Island Life

A couple is ready to leave the isolated island of Nantucket, Mass., for tropical Merritt Island, Fla., so they can escape long winters and stay active by spending more time outdoors; they seek a home with an open concept and a room for his man cave.

A couple looking to expand the family seeks a spacious house near the Atlantic Ocean in Long Beach, N.Y.; their dream home must include a new kitchen with white cabinets, a luxurious master bathroom, a yard for their dog and room for a pool.

A couple that first met on the beach in Newport, R.I., wants to buy their first home on Aquidneck Island; with a toddler and another baby on the way, they hope to find a property with a big yard, an open floor plan and something they can fix up.

A young couple looks for a first home in Gulf Shores, Ala.; they both grew up vacationing in the area and love the family-friendly community and proximity to several beaches; they hunt for a home with a fenced-in yard for their dogs.

A couple of empty nesters are saying goodbye to the hustle and bustle of Chicago and hello to the laid-back lifestyle on Washington Island, Wis.; they want to live on a waterfront property they can customize with plenty of room for visiting family.

Young newlyweds are ready to buy their first home together in Long Beach, N.Y.; they hope to find a condo near the beach that has views of the water.

After growing up on Washington Island, Wis., an entrepreneur is ready to make the quaint island home again; in addition to opening a restaurant, she has plans to find a beachfront house with rental potential.

An engaged couple searches for a home in beautiful Gulf Shores, Ala., to be closer to the water and spend more time on a boat; they are open to fixing up a home or building one, but being waterfront is a must.

An active family is tired of driving over the bridge to Merritt Island, Fla., and wants to make a permanent move; they want to spend more time together enjoying outdoor activities and hope to find a home with an open floor plan and a pool.

After years of spending summer vacations in Ocean City, a Maryland couple is ready to fulfill a dream of living by the ocean; they love the calmer, bay side of the island and hope to find a waterfront home with gorgeous views.

A college admissions counselor living in Geneva, Switzerland, falls in love with the low-country charm of Hilton Head Island, S.C., during a vacation; she seeks a home close to the beach with rental potential.

A successful business owner is ready to plant roots in sunny Key West, Fla.; with the help of her daughter, she hopes to find a spacious house for entertaining that's also near the Old Town district so she can walk to work.

A couple follows a job opportunity to Long Beach, N.Y.; they want their twins to grow up by the ocean and spend as much time outdoors as possible, so they hunt for a home near the water with a backyard.

A Cincinnati couple loves the outdoor lifestyle of Nantucket, Mass., and gets ready to fulfill a dream of living near the beach; they seek a home with easy access to the water and town center, a backyard for their dogs and a separate rental space.