My wife and I have been passively looking to buy a home in our area of the Crystal Coast for about six months now. We're in no hurry, trying to find a really good value in just the right spot. Naturally, we'd love to stay in Emerald Isle, but as you might guess, home prices here in this beautiful location are at a premium, even in this poor sellers market.

The land here is the key often times, as you are paying for the shifting sand that supports your structure. Take this home for example:

Almost $300,000 for a very run down mobile home. This lot is on the West end of town, down Coast Guard Rd.

For stick-built houses, you're going to pay even more.

$460,000 for a moderate-sized 1400 square foot house is pretty normal in this area for homes with little or (usually) no water view.

Of course, if money is no object, there are always the luxury palaces available to buy in the $2 million to $5 million range, like this one coming in at $3.5 million:

Visit Bluewater GMAC to search real estate listings for Emerald Isle and the surrounding areas.