With the weather warming up and our thoughts turning to summer, we fantasized about the ultimate escape. A true getaway. Namely, a private island. Really. Think of the benefits! No more crowded beaches, sold-out hotels, or blackout dates.
Here’s a nice little secret: You don’t have to be Larry Ellison or a one-percenter to score one of your very own—some of these listings are around the price of an average house.
But for those in the market, buying one does take deep pockets: After you score your island home, there can be extra expenses, including a caretaker’s salary, some upkeep, and usually a boat—and that gas isn’t cheap. But the upside: “You can own your own little piece of the world,” says Private Islands founder and CEO Chris Krolow.
Krolow, who hosts HGTV’s “Island Hunters,” told us, “Private islands have always been a very small niche market.”
But even for folks who own multiple properties on dry land, “the island is the prize possession, but it usually requires the most effort,” says Krolow. You try building a house or even a dock on a place surrounded by water on all sides.
But heck, even if you can’t buy one, these islands are real and really on the market—so enjoy the daydream along with us…
5302 Seven Sisters Island, Tower, MN
Price: $298,000
Isle points: OK, OK … owning an island in Minnesota might not have the same cachet as a Hawaiian oasis, but it has some solid selling points. An affordable price, for one, which gets you a main house, guesthouse, dock for fishing and swimming, and lovely views of the state park coastline.
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Blakely Island, WA
Price: $18,500,000
Isle points: A perfect mix of remote location and convenience. This 29-acre property—featuring a seven-bedroom house, boathouse, manicured landscape, and docks—is connected to the mainland by a private back road, and is adjacent to the Blakely Island marina and airport.
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Tavern Island, Norwalk, CT
Price: $10,995,000
Isle points: Here’s a slice of old-school nirvana: a completely renovated 1900 Tudor with all the amenities. We’re talking a pool, game room, gym, fire pit, guest cottage, private dock, and, yes, a private beach.
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575 County Rd 39, Afton, NY
Price: $599,000
Isle points: Charm wins the day with this picturesque island retreat in upstate New York. Bonus: The white 1930 Victorian is a Sears, Roebuck & Co. kit home.
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10 Cannon Pt, Key Largo, FL
Price: $95 million
Isle points: Welcome to paradise. The iconic view of a beach, palm trees, and hammock sold us immediately, but naturally there’s so much more. Sited on 26 acres ready for development (or not!), the island includes a main home, two caretaker homes, and a dock master’s apartment. For big ballers, the marina can handle your yacht. Oh, and the tennis courts double as a helipad.
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1 Two Mile Island, Greenville, ME
Price: $349,900
Isle points: Offering off-the-grid living just 2 miles from shore, this 1945 cabin on a half-acre spit of land comes fully furnished. It’s been renovated with solar electricity, a generator, and running water. A small sandy beach is just steps away.
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4957 Stirrup Cup Ln, Hollywood, SC
Price: $869,000
Isle points: Enjoy a mint julep on the covered front porch of this lovely home overlooking the Stono River, and pinch yourself while you’re at it. Your home is on a private island with both sunset and sunrise views, and it includes a deep-water dock.
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14055 E Raber Dock Rd, Goetzville, MI
Price: $1,549,000
Isle points: Be the lighthouse keeper! This Michigan island includes a flawlessly renovated home from 1892, a picture-perfect remodeled lighthouse, and space on the mainland where you can keep your boat.
