Jeff and Lori are Martin County natives. He grew up in Stuart and Palm City; she in Jensen Beach. And they count themselves as lucky.

"I've never had any desire to live anywhere else," says Jeff. "You have the water and the woods, and if you like to hunt and fish, what could be better than that? It's just a very cool place."

Jeff says he has to laugh when transplants, especially those who live farther south, tell him they are surprised to find so many natives in Martin County.

"I probably know 50 or 100 families right around here that I've known since kindergarten," he says. "I know their parents and their grandparents and their brothers and sisters. Everywhere I go, I know people."

When he grew up on 5 acres in Palm City, there was just one store in town - Sunshine Feed - which also sold sandwiches and milk and cigarettes. "If you wanted a real grocery store, you had to go to the Winn-Dixie in Stuart. I think that's a Gold's Gym now."

When Jeff was a teenager, the owner of Sunshine Feed "put in pool tables and video games, and let us build skateboard ramps in the parking lot, and it became the hangout."

What's happening with the store now?

"It closed, I don't know, maybe five years ago," he says. "But they just knocked it down a little while ago. They're going to build condos there."

If all this sounds rather like your grandfather talking about the way things used to be, consider that Jeff Cisco is just 32.

Because he and Lori own and operate Cisco's Roofing Systems, Jeff recognizes that progress "has been good for business," though part of him longs for the days when "there was less traffic, and it was more laid back."

But he's not complaining.

"This is still a great place to live, " he says.

Jeff and Lori have been together since high school. They have two sons: Jeffrey is 7, and little Jake Russell is almost 5 months. Since they bought their home in what is now called Old Palm City, they've built trusses over the once-flat roof, added a bedroom and a big garage, and are now adding another bath.

They had it appraised a few years ago, and Jeff guesses it currently is worth around $250,000, maybe more.

"It doesn't matter to me," Jeff says, "because I'm not going anywhere."

- Pat Morgan

Their house: Built in 1954, it originally was 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom; they've added a garage and another bedroom, and are adding another bath.

What they paid: $77,000 in 1998

Current value (from Zillow.com): $188,825 (before additions)