In order to capitalize on this Caribbean life-style on a long term or lasting basis, however, you have to address the harsh realities of housing, businesses and daily tasks such as groceries, utilities and home improvement. Relocating to USVI whether St. Thomas or any one of the other islands, calls for a study in the Caribbean culture and the assorted real estate and other resources of the arena.

You might start from your current home searching for St. Thomas real estate or real property in other areas of the USVI. There is so much help on the net these days in the way of ads with pics, virtual tours and electronic communication with agent, broker, or owner by e-mail, IM, live chat or click to call. You may feel you can select your St. Thomas real estate before you even set foot on the island.

If, however, you want to absorb a bit of Caribbean culture first, learn about your preferred places to live, you may want to choose a long term vacation rental or a short- term apartment and then enlist the help of the real estate professionals when you are ready to search for your permanent USVI piece of real estate.

The type of short term and apartment housing in the USVI differs from island to island. There are several properties on St. Thomas and St. Croix and they provide a good assortment of size, cost and location. Some are furnished, some not. The Island of St. John does not offer nearly the alternatives. Water Island apartment units are very limited.

What you will find out as you condo hunt in the Virgin Islands is that private owners have taken their USVI real estate and divided it up into rental property. You may rent the upstairs of a multi-unit, while the owner resides below. This is far more common that the mass apartment communities we are so used to seeing in the rest of the U.S.

Condos are popular, but the huge apartment communities with pools, laundry rooms, community ammenities and on-site managers just do not exist in USVI. St. Thomas and St. Croix offer many condominium developments, often close to the beach. Some include amenities such as tennis and golf, pools, and gated entrances.

For your luxurious beachfront paradise and Caribbean culture you pay a respectable rental price - much more so than most other parts of the U.S.. Studios start at just under $1000 a month. If you plan to rent property while you search your dream St. Thomas real estate, or real estate in any part of the USVI, St. Croix is your least expensive area. Next in price is St. Thomas rental property. The most expensive rental area is St. John.