questions early. A guide from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends disinfecting a cistern at least every three to five years and after extreme storms.

A pre-listing inspection is an option if you want to find and fix problems on your own schedule. A buyer may still hire an inspector of their own. Our directory lists home inspectors and appraisers.

Title, survey and the deed

Clear title and an accurate description of what is being sold keep a closing on track.

• Title. The Recorder of Deeds, in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, records deeds, mortgages, personal liens and tax liens. It has one district for St. Croix and one for St. Thomas and St. John. Ask your attorney or title company how any mortgage or lien recorded against the property will be released at closing.
• Survey. Ask your attorney whether the buyer, lender or title insurer will want a current survey. Land surveyors are licensed through a DLCA board. See our surveyors directory.
• The new deed. The Recorder’s requirements say a new deed must give the names and current mailing addresses of the seller and buyer and refer to where the prior deed is found in the public record. An original Sales Valuation Affidavit, signed and notarized in the presence of two witnesses, must be attached and must state the actual sales price.

Deeds and mortgages must be submitted to the Recorder as originals. Under the territory’s notary law, a notary may not serve as both a subscribing witness and the notary on a deed.

Taxes to ask a tax adviser about

Every sale is different, so treat this section as a list of questions, not answers.

• Income tax on any gain. The USVI applies a “mirror” version of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, administered by the Virgin Islands Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). IRS Publication 570 treats gain from selling real property as coming from where the property is located. Where you file depends on whether you are a bona fide resident of the USVI.
• Foreign sellers. The BIR says the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act applies to nonresident alien individuals and foreign corporations that sell USVI real property, including its withholding rules. Requests for reduced withholding go to the BIR’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
• Stamp tax. The territory’s tax system includes a stamp tax. Ask your attorney how it applies to your sale and who pays it under your contract.
• Real property tax. The Office of the Tax Collector issues tax clearance letters and status sheets, and owners with overdue taxes can contact it about an installment agreement. Ask your attorney when you will need a clearance letter.

Estimate as of October 2026. The Tax Collector’s posted fees are $25 for a tax clearance letter and $15 for a status sheet. Confirm current fees with the office.

Working with licensed professionals

Plan to build a team: a licensed real estate broker if you choose to list with one, a real estate attorney, a title company and a tax adviser. Check any broker’s license with DLCA’s online license search before you sign. Licenses run on the calendar year, so ask to see a current one.

The Virgin Islands Real Estate Commission’s rules set expectations worth knowing:

• An exclusive listing must be in writing, set out its terms fully and have a definite expiration date. Everyone who signs it gets a true copy.
• The Commission discourages net listings and recommends that brokers add the customary commission and closing costs, so the seller sees the gross listed price.
• A broker must promptly present any signed offer to the seller.
• Deposits a broker holds go into an account at a bank authorized to do business in the territory.
• At closing, the broker must give the seller and the buyer a complete, detailed closing statement of all receipts and disbursements the broker handled.

What we do and do not do

USVI Realty is an educational resource, not a real estate brokerage. We do not list properties, represent sellers, negotiate sales or give individual legal or tax advice. When you are ready to sell, work with licensed professionals in the territory.

Owners who want to keep learning can subscribe to The USVI Real Estate Insider, our monthly educational newsletter about property ownership in St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John. If you are weighing whether to rent your property out instead of selling, read our investing and renting pages first.