In case you missed this week’s podcast or the transcript, we wanted to put our big news into a proper blog post. This is one of the biggest life changes we’ve made in the last decade, and we want to get everyone up to speed. Thank you for all the support and encouragement you’ve shared for this adventure. We can’t wait to live with less, spend more time outdoors, and eat more fresh-caught shrimp than we ever thought possible. And yes—many of you asked—we plan to share plenty about downsizing, moving, renovating, and settling into a brand new area.
Wait, Is This An April Fool’s Joke?!
Nope. We’re officially moving to Florida—full-time. It might sound sudden, but this has been on our radar for years. We’ve lived in Richmond for 14 years and in our current house for nearly seven, with close family, friends, and neighbors here. Leaving won’t be easy. Still, a few consistent desires finally outweighed the reasons to stay: a simpler life, more time outside, and fewer houses to maintain. As Sherry put it on the podcast, the time came to “poop or get off the pot.”
Where In Florida Are You Moving?
The most common question we’ve gotten is where exactly we’re going. We’ve settled on a spot in the Florida panhandle on the Gulf Coast—northwestern Florida—where the water is that beautiful blue-green color. It’s milder than southern parts of Florida while still offering extended warm weather, which is exactly what drew us in after years of vacationing in warm places like Florida and Costa Rica.
We’re not sharing precise details yet because our offer was accepted but we haven’t closed, and the house is currently vacant and in major need of work. Pointing to the exact spot feels premature. Many of you guessed Destin since that’s the airport we used and a place we’ve vacationed before—the photo above is from that trip—but it’s not where we ended up. We’ll share more about the general area when the timing feels right.
Why Move? To Simplify!
The biggest motivator is the idea of having one smaller house that fits our needs year-round. Spending summers at our Cape Charles beach house showed us how much we value being near water, walkable neighborhoods with local shops and restaurants, and a small-town feel versus the more suburban lifestyle we have in Richmond. This move isn’t about permanent vacation; it’s about embracing a simpler, more walkable lifestyle that encourages less driving and more quality time.
We considered Cape Charles full-time, but the shorter warm season there made Florida more appealing. In the panhandle region we chose, we expect nine to ten months of summery weather versus roughly four in Virginia, which suits our sun-loving family. We also wanted to find a place that offered conveniences we enjoy in Richmond—good schools, dining and shopping options, and everyday essentials nearby—so we wouldn’t feel isolated or overly inconvenienced.
Combining the best of Cape Charles’ walkability and beach access with some of Richmond’s conveniences felt like the sweet spot. Consolidating to one home will also reduce the time, cost, and upkeep of managing multiple properties—no more maintaining two yards, paying two sets of utilities, or splitting our attention across houses.
Why Move? Also To Downsize!
This move is a real opportunity to downsize in square footage and yard size. Our Richmond home is about 3,200 square feet, and we’ve long felt it’s more house than we need. Our beach house—around 1,800 square feet—often feels more suitable. Moving to a smaller, more manageable house aligns with our long-term goal to own less and simplify our routines.
We debated moving nearby into a smaller house but realized we’d miss warmer weather and the walkable lifestyle. For a planner like John, making such a leap felt daunting at first, but the desire to live with less and in a place that encourages being outside kept nudging us forward.
Why Now?
One catalyst was the recent sale of our duplex. That experience helped us see that deviating from a long-term plan can bring real benefits. Once we let one thing go, it became easier to consider other changes. Another practical reason is our kids’ schooling. Our son is in kindergarten and our daughter is in fourth grade; transitioning them while they’re still in elementary school felt ideal. In some Florida districts fifth grade is part of middle school, which made acting sooner important so our daughter can transition with her peers this coming school year.
We’ve toyed with this idea for years—sparked in part by friends who moved to Florida and raved about the change. Each time the thought resurfaced we took it more seriously. Last year we scouted neighborhoods around Fort Lauderdale but didn’t find the right fit. This year, feeling freer after selling the duplex, we went back with fresh eyes and serious intention.
