Season 12

January 17, 2010

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.

January 24, 2010

Two cousins search for a shared vacation condo

January 24, 2010

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.

January 31, 2010

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.

January 20, 2010

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.

February 3, 2010

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.

January 6, 2010

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.

January 13, 2010

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.

February 21, 2010

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.

January 27, 2010

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.

February 10, 2010

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.