Seasons & episodes

Mark and Tara Howard are both from New York, but they've lived in the Cleveland area for the last 12 years, along with their daughters Halle and Amanda. Their large house has everything the could want, except for one thing: the ocean. That's why the Howards are looking for a vacation home in beautiful Aruba. They want to be as close to the water as possible, but their budget might be an obstacle, so they're willing to look in some of the less popular areas in hopes of making their dreams of waterfront living a reality.

Retired schoolteachers Simon and Maria Jenkins of Canterbury, England have always loved vacationing in France's southern region of Languedoc-Roussillon. However, part-time holidays to this sunny, wine-growing region are no longer enough, as they are ready to relocate to France permanently. Their goal is to find an idyllic country home that's large enough to accommodate their artistic pursuits as well as regular visits from their four grown children.

Cousins look for a two-bedroom vacation condo in Belize. Their budget is $300,000, and they'd like a move-in ready place that's close to the water.

This busy family of 6 loves their Tucson, Arizona lifestyle, but they yearn for a relaxing Fiji island getaway. Top of their list is a place with plenty of room for themselves and their guests, a large eat-in kitchen, ocean views and a big pool with plenty of outdoor living space. They'd like to stay under their $500,000 budget. The first place their agent Will takes them to see is a 1700 square foot house that's listed for $275,000. It only has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and no pool, but it's on almost an acre of land so there is room to expand. The home has breath-taking ocean views, but the kitchen is older and the fridge is tiny. The next house they look at is priced higher, at $325,000, but it's also larger, with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms in 2500 square feet. The best feature of the house is the enormous great room that opens out onto the large deck.

Scott Medina is relocating from Miami to the Dominican Republic to kick-start his real estate business into high gear and to return to his Caribbean roots. He's looking to set up shop and find a condo in the high-end beach district of Punta Cana, known for its white sand beaches and luxury hotels. Scott's main priority is location- he'd love to be able to walk to the beach. He's also looking for a two-bedroom place so he can have a separate office and more storage, and he'd like a pool on the premises. He's hoping his real estate expertise will help him find all of these amenities in a 200 thousand dollar budget. Real estate agent and friend Frances Pimentel is going to help Scott on his search for the right place. The first condo that Frances shows Scott is a one-bedroom, one and a half bath condo right on a golf course. It's listed for 195 thousand dollars and is 1100 square feet.

Evan, who is from the Midwest, and Maria-Isabel who is from Nicaragua, own a restaurant together in historic Granada, Nicaragua. They are ready to buy a home but don't exactly agree on where. Evan wants to be as close to their restaurant in the city center as he can get, while Maria-Isabel is seeking a quieter, possibly more distant refuge. They both agree on size: 2 bedrooms plus an office, and on style: they like historic homes, and appreciate architectural authenticity. They also like to entertain and would like a hip space to do so. Real Estate Agent Sean Dennis shows them an historic home in the heart of town. Evan and Maria-Isabel love the home's authentic details and view of the cathedral, but Maria-Isabel is concerned about noise. Next Sean shows them a Colonial Reproduction a few minutes outside the center of town.

Two cousins search for a shared vacation condo

Salinas, California high school math teacher, Michelle Moser, wants to buy a vacation home in the birthplace of grandmother: the southern region of Calabria, Italy. She's looking for a place with enough space for her and guests, ocean views, a terrace and a kitchen suitable for cooking up wonderful Italian pasta dishes. She hopes to find a place in a small town or village where she can walk to shops and restaurants. With a budget of about $100,000, she knows it will still be a challenge. The first place her agent, Tony Hackett, shows her is a partially renovated home in Santa Dominica Talao. Listed for $85,000, this place has 2 bedrooms, 1 bath and is 1,183 square feet. While there aren't any ocean views, this home has beautiful views of the mountains. The renovated parts of the house are well done, but a kitchen still needs to be installed and two rooms are in need of a complete remodel. The next house they look at is a home in the town of Scalea.

Les and Anita (50's) are looking for a vacation home where they can escape Vancouver Island's cold winters and enjoy some tropical sunshine. They've fallen in love with Roatan, a small island off the coast of Honduras, so they've decided to purchase a home so they can spend several months there at a time rather than a week or two. Their daughter Kelsey and her fiance Dan are avid divers, so they're thrilled about the decision. Les and Anita are looking for a move-in ready 3 bedroom home that's large enough for the entire family and they really want a place that's close to the beach, has an ocean view and has room for a garden. Their budget is 300 thousand US dollars and they've enlisted Robert Sirois, a local realtor to assist them in their search. They've also created their own checklist to help rate each property and help them with their decision.

Athos and Mary raised four children in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Now there are five grandchildren in the mix, and beach vacations are what they all enjoy most. Now that Athos and Mary have retired from the restaurant business they're ready to buy a vacation condo so the family can hit the beach together whenever they want. They're focusing their search on the Caribbean nation of the Dominican Republic because they love the beautiful blue waters, crystal clear skies, and affordable prices. The first condo that real estate agent Rico Pester takes them to has 2 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths in 1720 square feet. It is in a development that is still under construction. Athos loves the breathtaking beachfront views, and Mary loves the in-unit laundry hook-ups. But the condo is priced at $417,000, which is $17,000 over their budget. The other disadvantage is that the development is a significant drive to town. The next place they see is a little closer in.

