Second homes: A peaceful, protected corner of the Caribbean

— -- For American second-home buyers who want a slice of paradise, the U.S. Virgin Islands are one of the easiest entries into the Caribbean. The island group has all the things people love about the region — warm, sunny weather, clear turquoise waters and sandy beaches — along with the things they love about home: the English language, U.S. laws and political stability.

The main selling point of the U.S. Virgin Islands is its governance. After seven versions of foreign rule, the islands — the best-known are St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John— became a U.S. territory in 1917, and the majority of second-home buyers are U.S. citizens.

"The No. 1 reason is the security," says longtime broker Amy Land-de Wilde of Coldwell Banker Land-de Wilde Realty on St. Croix. "It pops to the top of the list every time. You feel like you are away from home, but with all the things you are used to. There is also the ease of getting here."

The second attraction is the islands' natural beauty, protected by several national parks. Fully two-thirds of 19-square-mile St. John is protected as Virgin Islands National Park, and offshore lies Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument. St. Croix offers Buck Island Reef National Monument, and St. Thomas has the Marine Sanctuary Mangrove Lagoon. All three are covered with mountains, lush flora, hiking trails and vast expanses of beaches. The islands also offer watersports, with some of the Caribbean's best scuba diving.

Waterfront property is less expensive than in other Caribbean destinations, especially now, as larger inventory makes real estate is more negotiable, Land-de Wilde says. "I just sold a condo on the water for under $100,000," she says. On St. Croix, the least-expensive island, typical condo prices begin around $150,000, she says, and $500,000 for single-family houses. Unlike much of the Caribbean, the U.S. Virgin Islands have few large planned developments, though several are in the works.