House Hunters International

Gary Howorka and his girlfriend, Rebecca Anderson, love the laidback lakefront home they live in on Minnesota's Lake Minnetonka. But with cold temperatures half the year and crowded tourist-filled waterways the other half, they are ready to escape to a true water-lovers paradise--a secluded tropical island. After hearing about Roatan, Honduras, from a friend, the couple went for a visit and were hooked by the friendly locals and beautiful water spots. They are ready to pack up and move there permanently. Local real estate agent Jeff J. Thekan is ready to show these Minnesotans how to invest their money wisely in a piece of island paradise.

After living with his sister for five years, Sao Paulo resident Vinnie Porto de Oliveira is ready to buy a place of his own. Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, with a population of 17 million, so it's no wonder that the real estate market is highly competitive. The demand for condominiums alone is so high that units are routinely sold long before construction is complete. Vinnie is looking for a place in the fashionable Jardins district. Can Paola Alambert help him achieve this goal?

Martin Michajluk and his fiancee, Eva Dakovova, live about 45 minutes from each other in the outlying districts of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. When they want to spend quality time together, Martin joins Eva at her parents' apartment. While visiting with Eva's folks is nice, the couple is ready to set up house and start their own lives together. They know that they can't afford to live in the culturally rich city center, so they will have to look at homes in the outlying districts--Prague's version of the suburbs. Helping them with their search is real estate agent Marketa Holla.

Charlotte Stromwall and Karin Tingstedt are longtime residents of Malmo, Sweden, a small cosmopolitan area on the southernmost tip of the country. Six years ago the couple and their dog, Yellow, moved into a tiny, but beautiful, two-bedroom, two-bath apartment near the beach. Working and socializing in the small space has become increasingly difficult, so they have decided to look for a lot more breathing room. One thing's for sure, though--they definitely want to stay in Malmo. They call on real estate agent and friend Daniel Jonsson to help them with their search.

Donna and Patrick Rollins' four-bedroom Nassau, Bahamas, home just is not big enough for the couple and their three growing kids. Though they have tried to renovate the house to make it a better fit, the couple has decided to find a new place with great views and high ceilings that will accommodate Patrick's tall frame. With the help of real estate agent Sara Parker, the Rollins family is ready to find their dream home.

Donna and Patrick Rollins' four-bedroom Nassau, Bahamas, home just is not big enough for the couple and their three growing kids. Though they have tried to renovate the house to make it a better fit, the couple has decided to find a new place with great views and high ceilings that will accommodate Patrick's tall frame. With the help of real estate agent Sara Parker, the Rollins family is ready to find their dream home.

Attorney Fred Royce bought his home called Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo, Mich., more than 20 years ago. He has recently turned into a bed-and-breakfast. As much as he loves his home, he has discovered another passion a world away--the beautiful Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. He wants to make the city his new home base and has set his sights on one of the ritziest areas. Helping him with his search is real estate agent Michael Koh.

Newlyweds Sally and Scot McLellan love the location of their one-bedroom flat in Glasgow, Scotland, but after two years of renting, they are ready to buy a place of their own. Though they adore being minutes away from their gym, shopping and friends, the McLellans have outgrown their cramped space and have decided to find a place with more room in one of the surrounding towns. Real estate agent Tony Walsh signs on to help with the search.

Claire and Russell Higgins live in two-bedroom house in the charming city of Edinburgh, Scotland, with their 5-year old daughter, Beth. With another baby on the way, the couple is ready to move into a bigger place with more storage space and a better location. Claire's boss, real estate agent Donna Paterson-Harvie, hopes to help them find a new home in the competitive Edinburgh real estate market before the baby arrives.

Water lovers Debbie and Steven Cervantes were nearly finished remodeling their five-bedroom house in Huntington Beach, Calif., when they took a brief vacation to a Caribbean island off the coast of Honduras called Roatan. Charmed by the simpler lifestyle Roatan has to offer, they have decided to move there with their sons Deven and Cole. They have asked Roatan real estate agent Mary M. Monterroso for help in finding a house that has a lot of land, beach and water access, plus a pool, all for about $500,000.

After attending college in the United States, 27-year-old Tyson Ennis returned home to Costa Rica and moved back in with his parents, who own a place in the city of Escazu (southwest of Costa Rica's capital, San Jose). Tyson is close to his family, but after living on his own, he now feels a little closed in. So, although it's customary for children in Costa Rica to live with their families until they marry, he is breaking tradition and searching for a space to call his own. He's hoping to find a place with two bedrooms and a view that is close to his parents' home, but he knows that with a budget equivalent to $150,000, he'll probably be limited to buying a condominium. With his family's blessing--and their input--the search is on. Real estate Agent Edward Fridovich signs on to help.

