It was just a few years ago that The New York Times called it out as a trend: The decision to invest in a second home (i.e., a country house) first instead of shelling out big—and often unaffordable—bucks to own an apartment in the city. The pros of a real estate move like this? A lot, which is why we were intrigued by one woman—a married sales rep working in media in Manhattan—and her quest to do exactly that: Rent in New York City and own a four-bedroom, three-bathroom in the country. (The Hamptons, to be exact.) Here, how she made it happen this past summer and what she learned along the way.