{"id":277298,"date":"2026-05-19T22:55:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T22:55:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/277298\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T22:55:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T22:55:10","slug":"house-hunters-to-showcase-island-home-search-sanibel-captiva","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/277298\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018House Hunters\u2019 to showcase island home search – SANIBEL-CAPTIVA"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\nSteven and Amanda Ray, of Tampa, recently joined HGTV’s \u201cHouse Hunters\u201d to find their perfect home on Sanibel. Their episode, \u201cSpreadsheets in Paradise,\u201d will air on May 23 at 10 p.m.<\/p>\n

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\nSteven Ray with sons, Lucas, 13, and Jacob, 9.<\/p>\n

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\nAmanda Ray with sons, Lucas, 13, and Jacob, 9.<\/p>\n

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\nAmanda and Steven Ray<\/p>\n

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An upcoming episode of a popular television show will focus on searching Sanibel for a property.<\/p>\n

HGTV\u2019s \u201cHouse Hunters\u201d will air \u201cSpreadsheets in Paradise\u201d on May 23 at 10 p.m. The episode will feature Steven and Amanda Ray, of Tampa, searching for their perfect dream home on the island.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have always wanted to eventually settle in Sanibel,\u201d Amanda Ray said.<\/p>\n

The couple have two children \u2014 Lucas, 13, and Jacob, 9 \u2014 in school, so relocating now is not what the family is looking to do. But they did want a place for the summer, school breaks and holidays.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe kind of found a middle ground that we can use it in the slow season, then rent it out during the high season when the kids are in school,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Steven Ray explained that his grandparents began visiting Sanibel regularly in the 1960s, before the causeway was even built. They visited with their children, but eventually the family drifted away from the island being the family vacation destination. Then in the 1990s, his parents began returning to it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey would take trips down, and the family would rent properties,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Extended family joined and soon it became large gatherings.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did that all through the \u201990s and early 2000s,\u201d Steven Ray said.<\/p>\n

When Amanda and he started dating as high school sweethearts, the family welcomed her along on its trips and she was introduced to the island. The gatherings continued on through their college years.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow that we have our own little family, we\u2019ve continued all these years with Sanibel,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a bit of a source of pride for me looking back,\u201d Steven Ray added.<\/p>\n

Amanda Ray explained that they had considered buying property on the island for years, but never really got serious about it. Then while sitting in the pool at a rental this past summer and scrolling past real estate listings, one stood out. For the first time, she clicked on the button for more information.<\/p>\n

Notifications and calls started coming across on the phone and she answered.<\/p>\n

Susan Ives, with Premier Sotheby\u2019s International Realty, clicked with the couple and they decided to take it to the next level and get serious in their search. The first listing that Amanda Ray had been interested in ended up not fitting their needs, but the hunt across the island for the perfect one started.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe looked at a lot of properties,\u201d Steven Ray said.<\/p>\n

There were some finalists, however, that the couple could not choose between.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally, HGTV got to see the ones we were serious about,\u201d Amanda Ray said.<\/p>\n

The couple applied for the show, which led to an interview process.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew that we were shopping around for a house down there as an investment property,\u201d Steven Ray said, explaining that they figured they could share their buying journey with others and get the word out about their rental, but it went further. \u201cAnd spread the news about the recovery of Sanibel.\u201d<\/p>\n

He noted that \u201cHouse Hunters\u201d does not usually film investment property searches, but the story of Hurricane Ian and the island is known nationwide, and it would be their forever home one day.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey loved the story of recovery, but also us being a part of the recovery,\u201d Amanda Ray said.<\/p>\n

The episode was filmed at the tail-end of summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was definitely a unique experience to say the least. It was very exhausting; it was long days of filming,\u201d Steven Ray said, noting that the crew was great. \u201cIt was definitely a fun adventure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a lot of work, but a lot of fun. Our boys got to film a little bit, so for them to be a part of it was really cool,\u201d Amanda Ray added. \u201cIt was cool to see how things are done in that kind of world.\u201d<\/p>\n

In terms of their criteria, easy access or close proximity to the Shared Use Path was a top one.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are big lovers of the ability to bike anywhere on Sanibel,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Also, the proximity to the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of my big things is I love to be able to wake up and look out the window and see the Gulf,\u201d Steven Ray said, adding that he loves to open water swim, so he could also see the conditions then.<\/p>\n

With a large family and large extended family, space was another factor.<\/p>\n

Their goal for the timeline to complete the entire process, from hunting to filming with HGTV to closing, was to have the property on the rental market for this season and get their first renters.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were able to get it all done,\u201d Steven Ray said.<\/p>\n

Amanda Ray explained that Sharon Michie, with Cottages to Castles, hustled for them. She offered advice during their hunt, even visited properties with them, before they had ever signed with her for property management services. They were ready in October and had their first customers in January.<\/p>\n

Steven Ray voiced gratitude to everyone who was involved. He also expressed appreciation to the community, explaining that when they were out and about filming, people were quiet and respectful.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were a lot of people behind the scenes making it work for us,\u201d he said. \u201cSanibel\u2019s been a second home to us now for decades, and now it literally is a second home to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amanda Ray noted that after the closing, they immediately got with the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and joined the organization, as well as tapped it for advice on using native landscaping.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe genuinely want to be a part of the next generation that helps to protect and preserve the island,\u201d she said. \u201cHis grandparents passed that down to his parents and him. Now, we\u2019re passing it to our own children.\u201d<\/p>\n


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