By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-01 23:34:34 | Updated at 2026-06-07 00:29:36
5 days ago
The Hamptons have been a byword for oceanfront luxury for decades, but now even well-healed luxury real estate buyers are turning their backs on this unaffordable market.
Recently, an 8.5-acre oceanfront compound in East Hampton was sold for a mind-blowing price of $115 million, reportedly the highest ever paid for a single parcel in the area.
This is an outlier for sure, but even so - according to Redfin, the median sale price for a Hamptons property hit $1.8 million in January 2026.
'We're seeing a major shift in what buyers value,' Momentum Realty CEO Jon Brooks told the Daily Mail, who's been a close observer of the East Coast real estate market for decades.
'Twenty years ago, owning in a place like the Hamptons was often the goal,' said Brooks. 'Today, many buyers are asking a different question: Where can I get the best lifestyle and the most house for my money?'
Brooks says the buyers he works with are seeking out affordable beach communities throughout the mid-Atlantic coast, the Carolinas and in Florida.
Up and down the East Coast, there are countless lower-profile towns that offer beach access, boating, great golf courses, fine dining and a strong sense of community without spending several million dollars for the pleasure. They let you maximize your quality of life and your purchasing power, which for most people is so much more important than maximizing prestige.
So, if you're looking for a beachside getaway for retirement, family get-togethers or just as an investment property, forget the Hamptons - we've found six other beach towns that offer all the charm and none of the drama and expense of the south fork of Long Island.
Victorian houses line the streets of Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May offers classic seaside resort charm plus the kinds of upscale, charming dining and lodging options you would expect to find in the Hamptons.
The area is prized for the beautiful Victorian homes that line its quiet streets, romantic bed and breakfasts and a pristine beachfront - and best of all, no restrictive VIP guest lists.
'Cape May is the sort of place for people who want charming, historic and friendly coastal living,' Compass real estate broker Vickey Barron told the Daily Mail.
According to Redfin, the median sale price has been around $1.2 million for the last three years, but has dropped sharply to $800,000 this year, making Cape May a great place to find a deal.
In the West Cape May area, home values are generally much higher, hovering around $1.3 million, while Avalon averages around $3.3 million.
Meanwhile, in North Cape May, buyers can find a more affordable mainland alternative, with median sale prices around $500,000.
'Cape May has an understated luxury and I'm not sure how long it will remain a well-kept secret,' said Barron.
Redfin data shows that median sale prices they have declined to around $1 million in Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Rehoboth Beach is a quintessential family resort town, balancing beautiful beaches with a lively boardwalk scene that offers plenty of games, entertainment and restaurants.
The energy is classic summer beach town, a laid-back, family-friendly retreat - with a very strong LGBTQ+ community.
The iconic, mile-long boardwalk features a mix of saltwater taffy shops, entertainment and shopping arcades, and plenty of quirky restaurants.
Redfin data shows that after pivoting around $1.5 million for the last two years, median sale prices they have declined to around $1 million, depending on the neighborhood.
Smaller condos or homes on the outskirts of the main beach can range from $400,000 to $600,000, while waterfront properties easily exceed $1.5 million.
Ocean City's streets are lined with vintage motels and hotels, giving it a retro beach-town vibe
Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City features a retro beach-town vibe - the main drag, Baltimore Avenue, is lined with vintage motels and hotels, and neon signs that light up the night with mid-century modernist glow.
The city part of its name is no accident, as Ocean City is denser and more built up than the other alternatives on our list - but there's also miles of open beach and a nearly two-mile wooden boardwalk lined with restaurants, shops and hotels.
The town is also known as the White Marlin Capital of the World, hosting the White Marlin Open, one of the largest fishing tournaments on the planet
Nearly all of the available units for sale in Ocean City are condos, with an average price of $405,000.
Single-family homes are harder to find and command a premium, especially in established bayside neighborhoods like Caine, but with an average price of $550,000 they also remain affordable.
Nags Head is known for its sand dunes in Jockey Ridge State Park, which comprise the tallest true sand dune system on the East Coast
Nags Head, North Carolina
Part of North Carolina's famed Outer Banks, Nags Head is known for its sand dunes in Jockey Ridge State Park, which comprise the tallest true sand dune system on the East Coast.
Hundreds of shipwrecks are located off Nags Head, giving the surrounding waters the nickname 'the graveyard of the Atlantic' - the nearby wreck of the 19th century ironclad warship USS Huron is a popular dive site.
Average home values are around $750,000, with prices rising the closer you are to the ocean, and whether the home is used as a primary residence or a vacation rental.
Condos and townhomes generally range from $290,000 to $840,000, depending on size and amenities.
One thing to keep in mind: Insuring a home on the Outer Banks requires a customized approach due to coastal risks.
Most properties require three separate policies: a standard homeowners policy, a windstorm and hail policy and flood insurance.
North Myrtle Beach offers a more family-oriented vibe than its famous neighbor to the south
North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
If you're a golf fan, you're no stranger to Myrtle Beach - the beating heart of the 'grand strand,' a 60-mile arc of white-sand beaches that link 14 communities along the coast of South Carolina.
With tens of millions of summer visitors, Myrtle Beach is anything but laid back - but just up the beach is North Myrtle Beach, with a calmer, more family-oriented vibe.
You have easy access to the more than 100 local golf courses and Myrtle Beach's large international airport, but North Myrtle Beach offers wider, less crowded beaches, more spacious condos and upscale dining options.
It is highly celebrated as an affordable, family-friendly vacation destination featuring a vibrant boardwalk, extensive golf courses, and abundant seafood dining.
'Myrtle Beach is heavily driven by mass tourism and a dense commercial district, but North Myrtle Beach is a quiet residential enclave with very affordable properties,' Tim Gaasch, a real estate agent at Clever Offers, told the Daily Mail.
According to Gaasch, North Myrtle Beach has plenty of condos priced under $500,000 and individual detached homes priced below $1 million.
Tybee Island Beach with the lighthouse, blue ocean water, a brown sandy beach
Tybee Island, Georgia
Just a short drive from Savannah, Georgia, Tybee Island is a tight-knit, small-town beach community
This walkable, bicycle-friendly town offers an assortment of adorable ice cream and coffee shops, long stretches of sandy beaches, and great waterfront access.
'Tybee still feels like a real beach town, not a status scene,' Savannah-based real estate advisor Alex Rodino told the Daily Mail.
Rodino told us that Tybee's only about 20 minutes from downtown Savannah and close to the airport, so you get beach access, local character, great food and strong rental appeal.
'You get all this without buying into a billionaires parking lot just to enjoy the coast,' said Rodino.
According to Tyler Entz, the owner of Georgia Prime Properties, Tybee Island offers condos in a price range of $400,000 to $700,000, and single-family beach homes for $800,000 to $1.5 million, depending on their distance from the beach.