Why The Timing Isn’t Perfect
We realize the timing isn’t perfect. We just finished a bathroom renovation that we were eager to enjoy, and there are still projects we’d planned for the Richmond house—another bathroom, a back patio—that we won’t get to complete. It might look odd to finish a dream bathroom and then move five months later, but renovating also reminds us that these projects are repeatable: we can create again in a new home.
There are many reasons families choose where to live beyond the house itself: neighborhood, schools, commute, routine, and climate all matter. You can love a home’s interiors yet still want a different lifestyle, which is what we’re doing.
How Did You Find The Neighborhood?
Earlier this month we took a reconnaissance trip to the panhandle, staying with friends who moved there years ago. We spent 2.5 days driving neighborhoods, touring houses with a realtor, meeting a contractor about fixer-uppers, checking schools, and testing walkability to beach, shops, and restaurants. We also measured practical things like proximity to grocery stores, Target, and a movie theater—small comforts that matter.
It was crucial to see neighborhoods in person. Online listings, satellite views, and walkability scores can’t fully convey the community feel. The neighborhood we fell for looked different in person than on Google Maps: wooded, walkable, and close to the beach. We even saw a deer near the shore, which felt like the perfect mix of Richmond’s nature and Cape Charles’ beachy charm.
Once we loved the neighborhood, we stumbled across the right house—one we hadn’t even favorited while searching online. After a few viewings and consulting a contractor, we placed an offer within hours and learned on the tarmac after our flight home that it was accepted.
Tell Me More About The New House!
We’re holding off on sharing photos and full details until closing is complete, but we can say the house checks the boxes: smaller size, walkable to beach and shops, and located in a warm climate. It’s less than half the square footage of our Richmond home—closer to our very first house—so it’s a true downsize. That’s exciting and challenging: we’ll need to pare down belongings and rethink layouts for smaller bedrooms.
The house is a fixer-upper—our favorite kind. It currently has only one nonfunctioning bathroom (the house has no working water), a missing sink, a broken HVAC system, and flooring issues. The seller likely expected a teardown, but we plan to renovate and preserve the charm of the lot. The yard is a fraction of the size of our Richmond lot—about a tenth of an acre—which means far less yard maintenance and more time to enjoy nearby public spaces like the beach and park. No lawnmower required.
We’ve planned layout changes to create more bedrooms and add two full bathrooms. We met with a contractor during our visit to ensure someone trustworthy could make the house safe and livable before we arrive with kids, a dog, and a moving truck. Long-term plans include possibly adding a pool and a small guest house so friends and family can visit comfortably.
Best of all, the neighborhood offers a small-town community feel with true year-round walkability to shops, restaurants, and a grocery store—something we’ve long missed since our New York City days when corner stores were the norm.
You’re Selling Your Houses?!
Yes. We’ll be selling both our pink beach house in Cape Charles and our Richmond home. This is bittersweet. These homes mean so much to our family, but we’re ready to treasure the memories and move forward. We’ll stay here through the end of the school year in mid-June to get everything ready: prepping the houses for sale, finishing packing, and giving our contractor time in Florida to make the new house livable.
What About Your Family & Friends?
Leaving friends and family is one of the hardest parts of this move. We plan to return often and host loved ones in Florida—many have already claimed first dibs on visits. Their support has been amazing: my parents offered to drive the moving truck, and everyone is excited about the change. Our extended family is spread across the country already, so we’ve seen how relationships can stay strong across distances.
How Do Your Kids Feel About It?
Our kids have been campaigning for this for longer than we have. They always ask to move to warm beach places, so they’re thrilled. We wouldn’t make this move if we didn’t believe it was best for our whole family, but their enthusiasm made the decision easier. Right now we’re teaching them patience more than stoking excitement—they already have plenty of that.
Overall, we feel a mix of emotions but mostly excitement about what’s ahead. It’s scary to make big changes, but we’re ready to act on a long-held desire for a different lifestyle. A friend said, “I’m surprised you didn’t do this sooner—you’re such beach people. This feels so you.” That felt like a home run response.
There are details we’re still working out—timing for listing our houses, exact dates, and renovation schedules—but we’ll share updates as things progress. For now, wish us luck as we downsize, renovate, and move toward a new, simpler life by the Gulf.