For most of us, the phrase “beach home” conjures dreams of vacation living, but what if you could make those ocean sunsets and long walks by the water a permanent lifestyle? Whether you’re serious about buying or just want a little fodder for your real-estate daydreams, here are some beach homes across the country that will make you long for those salty sea breezes.
Prices and availability are subject to change.
Related: The Most Outrageous Mansions for Sale Across America
$489,000
Panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico for under $500,000? It’s more than a pipe dream in Mississippi. This newly built three-bedroom is a stone’s throw not only from the water, but Biloxi’s boardwalk, and countless shops and restaurants. Enjoy the view — and the breeze — from the raised, covered front porch.
From shiplap to barn doors to stainless steel, everything is on trend at this beachside crash pad. The master bedroom even has French doors that open up onto a back deck.
$524,000
Not a multi-millionaire? We hear you. Thankfully, beach living in Texas can be a comparatively modest affair. This four-bedroom near Galveston is just a short walk from the Gulf of Mexico, and it’s elevated over a huge shaded outdoor living area with picnic tables, swings, and an outdoor shower.
Immaculate but casual, this is a home made for families. It has an open living, dining, and kitchen area, plus large bedrooms that include bunk rooms for the kids. It’s even being sold fully furnished — use it as a rental or move right in yourself.
$529,000
You’re just a short golf-cart ride away from the sand at this new four-bedroom, built in a boutique gated community in one of America’s favorite vacation playgrounds. It also has lake views and is just a stone’s throw from golf, shopping, dining, and the Myrtle Beach Grand Strand.
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Move right into this impeccable space with a first-floor master, an open living and kitchen area anchored by a quartz island, and a second-floor lanai room. Other highlights include a walk-in pantry and designer light fixtures throughout.
$635,000
If you don’t need to be right on the sand, your dollar goes a whole lot farther. Just look at this sparkling three-bedroom in Delaware, just a few minutes from popular Bethany Beach. It’s in a golfing community with all the amenities you’ll need, including a recreation center, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis, and even a beach shuttle.
Related: The Best Beach Towns for an Affordable Summer Vacation
Nine-foot ceilings, wood floors, custom cabinetry, and plenty of other modern flourishes await. A sun room, a loft area, and a double-decker porch offer versatile square footage beyond the main living areas and bedrooms.
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$650,000
This new three-bedroom cottage in the Florida panhandle is just a short walk to the white sand beach. There’s a double-decker side porch where you can enjoy the sea breezes, not to mention a covered side porch. There’s also a resort-style community pool for cooling off.
Even though it’s new construction, this cottage has loads of character thanks to thoughtful touches like wood beams, exposed brick, and built-in bunk beds. Rinse off all the sand from a day at the beach in the luxurious double master shower.
$898,000
If you’re a sucker for traditional architecture but still want to walk outside and dig your toes in the sand, this four-bedroom overlooking the York River where it flows into the Chesapeake Bay might be your dream home. It’s set on over 3 acres and has its own in-ground pool, pier, and beachside gazebo.
Relax in front of the brick fireplace or whip up a meal in the modern kitchen with warm wood cabinets and stone countertops. Sliding glass doors open onto a large brick back patio, and there’s even a two-bedroom guest cottage.
$950,000
A different kind of island life beckons at this three-bedroom beauty with sweeping water views from almost every room. Included: Tideland ownership, an expansive deck, and four ocean kayaks so you can really get into the Pacific Northwest lifestyle.
This solar- and propane-generator-powered home may be off grid, but it’s not rustic. Soaring ceilings, massive windows, and a modern kitchen and laundry room keep this getaway just as comfortable as life on the mainland.
$1.25 million
This two-bedroom A-frame has easy access to the Atlantic and enough swagger to be a lucrative rental or your permanent warm-weather haven. It has a 50-foot dock right on one of Key Colony’s palm-lined canals, and you’re an easy boat trip or drive from all that’s on offer in the rest of the Keys.
The light and bright interior includes an open living and kitchen area, a spacious master bedroom with a large bathroom, and a loft bedroom with a convenient washer and dryer. Kick back on the spacious patio and soak in the sun when you aren’t out on the water.
$1.4 million
This modest three-bedroom has a million-dollar view, indeed, overlooking the churning Pacific on one of California’s most rugged and scenic stretches of coastline. On a bluff above Bowling Ball Beach (so named for its distinctive round rocks), it has beach access via a nearby trail.
Related: Unusual Beaches in America to Visit in Your Lifetime
If you can tear yourself away from the back deck, the cozy living room has a stone fireplace and warm wood ceilings that will keep you feeling toasty even on the most blustery days.
$1.5 million
If you’ve always longed to own the most distinctive home in the most distinctive setting, look no further. This angular abode, on a rocky point jutting into Long Island Sound, is this one-bedroom retreat described as “being aboard a moored fully outfitted yacht.” Even better, the sand is just steps away.
