Continuing Our Relocation Journey: How Plans Changed

After returning home from our trip exploring Tennessee and North Carolina, my husband and I were eagerly anticipating idea of the move (maybe me more than him). We started seriously planning our move—browsing home listings online and envisioning what our future could look like. With my husband being a contractor, we were hoping to find a place that needed a little TLC but was still livable. Something we could turn into our own.

Back in New York, we had over 20 acres, so naturally, we were hoping to find something similar in East Tennessee. We quickly realized that in areas like Pigeon Forge, land like that just wasn’t in our price range. Still, we came across a few properties that checked many of our boxes and felt encouraged.

We’d been talking about relocating for a while, but my husband is a slow-and-steady decision-maker—he likes to process things thoroughly. Then… COVID hit.

I won’t dive into all things pandemic-related, but like for many people, it disrupted our plans. We decided to stay in New York and figured maybe that’s where we’d stay for good.

Fast forward to 2022, and the idea started creeping back into our conversations. With some of the changes happening in New York and life beginning to feel more flexible post-COVID, we realized the move might still be the right choice after all.

This time, we took action—we talked to banks and realtors and started looking at properties more seriously. I also began job hunting and thinking deeply about what I wanted the next chapter of my life to look like.

I had spent over a decade in human services and, while it had been meaningful, I was starting to feel burned out. I knew I wanted a change—and not just any change, but something big. I dipped into insurance and financial services for a while, which wasn’t exactly thrilling, but it taught me a lot. Looking back, I truly believe that time helped prepare me for a career in real estate.

Why real estate? Honestly, I wanted to keep helping people—but in a way that let me maintain healthier boundaries. I wanted to guide, support, and make a difference without carrying the emotional weight home with me. And real estate checked all those boxes.

Starting out has been tough. I don’t have deep roots here, no built-in network or long list of local connections. It’s taken time, energy, and a lot of putting myself out there to build my name from the ground up. But I’m committed to making it work. After all, people can’t work with you if they don’t know you exist.

Now, back to the journey…

After doing more research, weighing options, and speaking with locals, I accepted a job in Kingsport, TN. We considered everything from safety and storm zones to how quickly we could get back to NY in case of a family emergency.

Around the same time, my best friend and her family were also thinking about relocating. So, we planned a road trip—kids, husbands, and all—and explored the region together. We visited Knoxville, Morristown, Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol. It was such a fun experience, and the possibility of moving alongside friends made it feel even more exciting and real.