American couple compromises on property wish list to achieve dream of living by the beach

When it comes to buying a house, we often have more than a few features on our wish lists, but sometimes you have to give up one or two to find a property at the right price.

American couple Wendy and Campbell had to do just that as they took their search for a place by the sea to Beachfront Bargain Hunt, a show that follows people looking for a beach house on a tight budget.

Stream complete seasons of Beachfront Bargain Hunt for free on 9Now.

They have been living in a rental in Emerald Isle in North Carolina and after getting married have decided now is the time to buy. However, beachside homes on the island can cost US$2,000,000, and Wendy and Campbell's budget is well under at $400,000.

It might seem like a tough ask but the couple's agent Teresa Smith is on the case.

"The most important thing is location, we would like to be able to walk or ride our bicycles to the centre of town near the Bogue Inlet pier," Wendy said.

Campbell added, "We'd really like to have an ocean view. We're also looking for a single family home because we'd like to have the privacy that would afford us, and we'd like to have no less than three bedrooms, and two baths and, at least a thousand square feet or more, just so we have plenty of living space."

The first property Teresa showed the couple was Lobster Lookout, which comes complete with a massive lobster hanging on the wall.

Lobster Lookout ticks most of the boxes on Wendy and Campbell's wish list apart from being a duplex, not a single family home. It is on the market for $379,000.

While the absence of a wall between the bedroom and bathroom was "weird" to Campbell, Wendy felt it made the room seem bigger.

Once they stepped out onto the top floor balcony, Wendy was impressed by the ocean view but Campbell wasn't keen on having the neighbours just a few metres away.

Marlin Manor was the next property on the list. Situated on the Bogue Sound, the house is in a gated community, which comes with extra facilities like a tennis court, has three bedrooms, two baths and is 600 metres from the beach.

This house is right under their budget at $399,950.

"We were impressed, we really liked the location, beautiful view from the master bedroom of the sound when you wake up in the morning so it was a huge plus," Campbell said, though he and Wendy felt the interior was dated and would need some work.

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The third house, Parrot's Perch, has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and is listed at $399,990. While the inside was spacious, the view wasn't great and the outdoor area needed a lot of landscaping.

This property might also need some interior work with a bright purple, fish-themed backsplash in the kitchen and lemon yellow walls.

Wendy and Campbell liked the house itself, especially the big size, but weren't so keen on the view.

Finally, Flounder's Fortress has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a garage, is central to everything on the island, and they'd get it all for $284,000. It is also a five-minute walk to the beach.

The kitchen is due for an update but while Wendy thought the bright blue bathroom needed changing Campbell was a fan. He also liked the beach shirt-themed medicine cabinet.

Wendy and Campbell liked the low-price and central location, however it was smaller than what they were looking for and didn't have any views.

In order to make their final decision, the couple had to compromise on their wish list. With a choice between privacy or oceanfront views, the view won out.

"We decided to go with Lobster Lookout," they said.

Wendy explained, "Lobster Lookout checks off so many things on our wish list. It has a great view of the ocean from the top deck, we can be on the beach in just a few minutes and it's centrally located so we can ride our bicycles or walk almost anywhere in town, including the pier."

Stream complete seasons of Beachfront Bargain Hunt for free on 9Now.