Beach Hunters

Carmit and her best friend are combing the beaches of southern Connecticut for a house that measures up to her standards. While she's hoping to find a home that offers hassle-free beach access and a cozy entertainment space, she's quickly learning that having specific needs often results in a difficult search.

First-time parents are looking for a beach home in Port Richey, Florida. They agree on a private neighborhood and stunning water views, but she wants a home that's move-in ready, and he's most concerned about a long commute to work.

Busy parents with two young daughters are moving from California to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, for their own slice of beach paradise. He wants a home that's move-in ready and private, but her priority is finding a place that lets the family embrace beach life.

A couple looks for a beach house where they can escape with their daughters. Hoping for the ideal mix of beachside relaxation and off-beach amusements, the couple lands in Nags Head, North Carolina, looking for the perfect place near quiet beaches and away from crowds.

A couple leaves their southern roots to fulfill his childhood dream of living on the water. With its stunning beaches and view of New York City, the northern Jersey Shore seems to be the best possible option. They're hoping to find an updated house with superb waterfront access that's perfect for summer get-togethers but an unexpected option leaves them deciding between new features and old charm.

Busy professionals from California hunt for a beach house in his hometown in Massachusetts; he wants outdoor living while she's intent on a place big enough for her parents; both agree the house needs to be renovation-free.

An Atlanta couple heads to Belize for a laid-back lifestyle in paradise. Both agree the house needs easy beach access and plenty of room for their family to visit, but finding the perfect place in a limited market proves to be a challenge.

Wanting to show their children all the coast has to offer, Ernie and Amy search for their dream home in Florence, Oregon. Along with their four children, they search for the perfect seaside spot -- a place where they can wake each day to the sights and sounds of the ocean breeze.

A couple looks for a bigger vacation home they can share with their family in Long Beach Township, New Jersey. They love the town for its quiet neighborhoods and can't wait to experience all the island has to offer. She wants a house with gorgeous water views while he wants somewhere to fish near his new beach house.

A couple with four young children wants a historic waterfront home in Rhode Island that their family can grow into. Finding a place with charm and character won't be difficult but their challenge lies in finding the perfect backyard with plenty of space and easy water access.

A couple is coming back home to the New York area with their three teenage boys after spending a few years in Arizona. The family has settled on the Merrick area of Long Island and they're excited to spend more time together with a new home on the water. While everyone agrees the boys should have plenty of room to hang out, her focus is having ample living space for entertaining while he's looking for an accommodating home office.

An outdoorsy couple are searching for a beach home on Whidbey Island in Washington. They want to find a house that will do well in the rental market, but will also serve as a vacation home for their growing family. The property must have easy beach access, a safe backyard for their young kids and unobstructed views of the water and mountains.

Rob and Elise never imagined they'd be searching for a beach house together on Washington's Whidbey Island when they first met, but their love of island life and unique situation made it a perfect match. He prefers no distinction between beach and backyard while she pushes for a contemporary retreat as this couple searches for the beach house of their dreams.

Carol and David are living in Grosse Pointe, MI and are on the hunt for a vacation house on the western shores of Lake Huron where they can focus on being a family with their three active kids. They both grew up in the harbor village of Lexington, MI and are hoping to find a beach retreat right on the shoreline that's not too far from family. With help from David's brother, they may just find what they are looking for.

A Pensacola, Florida, couple looks to upgrade to a waterfront house with plenty of room to entertain family and friends. They love the beaches of Gulf Breeze and are searching for a spacious house with a pool and a dock for a boat.

A family searches for a getaway home on Washington's Camano Island. After getting a taste of beach life, they want a relaxing place on the beach all their own. They are looking for a property that offers some seclusion but still allows them to enjoy the small, friendly community.

An Ohio couple have been vacationing on North Carolina beaches for many years. In order to stay away from tourists, they have decided to buy their own piece of paradise in the little beach town of Topsail Beach.

Busy Nashville doctors search for a relaxing getaway home for their family of four in Folly Beach, South Carolina. He is looking for a place right on the beach so that he can easily go surfing, while she wants a view of the ocean and enough room to entertain family or enjoy nature with their two young children.

A couple who has lived in Florida for decades is excited to start the next chapter of their lives in a new home. She is looking for a place with unobstructed sunset views from the deck while he is anxious to fulfill a longstanding goal of waterfront living. They both want a newer house with modern amenities located in the Palm Harbor area.

A family is leaving their inland California home to live on the beach in Cape Canaveral, Florida. They're seeking oceanfront properties with plenty of indoor and outdoor living space and look to surf, snorkel and relax on the beach.

A couple searches for a vacation home near family on Topsail Island, North Carolina. With four kids, they're looking for a place that can accommodate everyone, plus any visiting family, and want plenty of outside space to entertain.

A couple searches for their perfect beach home in Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina. He wants a place that reminds him of growing up in Hawaii, and the two of them are eager to find a place where they can step out their back door, bury their toes in the sand and have plenty of room for their children and grandchildren.

A couple decides to purchase a beach home and sets their sights on sunny St. Augustine, Florida. They are regular visitors to the popular town but are tired of paying for hotels, so finding a place all their own is a logical choice. Their main criteria is maximum beach enjoyment right in their own backyard.

A family of three from Washington is looking for a property on Whidbey Island. Finding a house on the eastern side with easy beach access for fishing, kayaking and clamming is key. Although this will be a summer home, they want to make this their forever home once they become empty-nesters.

Two stressful corporate careers have an Ohio couple seeking a laid-back lifestyle in Miramar Beach, Florida. They're looking for a quiet, convenient single-level home with at least three bedrooms, a dock, a boat lift and a pool.

A couple that led busy lives after founding a software company is looking for a relaxing retreat along the beaches of Galveston, Texas, where they can unwind now that their kids are grown. He hopes to find a property close to the city, but she wants to find something further out of town that offers more peace and quiet.

After a lifetime of moving, this family of three wants a home with a sandy beach and endless water views. They'd like to downsize their current house, while expanding their private outdoor space with wide open views of the mountains and the Seattle skyline.

A couple is making their dream come true by buying a beach home in Norfolk, Virginia. She grew up in Florida, and he immigrated from Vietnam as a child and spent time at his family's lake house. They both enjoy the fun and lively atmosphere of Norfolk but are hoping to find a home in a quiet, family-oriented neighborhood near an uncrowded beach with few tourists.

A couple that both grew up visiting Cape Cod in the summer is ready to call a traditional New England-style home their own. They're hoping to find a move-in ready house with great entertainment space that's large enough to fit their growing family.

A couple searches for a waterfront property on Long Island, New York, where they can escape the noise and fast pace of the city. They're looking for unobstructed views, room to plant a garden and a property large enough for a pool.

Now that their boys are grown, a couple looks to buy a vacation home on the Central Oregon Coast. They're looking for a quiet, secluded getaway, but finding a home with privacy, enough room for family and a perfect beach could be a challenge.

A family is ready to get out of the city and into a spacious, waterfront home in Boston. They're looking for something that is convenient to the city but still has a small town feel. Having traveled all over the world, they're now ready to settle down in New England and buy a quintessential waterfront home.

A family looks for a place where their kids can grow up on the beach in Gulf Breeze, Florida. They have the unique challenge of finding a waterfront home that's both kid-friendly and has plenty of indoor and outdoor space to entertain.