Real estate agent Michelle Owens adores her life in Charleston, S.C., but after vacationing in Belize six years ago, she fell in love with the exquisite natural beauty of the Central American country--so much so, that she's decided to make it her new home. She wants a large house with plenty of guest bedrooms for visiting friends and a drop-dead view of the Caribbean Sea. She doesn't want the hassle of construction, so to increase her options, she widens her search to include not only the beach area, but also the scenic jungle regions, where wild monkeys are neighbors and breathtaking views are still the norm. Helping with her search is real estate agent Howard Oldham.

Gary Howorka and his girlfriend, Rebecca Anderson, love the laidback lakefront home they live in on Minnesota's Lake Minnetonka. But with cold temperatures half the year and crowded tourist-filled waterways the other half, they are ready to escape to a true water-lovers paradise--a secluded tropical island. After hearing about Roatan, Honduras, from a friend, the couple went for a visit and were hooked by the friendly locals and beautiful water spots. They are ready to pack up and move there permanently. Local real estate agent Jeff J. Thekan is ready to show these Minnesotans how to invest their money wisely in a piece of island paradise.

After living with his sister for five years, Sao Paulo resident Vinnie Porto de Oliveira is ready to buy a place of his own. Sao Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, with a population of 17 million, so it's no wonder that the real estate market is highly competitive. The demand for condominiums alone is so high that units are routinely sold long before construction is complete. Vinnie is looking for a place in the fashionable Jardins district.

Martin Michajluk and his fiancee, Eva Dakovova, live about 45 minutes from each other in the outlying districts of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. When they want to spend quality time together, Martin joins Eva at her parents' apartment. While visiting with Eva's folks is nice, the couple is ready to set up house and start their own lives together. They know that they can't afford to live in the culturally rich city center, so they will have to look at homes in the outlying districts--Prague's version of the suburbs. Helping them with their search is real estate agent Marketa Holla.

Charlotte Stromwall and Karin Tingstedt are longtime residents of Malmo, Sweden, a small cosmopolitan area on the southernmost tip of the country. Six years ago the couple and their dog, Yellow, moved into a tiny, but beautiful, two-bedroom, two-bath apartment near the beach. Working and socializing in the small space has become increasingly difficult, so they have decided to look for a lot more breathing room. One thing's for sure, though--they definitely want to stay in Malmo. They call on real estate agent and friend Daniel Jonsson to help them with their search.

Donna and Patrick Rollins' four-bedroom Nassau, Bahamas, home just is not big enough for the couple and their three growing kids. Though they have tried to renovate the house to make it a better fit, the couple has decided to find a new place with great views and high ceilings that will accommodate Patrick's tall frame. With the help of real estate agent Sara Parker, the Rollins family is ready to find their dream home.

Donna and Patrick Rollins' four-bedroom Nassau, Bahamas, home just is not big enough for the couple and their three growing kids. Though they have tried to renovate the house to make it a better fit, the couple has decided to find a new place with great views and high ceilings that will accommodate Patrick's tall frame. With the help of real estate agent Sara Parker, the Rollins family is ready to find their dream home.

Seeley Oliver is a hard-working businesswoman who needs an escape from the hustle and bustle of New York City. She wants a slice of paradise, so she is moving to the Caribbean. See if she can find her dream home in a secret tropical getaway, where the housing market is so hot that homes are sold before they are built. Helping her with her search is real estate agent Rico Pester.

Attorney Fred Royce bought his home called Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo, Mich., more than 20 years ago. He has recently turned into a bed-and-breakfast. As much as he loves his home, he has discovered another passion a world away--the beautiful Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. He wants to make the city his new home base and has set his sights on one of the ritziest areas. Helping him with his search is real estate agent Michael Koh.

Newlyweds Sally and Scot McLellan love the location of their one-bedroom flat in Glasgow, Scotland, but after two years of renting, they are ready to buy a place of their own. Though they adore being minutes away from their gym, shopping and friends, the McLellans have outgrown their cramped space and have decided to find a place with more room in one of the surrounding towns. Real estate agent Tony Walsh signs on to help with the search.

Claire and Russell Higgins live in two-bedroom house in the charming city of Edinburgh, Scotland, with their 5-year old daughter, Beth. With another baby on the way, the couple is ready to move into a bigger place with more storage space and a better location. Claire's boss, real estate agent Donna Paterson-Harvie, hopes to help them find a new home in the competitive Edinburgh real estate market before the baby arrives.

Water lovers Debbie and Steven Cervantes were nearly finished remodeling their five-bedroom house in Huntington Beach, Calif., when they took a brief vacation to a Caribbean island off the coast of Honduras called Roatan. Charmed by the simpler lifestyle Roatan has to offer, they have decided to move there with their sons Deven and Cole. They have asked Roatan real estate agent Mary M. Monterroso for help in finding a house that has a lot of land, beach and water access, plus a pool, all for about $500,000.