Why the USVI Is the Most Tax-Advantaged Place to Buy Luxury Real Estate in 2026

  When most buyers think about tax-friendly places to purchase luxury real estate, they think of Nevada, Florida, or Texas. But in 2026, a growing number of high-net-worth individuals and investors are looking somewhere far more compelling — the U.S. Virgin Islands. The...

How Much House Can You Afford?

Before you start touring homes for sale, it's important to start off with a budget so you know how much you can afford to spend. Knowing what mortgage payment you can handle will also help you narrow the field so you don't waste precious time touring homes that are out of your...

The Truth About Appraisals

Jeff Chervenak Officer Guaranty Federal Phone: (860)284-4780 x30 Fax: 860-284-4786 jeff@guaranty-federal.com www.guaranty-federal.com/jeff The Truth About Appraisals Knowing the Guidelines Solves the Mystery The appraisal process often baffles consumers. They may feel that their...

5 Secret Sources of Down Payment Money

Down payment: the mere utterance of the term strikes dread in the hearts of many a homebuyer-to-be. Coming up with a down payment often seems like an obstacle that must be overcome, as it is the biggest test of our ability to save money most of us will ever face and it’s a...

How Much House Can You Handle?

Once upon a time, a widely-used rule of thumb among real estate experts and home buyers alike was to buy as 'much' home as you could qualify for, as soon as you could qualify for it: even if you didn't need the space or extra expense. Back then, big homes were en vogue, mortgage...

The Housing Market Update

New Home Sales Climb: Sales of new homes rose in September after four straight monthly declines. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that sales of new homes rose 5.7 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 313,000 homes. A big reason for the gain was that...

Private Sector Sees Job Growth

We received a couple of reports on employment levels last week. The ADP Private Payroll report continued to show gains in hiring in the private sector. Their monthly gauge came in at 110K which was much better than market expectations of 101K. In a separate report, the national...

Loan Appliction Process – What You'll Need

So you've been working with your real estate agent and together you've found the home of your dreams.  So now what?  Contacting your financial institution to begin the loan application process.  However, you'll want to gather some important documents before your appointment...

USVI Real Estate – June 13th

Will Mortgage Rates Rise in August? Every week it seems mortgage rates inch down - but is the ride nearing the end? One of the main reasons why mortgage rates have been so low is due to the Quantitative Easing II program.  This is where the Federal Reserve Bank of New York purchases...