Dan and Andrea Layden (30's) are history buffs who live in Philadelphia with their two small children. Andrea can trace her family history back to 18th century Italy. Now she and Dan want to introduce their children to her old world roots by buying a vacation home in the Abruzzo region of Italy where both Andrea's mother and grandmother are from. They have a budget of 100,000 Euro (equal to $140,000). They want a charming Italian cottage that has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, some outdoor space, and a working kitchen. The first place Dan and Andrea and their kids go to see with their agent, Nicola Di Girolamo, is at the top of a very windy road in the Abruzzo region. The home has 2 beds and 1 bath in 1300 sq. ft., and it's listed for the equivalent of $116,000. The exterior of the home is built with stone from the region, but the owners have drilled parts of the wall which has created huge cracks inside the living room.

Kevin and Kim Dooley (40's) live with their 4 kids, Taylor, Tucker, Callahan and Annabel in the small town of Avon, Indiana. For the past 10 years the family has been involved with peace initiatives in the ancient city of Fes, Morocco. They're currently teaching Moroccan women how to make a living by using scraps of fabric to make purses. Since the family is visiting Morocco more and more frequently, Kevin and Kim want to buy a 2nd home there. They want a place with a rooftop terrace, a decent kitchen, 3 or 4 bedrooms and western style bathrooms. They have a budget of $250,000, and Kim is hoping to find something move-in ready while Kevin thinks it would be fun to buy a rundown place he can fix-up himself. Kevin is going alone to search for a home, so Kim can stay behind with the kids who are in the middle of the school year.

They say that opposites attract and for Jim and Loretta Swartz, married for 26 years, that's a fact. She's very low-key, and lets him handle all the family worries. But despite their differences in personality, they agree that the family deserves the vacation home they've been saving ten years to afford. They'd like to buy a place now for vacations, and ultimately retire there. Their house in the planned community of Columbia, Maryland is large and comfortable, but it's far from the soothing sounds of the ocean that Loretta loves so much. They're focusing their search on the small island of Roatan, off the coast of Honduras, because of its peaceful beaches, and unspoiled feel. They'd like three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and while Loretta would like to wake up to the surf in her back yard and sand in her toes, Jim thinks an ocean view property would be a better investment. Their budget is $800,000.

Perry and Cheryl Meriot are Edmonton Alberta natives who are sick and tired of the brutal winters there. Perry's job as an Airline baggage handler means he works outside during even the worst weather. After a trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, the couple decided to save up and buy a second home there. They want a 2 bedroom condo on a 2nd floor in a gated community that's close to the beach. But they have a very firm budget of $150,000 which means they may not be able to buy as close to the beach as they'd like. The first place their real estate agent Sabine Gruss takes them to see is a model unit in a large complex with a big pool. The complex is about 5 minutes walking from the beach. The unit has 1 bedroom and 1 and a half bathrooms in 1000 square feet. It's listed at $115,000 but upgrading to a second floor unit means the price would be closer to $120,000.

Ken and Donna Richardson live in Conway South Carolina with their maltese dog, Oscar. Ken recently retired and wants to buy a 2nd home in his favorite fishing spot, Nosara Costa Rica. Even though Donna has never been there, she is feeling adventurous and is willing to join Ken in the search. They want a 3 bed, 3 bath home with an open floorplan, a pool and an ocean view. They also want to buy a place close to the beach. They have a budget of $700,000, and they've given themselves just 3 days to complete their search. Their real estate agent Bram Shook knows it might be difficult for them to find a place that's both close to the beach that also has ocean views, since in Nosara there is a wildlife refuge that separates all the homes from the beach. The first place he takes them to see is a 10 minute drive from the beach and has 3 bedrooms and 3 baths in 3000 square feet. It's listed for $525,000.

Ever since Juan Moreno imigrated from Cuenca, Ecuador to the United States, he's dreamed of eventually owning a home there. He and his wife, Diane, recently retired to Orlando Florida and are now ready to make that dream a reality. They're going to buy a second home in Cuenca. They're bringing their daughter Anna along to help them on this search. With a budget of $120,000, they want to get a 4 bedroom, 2 bath home. They would like a traditional Spanish style home with a view, but still have the modern amenities they have now, such as an open floor plan, built for earthquakes. Their agent, Monica Rodas, takes them to a 4 bed, 1 1/2 bath, house in 2,798 square feet listed for $135,000. It's an older home with a hacienda style layout. While Diane and Juan like the large backyard and how the house reminds Juan of his childhood home, they're concerned that the house is not only above their budget but will need some serious updating.

