When Ann and Craig Turkel announced they were going to buy a vacation home in the Palm Springs area, their friends thought they were nuts. That's because this Southern California couple does not even own their primary residence in Santa Monica. They're determined to raise their son, Ben, in the trendy "North of Montana" section of this vibrant beachside city, but they simply cannot afford to buy a home there. So they've decided to hang on to their cozy rental and buy a second home out of town. The Palm Springs area is an ideal location because it's only a couple of hours away by car and it has all the golf, tennis and wide-open spaces this family wants.

Podiatrist Frank Campo loves his top-floor two-bedroom, two-bath apartment in the historic North End neighborhood of Boston. In fact, is in the same 18th-century building as his office, which makes for a very short commute. His rooftop container garden is a relaxing haven from the hustle and bustle of city life, but he longs for a total escape. Fond memories of family vacations spent in Provincetown, a seaside community on the tip of Cape Cod, have spurred him to look for a vacation home there. Realtor Sam Hardee, a local, is eager to help Campo find the perfect place for weekend getaways.

Retirees Linda and Tom Ahlers live in a 5,000-square-foot home in Corvallis, Oregon, just an hour and a half south of Portland. They have always dreamed of owning a vacation home, specifically a floating home, or houseboat, on Seattle's Lake Union. Government regulation mandates that only 487 houseboats can exist in Seattle, so competition is fierce. The Ahlers have spent the last 15 years waiting for the right floating home to come on the market. Their real estate agent, Rick Miner, specializes in houseboats and offers to show them a few new listings. Will this trip mark the end of their 15-year house hunt?

Shelli Piva and Mitch Galerkin have always dreamed of having a cozy little vacation cottage on the coast of Northern California, but hectic work schedules and soaring prices have all but dashed their plans for a weekend getaway. But they are determined to find a weekend home near where Piva grew up, Bodega Bay. Although only 100 miles from home, Bodega Bay is a world apart, with just 950 residents. The coveted beachside locale and limited inventory drive the median home price to $675,000! Can this couple find a cozy getaway without completely breaking the bank? Real estate agent Thera Buttaro intends to help them find out.

Married five years, Wendy Ito and Bud Hum have settled nicely into their Chicago home. Their South Loop neighborhood is a mere five minutes via elevated train to their jobs downtown. It's also a dog-friendly community with plenty of places to walk their pups, Maggie and Hershey. But once winter rolls around, Chicago becomes less appealing. Fed up with the frigid snowy season, they decide to look for a place to melt away the winter blues. They settle on Las Vegas, where they were married. We tag along as they take a whirlwind weekend house hunt with agent Bart Zimmer.

Stephanie and David Jeffers were drawn to the upscale Fort Worth, Texas suburb of Ridglea Hills because of its woodsy beauty and proximity to good schools. They love their traditional 2,800-square-foot ranch-style home, but they are starting to run out of space, fast. It's no wonder, with four kids, who all share one bathroom! They would like to find a larger house--at least four bedrooms and three baths--in the same neighborhood. They also want a kitchen with an eating area that is separate from the family room as well as a downstairs master suite, so they can enjoy a little peace and quiet time away from the kids.

Marji Knowles and her husband, Michael Tibbott, fell in love with Maui while on vacation and decided to move there from California's Silicon Valley. They are looking for a two-bedroom, two-bath condo with the right layout and furniture, since most homes in Hawaii come furnished. Real estate agent Donna Hansen is eager to help this couple with their search.

Noelle and Matt Beaver currently rent a home in Ft. Worth, Texas. The 1,400-square-foot home has three bedrooms, one-and-a-half baths and a spacious backyard, and is located in an older neighborhood. They would like the remain in that neighborhood and buy a home with a utility room, large kitchen and both a living room and a floor plan. Real estate agent Terre Zeigler steps in to help with the search.

Curtis Bridgeforth is a Las Vegas entertainer, who for the last 12 years, has been the lead singer of the world famous music group, The Platters. For the last two years he and the band have had a regular gig in Las Vegas, and he has been living in extended-stay hotels. But now he feels that it is time for the curtain to fall on his nomad lifestyle. Real estate agent Susy Martinez signs on to help him search for a place with enough room to accommodate visits from his extended family as well as entertain friends and bandmates.

Sisters Aimee and Jennifer Ellison are searching together for their first home in southwest Minneapolis, Minn. They currently live in separate apartments in the Uptown area and have decided to put their heads and their pocketbooks together to buy a house instead of renting. They are looking for a home that has a warm comfortable feeling and some character. A yard and a garage are also important, as well as a kitchen large enough for entertaining. Real estate agent David Wells signs on to help them find a place.

Angie and Adam Vincze recently moved their family (they have had three kids in the last five years) to Angie's hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. They are now renting a place while they adjust to their new city and look for a permanent home, but it's been three months and they still haven't found anything. With their lease about to run out, it's crunch time! Their search for a four-bedroom house with three baths and a game room for the little ones is now in high gear. Can they find all this in the right school district before their lease is up? Realtor Bill Merrill thinks so.

In the last six years, Texas natives Rebecca and Jason Pate have lived in four different homes. Now that the couple is ready to start a family, they want to make one final move--into a larger house in their current Austin neighborhood. They want more space than they have now, but because they're do-it-yourselfers, the couple is flexible when it comes to the style of their new house. Helping them with their search is real estate agent Kevin Scanlan.

Brian Cottrell and Forrest Cain thought buying a home in Dallas was a far-off possibility, at best. But once they investigated the market, they realized their big dream was a possibility if they were willing to compromise on location and/or take a fixer-upper to get a price within their budget. So now they are ready to ditch their tiny downtown apartment and head out to the suburbs, where they will have more room for their three feisty pups, Lindy, Ginger and Bailey. Realtor Mel Thoman helps with the search.