Belongers buying more properties than you think
Belongers continue to account for the vast majority of real estate transactions in the BVI in the last five years, according to the 2025 BVI Property Review compiled by Smiths Gore & Cire real estate firm.
Data contained in the review shows that there was a post-pandemic peak in 2021 after the government introduced a stamp duty waiver for Belonger purchases. It also shows that real estate sales have been relatively static from 2023 through 2025, ranging between $96 million and $102 million.
Despite the flattening of overall sales in the last two years, the number of transactions continues to be dominated by Belongers. In 2025, for example, the BVI recorded 170 sales to Belongers, compared with just 22 transactions involving non-Belongers. In 2024, there was a similar trend with 178 sales to Belongers and 25 to non-Belongers. The trend remained the same as far back as 2020.
The review further indicates that sales to non-Belongers have been on a steady decline since peaking in 2022. That year saw 38 non-Belonger transactions, 29 in 2023, 25 in 2024, and 22 in 2025. However, non-Belonger sales were worth more, reflecting the prevalence of high-end villa purchases by foreigners.
The real estate review also highlights that since 2020, non-Belonger purchases have been driven primarily by improved properties rather than land, while Belonger activity continues to centre heavily on land ownership — a long-standing feature of local wealth accumulation in the territory.
The findings come amid ongoing public calls for the government to make it easier for locals to acquire, retain, and transfer land, which is traditionally viewed as one of the most important tools for intergenerational wealth-building in the BVI.
But while many observers will view the continued dominance of Belongers in real estate transactions as a positive indicator for local ownership, others within the society remain cautious about what the data truly reflects.
Critics argue that sales recorded to Belongers do not necessarily translate into increased ownership among indigenous Virgin Islanders, noting that the legal definition of Belonger status can include individuals who acquired that status through residency. As a result, some contend that the figures may mask deeper concerns about whether ancestral land and long-term wealth-building opportunities are genuinely remaining in the hands of families with the deepest ties to the BVI.
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Belongers not Virgin Islanders, big difference.
Good observation. The devil is always in the details.
The term belongers also include Virgin Islanders. There is no difference between the two terms when it comes to the purchase of land. Let us stop looking for ways to divide us. A little research into things could help to prevent a lot of unnecessary emotional drama.
News sites PLEASE INVESTIGATE the reason the PLANNING AUTHORITY BOARD STILL HAS NO MEMBERS WITH APPROVAL OF HOUSE PLANS HELD UP FROM EARLY LAST YEAR (2025).
The VACANCY NOTICE FOR MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING AUTHORITY BOARD was published in May 2025 with a June 2025 deadline.
The Cabinet Decisions for other Boards show several of the same persons appointed to multiple boards (family/friends/relatives) of politicians. Vacancies may be published but it is the same hand-picked persons.
What you are trying to say, Virgin Islanders, who are belongers, along with persons who were given Belonger Status are the people buying most real estate in BVI? Why this division mentality always on this site? Let the people live and work together in peace and harmony.
The people with the burning question about who is buying what wants the designations made clear. Are the buyers born here British Virgin Islanders as opposed to Belongers whose mother or father may have been born here but their off spring born elsewhere. Like a guy who left here as a teenager and never returned but his children who was born in the country where he went to earn a living and then raised a family are now coming here and applying for their belonger status. Those Belongers have less credibility as tax payers and land owners than those who were born here. A good reason why if BVIslanders get their status of any kind revoked in the U.S. no one should complain. They ain born dere. I attended a recent Belonger ceremony and watched as some old people went up on that stage and received their certificates. I wondered what was the point. But I guess if you waited until you are old and grey to get a legal status in a country you lived in, worked and paid TAXES in for donkey years it might be worth it to you. Me I think you should have been sending home your money to your home country so you could retire to there, which is what people with the BH degree think you should be doing anyway. Of course when BVIslanders were going to St. Thomas to have babies and coming back here with the social security card and the WIC cheese and milk no one thought there was a single thing wrong with that. That was pretty standard or normal. Hypocrits much? Interesting concepts for people who think who born here more important than who chose to stay here all those donkey years just to get the privileged status in their golden years.
Yeah, mostly by the one in the purple clinic!
The BVI long gone and we’re still giving out more belongerships…..Cut ayo schit out now
Just like the UK still giving out UK passports to you ungrateful “Sons ah deh soil!
Idiot!
Thanks to the NHI, the doctors helping their selves, buying more real estates while the patients dieing off
Once people have the security they are more than happy to spend the money on a house. I heard a few people wanting to invest but the jobs are year to year on a work permit and can be revoked at any time. So now they have status they are happy to invest in the island. THis is a good thing for the BVI as the economy os booming with all this investment. The alternative is to spend the money overseas back home. Im happy to see the investment being spent here as it benefits everyone
If you live and become a belonger in the Virgin Islands should that deny you the rights to own property?
Is there a problem with that too?
How does this factor in to the growth of the economy?
Shouldn’t this be a positive move on the part of the belonger?
BavIslanders are alsoBelongers by definition. Belongers is solely used for the imports and subsequent naturalized. This specified group has been the nail in the coffin of these Vi,both US, BVI and in their own “free independent” self induced poverty ,crime and all around septic nations.
This latter group with exception,purchasing local property is no music in the ears of the VI as their presence has been destructive and continues.
Lumping BVIslanders and Belongers in this news article is willfully rubbing the faces of decency and productivity in the feces of said group. Hopefully, the major purchases were made by the Belongers so far who has contributed into these VI long before the arrival of the dusties and continues unrelenting and positive.
Accuracy and fortright reporting is a problem for our News reporting in all areas.
Mr. R. and Mr. T. they reporting about.
I repeat no expact should buy we crown land its unfair crown land should be own by bvi islander only . I cant go st vincent dominica jamaica grenada you name and buy there crown land fix that somebody need to explain this
People acting like the whole island isn’t a bunch of land. But let’s cry bout belongers who mostly have blood tide to the island…
Well u is a big a**. If u don’t have nothing good to say sht the fk up
Every other island in the world is trying to persuade rich retirees and the like to invest there, buy a house, bring your money. . We are telling them to get lost.
I have family who were born in St Thomas but lived in Tortola her whole life. They have a Belongers and land. Should be care bout Belongers of course not cause most Belongers have ties to the island one way or another…
Don’t blame them, they are buying properties that the locals are selling to buy coke, Guns Fancy Cars and Heavy Gold..
And I will be securing my piece of paradise soon enough as well!
Who come up with these stats to create division.
If you ate naturalized and hsbe s passport, you live , a productive citzen, work hard . Spend frugally and purchasr property in the BVI whay is yhe problem
I cannot understand how this is creating sucj hatered?
Why my Caribbran brothers and sisters
Isnt this the slavery mentality not wanting to see your own black people grow and build the BVI community
who’s selling the land and profiting? lol the same gov owned land that your grandparents got as handouts in the 1950s for $100 are now being sold off for upper tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It’s only division because people want it to be division. Some of these comments about division are more divisive than the article. Always with the drama.
“SMH”, you’ve hit the nail on the head!
Not all Belongers are ancestral Virgin Islanders!
And I think, the data need to distinguish buyers, by place of birth, years lived in territory,age,and most importantly, last name of buyer!
This type of introspection, would reflect exactly the kinds of purchasing, and in some instances, the the reasons for such purchases!
Great article, by the way, though!