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Private Notes
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. Bill also shows them a sole ownership house listed for $2.5 million. It all boils down to how long Tracy and Christopher want to stay on the island. Who will have to compromise?
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. They check out a 2 bedroom townhome with amazing views listed for $595,000 and then head to a smaller 2 bedroom condo with great beach views that is listed at $330,000 and finally they'll tour a 3 bedroom house that also has a great view of the beach and is listed for $449,000. Which of the three homes will Darrell and Frankie choose to be their new vacation retreat?
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. Will they play it safe, or go for it all?
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. The third condo also has just two bedrooms, and it's not close to the beach, but it's part of a lush golf course resort, and is listed for the more comfortable price of $350,000. What are Jeff and Tamara willing to compromise on? Walking distance to the beach? A third bedroom? Or price? Find out as House Hunters International travels to tropical St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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. They'll look at three very different places, but can they find one that works for both of them?
Bruce Chipps leads a stressful life in Los Angeles, California, directing a live, four-hour television broadcast from area race tracks. But the job comes with one fabulous perk: Bruce gets up to six months off each year. Recently, Bruce saw the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" which tells the story of an American woman who moves to the Italian countryside to renovate a centuries-old home, and live "the sweet life." Bruce was inspired and decided he wanted to do the same thing during his ample vacation time each year. He has just $65,000 to spend, so instead of Tuscany, which is known to be expensive, Bruce plans to look for a villa in the nearby region of Abruzzo. Helping Bruce realize his dream is real estate agent Nicola Anne Di Girolamo. The first place she shows Bruce is listed right on budget, at $65,000, and has 1300 square feet. The downstairs is in good shape, but the upstairs requires a total renovation. The second place is not at all renovated, and would require serious work to make it even livable. But it's listed at just $26,000, and has 800 square feet. The third place is just the opposite. It is completely renovated with style and has 1300 square feet, but it's listed at a budget breaking $143,000. Is Bruce willing to spend more? Or is he happy to take on significant overseas renovations? Find out when House Hunters International travels to the Italian countryside.
After selling his trucking business in St. Lucia, Glenn Sorensen decided to move to his favorite vacation spot, the Caribbean island of St. Lucia. With plans of opening a golf pro shop on the north side of the island, Glenn knows he wants to buy a place in that area. While he can spend over a million dollars, he's not going to tell his agent, Simon Octave, the limit, in hopes of driving a hard bargain. But, with dreams of private ocean access, beautiful views, privacy and luxury details, Glenn discovers that he may have to pay a lot more than he had planned.
Nikolaus Neubauer's job as an executive with an international paper company has him moving from country to country every few years. This year, he's in Sweden, which he finds cold, dark and somewhat unfriendly. He's ready to put down some roots in the country of his choosing; Croatia. He's drawn to Croatia for its sunshine, scenery, and friendly people. With a budget of $180,000 it might be hard to find the sea-view condo he's hoping for, but real estate agent Daniela Cecavac thinks she can do it. The first condo she shows him has a nice, open floor plan but the view to the sea is partially blocked by buildings. The second condo has a wide open view of the sea, but the rooms inside are tiny. The third is the closest to the sea, but again here, the view is somewhat obstructed. Helping Niki make the decision is his friend who just happens to be an interior decorator. Will she steer him in the right direction? Find out, when House Hunters International heads to Croatia.
Chen is moving away from home for the very first time. She currently lives with her mom in Tel Aviv, Israel, but now that Chen has saved up, she's ready to find a place of her own. With help from her mother and big sister, Chen will search Tel Aviv for an apartment. She's hoping to find a place that's close to her mom but is also near the downtown action. She'll check out several apartments in Tel Aviv where she'll encounter the beauty of the city and face the frustrations that come along with finding the ideal first home.
British expats Lemar and Bev are tired of farm life in the Bulgarian countryside, and want to buy a condo in Varna, a bustling port city on the Black Sea. They're hoping to find a place close to the city center, with sea views and enough space for their adult sons to stay when they visit. But even in one of the European Union's most affordable cities, will their modest $255,000 dollar budget be enough to get all the features they're after?
