Imagine a place where donkeys still roam the land; a place where the beaches are full of white sand, and the water is crystal clear; imagine being able to reach this place by a short three hour plane ride.

When you first look at Google Maps, the Virgin Islands are non-existent. It is not until you zoom halfway in towards Puerto Rico, do you begin to see our little piece of the Caribbean.

I once heard someone say "the price of real estate will always go up, because it is limited" - this was before the market crashed and prices went down all over the world. However, when it comes to niche markets and waterfront property, there really is a limit of how much is available.

The US Virgin Islands is made up of four main islands: Saint Thomas (the tourist and business hub), Saint Croix (the largest of the islands), Saint John (75% is National Park), and little known Water Island (bring your golf carts!).

While I was not born and raised in the islands, I strongly believe that there is something for everyone here. St. Thomas offers a faced paced environment with shopping, movies, a vibrant nightlife, and much more. One thing to note about St. Thomas is that if you want to go to St. John, you will pass through St. Thomas. One thing I love about this island is Red Hook. You have the night life, the people, the boats; St. John is a short ferry ride away - there is the Yacht Club, the Ritz Carlton, Sapphire Beach is awesome, Coki Beach is beautiful, and there are plenty of places to stay. You can walk into town, there is the Marina Market which has great sandwiches.

St. John is small, quiet, and amazing. The beaches are beautiful, the snorkeling is amazing, the restaurants are on the water, the people are great; I could go on forever. With that said, St. John does not have many amenities. You don't have great cell reception all over the island, the island is much smaller than St. Thomas, and the cost of living is much higher. On the other hand, St. John real estate is truly limited. Prices will continue to rise.

St. Croix offers a large island with room to roam. Prices are great, there is plenty to do and I personally believe that their market is on the up-and-up. St. Croix doesn't get the cruise ship traffic or have the amount of visitors as St. Thomas, but what St. Croix does have is an island three times larger than St. Thomas. There are two towns: Christiansted and Frederiksted. Both offer something different, and it comes down to personal taste. Definitely worth a visit. As for real estate investments on St. Croix, the prices are right and as they continue to add infrastructure and amenities, the island will continue to become more and more popular.

Water Island is like something out of a book. There are no stores, no gas stations, very few cars, and many golf carts. They have one main beach "honeymoon beach" and the general feeling is a "small community". To get food, clothes, civilization you need to take the Water Island - Crown Bay ferry or have your own boat.

I would like to add that your adventure on any of these islands can be made or broken by who you know. So if you are coming down to take a look at our properties, or just want to go out for a drink, give me a call. The last thing you should do is come to paradise and not have an amazing time!