Unlike visiting a Caribbean beach resort or a hotel, Caribbean vacation homes are a long term investment. Searching through web sites and talking to a few international real estate agents will put you on the right path. Having a real estate agent well versed in international sales might be your best bet.

Doing business online can be risky, as you wouldn't want to be taken in a scam and end up losing your money. An international agent will know all the ins and outs of the process and you'll most likely have a very specific paper trail by the time all is said and done.

Consider your budget carefully. Know exactly how much you want to spend and how much you'll be able to afford in the Caribbean vacation homes market. Visit a few different islands to see which one suits you best. There are a lot to choose from, each one more beautiful than the next, but since you're making such a big investment, you don't want to rush and find out later that there was something better someplace else.

While you might end up using the services of an agent, you can still do a lot of your searching online. The internet provides an endless resource for sales and locations. If you don't want to buy a home, maybe you can find one for rent. A Caribbean rental villa might be a better option for you if you don't want the long term commitment.

Of course, if you do decide on buying one of the available Caribbean vacation homes on the market, you also have to consider what you are going to do with it in the off-season. Will you leave the house empty or will you rent the house out to others?

Timeshares are also another alternative. With a timeshare, you and several other people are all buying a share in the same house or condo and you all schedule your times to visit throughout the year. With a timeshare, you pay for someone else to maintain the upkeep on the building.

When you're not there for the rest of the year, you don't have to worry about it at all. Timeshares can also be traded with other people around the world. You might be able to trade time in these Caribbean vacation homes with someone else on another island or another part of the world for time in theirs.

You can also check auction sites for Caribbean vacation homes. Auctions are a great place to get bargains and pay far less than you would going through some of the other sources. With all the choices available you are sure to find one that fits you. Before you know it, you will be looking forward to plenty of days in your vacation home.