We've all seen tabloid pictures of L.A. mansions, New York penthouses, and gargantuan lakeside cottages. Referring to such properties as "luxurious" would be like calling Carrot Top a comedian. It's hard to top some of the homes built by the biggest celebrities, money moguls and sports stars... unless, of course, you've got your own private island.

Yes it's true; many notable celebrities have splurged for their own private islands, most complete with cottages, harbors, pristine beaches, lagoons, reefs and the most private settings available on the planet. In even more spectacular fashion,
some islands provide their owners with airstrips on which they can land their private jets. Notably, Johnny Depp recently purchased his own mile-long, 45-acre paradise, complete with two cottages and six secluded white sand beaches. Here's the kicker: it cost only $3.6 million.

In a society where companies pay as much money for a minute of Superbowl commercial air time as Depp did for an entire island, an island not only seems attainable, but more economically feasible than many people might think. What's more, for celebrities, athletes, and even highly-recognizable business figures, a private island would be the ultimate getaway, free from paparazzi, traffic, and other everyday distractions.

There are two types of people in this world - those who wish they owned an island, and those who aren't greedy. For those of us in the first category, we can take solace in the fact that many of the islands on the market are actually quite affordable. With islands available from $20,000 to $100,000,000, it is obvious that they come in all shapes, sizes and prices.

Unfortunately, but expectedly, islands are bought and sold more like rare animals than real estate, so it is often hard to know where to begin. A good place to start looking is the extensive website of the biggest private island broker in the world,
Farhad Vladi, which can be found at vladiprivateislands.de. Simple web searches may yield other sources, but Vladi's site is easy to navigate - for example, the site separates available islands by global region. With islands ranging from
Nova Scotia to the San Juan's in Seattle, to the Caribbean and the South Pacific, it's possible to find one that matches your dreams as well as your pocketbook.

Perhaps one reason why private islands are not particularly popular beyond the spectrum of celebrity is because the typical island dream is not the typical island reality. Island owners have to worry about hurricanes wiping out their cottages, huts
and power generators, not to mention the absence of services normally provided by gas stations, hospitals and grocery stores. Couple this with the fact that most islands don't come with municipal water supplies, plumbing, electricity, power
grids, cable television, phone-lines, roads, construction companies and maid services, and your typical owner is pretty much left with a do-it-yourself mantra and an astronomical shipping bill.

For those who prefer toilets that flush and margaritas by the pool, an island should probably be taken off of the must-have list. However, for those who can flourish at a simple and relaxed island pace, or can afford to modernize a remote island,
buying a private island can be a good idea and always makes for a great conversation piece.