Now that her daughter Paola is a teenager, Rebeca Zuniga wants to get her out of the crowded big city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Rebeca's a business consultant who can work from home, so she wants to pack them up and move them into a brand new home in the laid back beach town of Playa Hermosa. As a single mom Rebeca has a limited budget, so she's relying on her real estate agent Dean Studebaker to help her get a deal. With Paola along for the tours, they check out a move-in-ready 3 bedroom condo priced at $575,000, a 2 bedroom condo with access to a private beach club that's priced at $485,000 and a 3 bedroom condo with an amazing ocean view that's listed for $585,000. With just one big decision to make, Rebeca and Paola will get to start their new lives by the beach.

Manfred Marshall is a busy Costa Rican lawyer who has saved up for the past decade so he can buy his dream vacation home on the beach in Mal Pais. He's turned to his good friend and real estate agent Molly Harris for help in finding just the right high-end property. It's important that he finds a place with room to rent out, so he can keep his costs down. They see a large compound with 3 separate villas and 2 pools listed for $2.6 million, a smaller 4 bedroom beach front house priced at $3 million and a gorgeous 3 bedroom home with amazing ocean views listed for $2.7 million. Manfred's just one decision away from vacation home paradise.

Christopher has always wanted to live in the Caribbean, but he can't get his wife Tracy to make such a big commitment and leave their Mesa, Arizona home for good. So, they split the difference and decided to buy a vacation home on the Turks and Caicos Islands. The couple is looking into a Fractional Ownership home, which offers them the opportunity to share the ownership of a multi-million dollar home. It also means they could only stay for a specific number of weeks per year, perfect for Tracy. Christopher would still like to have the option of living in the home full time. Elite Home Destinations' Bill Bisanz steps in to help them decide if they should invest in a fractional or full ownership. Christopher and Tracy have a budget of $700,000 for a home that's a fractional and $2.5 million for one that they can own fully. They check out two fractionals: one that is available for $700,000 and offers an 8 week stay and the other is priced at $500,000 for a 10 week stay.

Darrell and Frankie are an engaged couple that live in the Marietta, Georgia area. Each of them has children who have grown up and gone off to school or work, so now it's just the two of them. Darrell works long hours while Frankie deals with a hectic commute to the office, so they'd like to have a place where they can get away and relax. They chose Costa Rica as the location for their vacation home after the couple went there on a trip and fell in love with a small, tranquil area called Playa Samara. They're looking for a low maintenance home with a large kitchen that is located near the beach. Darrell would also like to be sure that he is looking at places that are desirable to the locals that fall within their $600,000 budget because the home is also an investment property. Their real estate agent, Ryan Tuttle will show them the wide range of properties they can choose from in Costa Rica.

Joe and Shannon Godar of Ohio have been buying and renting out vacation homes in Florida for years. And for all those years, they've dreamed of finding one right on the beach that they could keep for themselves. But real estate prices in Florida keep climbing, and the couple all but gave up. Then a friend told them about a newly developed area in Panama called La Barqueta, where they could find large, luxury, oceanfront homes for a million dollars. Having spent little time overseas, Joe and Shannon were hesitant, but ultimately excited to realize their dream. In Panama, real estage agent Fatima de la Guardia shows them three gorgeous homes, each more luxurious than the next. The first is priced at 1.1 million dollars, but lacks a pool. The second is listed at $800,000, but lacks privacy. And the third is priced at a budget-breaking 1.4 million dollars, but lacks nothing.

Jeff and Tamara Katko love the life they've built for their family of four in comfortable Perrysburg, Ohio. There's only one thing missing; wintertime sunshine. For that, they're heading to the U.S. Virgin Islands in search of a vacation home that's sure to deliver. They'd like a two or three bedroom, two bathroom condo that's fully furnished, with a nice patio or deck, and that is within walking distance to a beach. If they could score an actual water view, they'd be delighted. Their budget is $350,000 - $450,000, which actually won't go a very long way in St. Croix, so this could be tough. Sales Associate Kerry Waldo is ready for the challenge. The first place she shows them is listed for $379,000. It has three bedrooms and two large decks, but is far from the beach. The second condo, listed at $460,000, is just steps from the sand, but only has two bedrooms, which means the Katko boys would have to share a room.

Between updating her condo, running her bead shop and hitting the slopes, Sienna Kaczmar's day-to-day life in Calgary is jam-packed. To get some much needed R&R, this self-professed "water baby" has decided to buy a second home on the island of Ambergris Caye in Belize. Real estate agent Dennis Kay is ready to help Sienna find the perfect beachfront home in this popular Caribbean dive spot. Traveling by golf cart and water taxi, as Ambergris Caye has few paved roads, Sienna and Dennis check out a 3 bedroom stand alone villa priced at $315,000 US, a 2 bedroom move-in ready condo listed for $299,900 and another 2 bedroom place that's close to town and costs $349,000. Now Sienna's just one decision away from having her very own vacation retreat in Belize.

Bostjan and Anja love their life in Slovenia but they want to move out of their tiny apartment and find a larger home where they can eventually raise a family. They've decided to buy a home in nearby Croatia where they can not only afford a bigger place, but they can also be right on the beautiful coast. They both agree on the larger home but when it comes to the details the couple doesn't see eye to eye. The most important thing for Anja is a home with an office, while Bostjan is focused on having a pool.