A tall stacked stone fireplace dominates the contemporary living room, and the compact dining area and kitchen can’t get any closer to the water. Head up the spiral staircase to get some shuteye in what might be the world’s pointiest bedroom.
$1.7 million
Waterfront living doesn’t often come with acreage, but this charming two-bedroom sits on more than 7 lush acres, including 300 feet of Mobile Bay shoreline. Magnolias, oaks, cyprus trees, and palms offer plenty of shade, and a spacious patio offers sunset views from the hot tub. White-sand beaches are minutes away.
There’s a lot packed into under 2,000 square feet, including a kitchen with ample cabinets and stone countertops, a gas fireplace, a climate-controlled porch with bay views, and a huge master bathroom with a zero-entry shower and a garden tub.
$2 million
The beach experience in Maine is more rocks and pines than sand and palms, but you’ll be in once you lay eyes on this postcard-perfect light keeper’s home, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has views of Penobscot Bay, distant islands, and the Camden Hills. There’s a two-bedroom guesthouse, and don’t worry about the lighthouse — it’s automated and maintained by the town.
This four-bedroom has all the charm you’d expect from a turn-of-the-century home, from warm wood floors to a dining room with a kerosene chandelier and lighthouse views. The large kitchen has two gas ranges and granite countertops.
$2.1 million
Embrace the “arrogantly shabby” beach life on Pawleys Island at this five-bedroom cottage that boasts views of both the Atlantic and Pawleys Creek. Access your very own beachfront with your own boardwalk, built over recently rehabbed dunes.
Related: Surprising Facts About America’s Beaches
Need privacy? Each of the five bedrooms has its own bathroom, making this an ideal crash pad for the friends and family who will surely be visiting every summer. The main living area boasts huge windows, built-in shelves, and soaring wood ceilings.
$2.4 million
This four-bedroom beach house showcases the very best of coastal Massachusetts, with views of grassy dunes, the Pamet River, and the mighty Atlantic. On top of those dunes is a private deck for sunbathing, overlooking Cape Cod National Seashore’s windswept Ballston Beach.
Though this home was built in 1899, it has been thoroughly modernized. Highlights included paneling made from reclaimed butternut, barn doors that double as storm protection for the massive windows, a covered porch, and even an outdoor shower.
$3.4 million
Even though it’s just south of Sarasota, this four-bedroom with more than 200 feet of private beach has the feel of an exclusive, remote retreat. Set on a lush acre with dunes and palms, it’s in a quiet, gated area where the crashing waves and chirping birds will be the main soundtrack.
Enjoy the gorgeous views from the glassed Florida room or cozy up by the wood-burning fireplace in the family room. There’s also an updated kitchen with a large center island and not one but two first-floor master suites.
$3.4 million
From its swaying palms to the lush lawn, nothing is out of place at this Kauai four-bedroom directly on Anahola Beach. Follow the short path to your own slice of paradise, or enjoy the ocean views from the back deck or balcony.
Enjoy high-end island finishes, vaulted ceilings, and glimpses of the Pacific in most rooms. The home has two master suites and practical features including a walk-in pantry and an outdoor shower.
$5 million
It doesn’t get any sleeker than this 3,000-square-foot modern masterpiece on one of Oregon’s most famous stretches of sand. Lounge in the hot tub or beside the fire pit on cool evenings, or follow a path down to the pine-rimmed beach and watch the waves crash ashore on the rocks.
Floor-to-ceiling glass windows in almost every room bring nature’s splendor inside — you can even look out over the trees while you brush your teeth or take a bath. Indoor and outdoor dining areas offer plenty of options for indulging in the views with every meal.
$6.3 million
This coastal seven-bedroom is tricked out with every possible amenity, but the views of the Atlantic and 143 feet of beach frontage are still the stars of the show. Relax in the pool or spa while watching the waves crash on the sand, or follow your private boardwalk down to the beach to dip your toes in the ocean.
A recently renovated kitchen opens directly onto a screened dining area where the views will do their best to compete with the wittiest dinner conversation. The light, bright living areas have soaring ceilings and large windows, and if swimming in the ocean isn’t enough of a workout, there’s also a home gym.
$10.5 million
Few names are as synonymous with luxury beach living as Southampton, and this five-bedroom estate on North Sea Harbor is far from the priciest property. Still, it offers enough bells and whistles to please all but the most discerning buyer, including a private dock and white-sand beach, a heated gunite pool, and a covered porch with an outdoor fireplace.
Warm and unpretentious, the great room boasts harbor views and flows into a gleaming kitchen with a huge island. But the real highlight is the master bedroom, which has a covered balcony, waterfront office, and massive marble bathroom with its own fireplace.
$30 million
Beachfront real estate comes with a steep price tag in California, but it’s fun to dream — especially when your dream looks like this five-bedroom estate on a bluff overlooking the Pacific. It even has a staircase to a private, natural salt-water pool, not to mention its own not-so-natural 51-foot lap pool.
