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New empty-nester Andrea is taking a leap
and bringing a big dream to life.
As a busy, single mom, Andrea Robinson says much of her adult life has been focused on her daughter. They built a rich life in White Plains, NY. Built a safe, familiar community with a beloved network of friends who feel like family. “I’ve done everything for my daughter,” Andrea says. “My decisions are always based around her. She’s my only child. She comes first.”
But when her daughter Tatiana moved across the country for work last year, Andrea found herself in new territory. As she adjusted to life as an empty-nester, Andrea says Tatiana encouraged her to really consider her life and her future. “She said, ‘You’re getting older. Life is short. What do you wanna do?’”
After some thought, Andrea and her partner Sheldon decided a warmer climate was calling their names. “We’ve had Miami in mind for a long time,” Andrea says. “We’d been talking about it, but never took action.”
“I’ve wanted to move [to Miami] since 2004,” Sheldon laughs. “Once I saw it… it’s so pretty, it’s so comfortable. And I’d rather it be wayyy too hot than even a little too cold.” A contractor himself, Sheldon has a great eye for real estate and was excited to officially begin the search. After finding a great 2-bedroom property on the water, they knew they were ready to officially become property owners in Miami, FL.
Sheldon moved down to begin renovations, and he’s moved much of his design-build firm there as well. For Andrea though, the process has been slower. “We love the warm weather, the palm trees, we love to walk and run and ride bikes. But I’m the one that needs to be pushed a bit harder — I have so many ties here in NY. So, baby steps.”
“I’ve been in White Plains since I was 9,” Andrea continues. “I grew up here, I feel comfortable here. It’s hard to leave your friends behind — they’re like my family.”
Currently, they’re splitting time between their two homes — visiting one another as often as they’re able. But they know they’ll eventually settle in Miami once renovations are completed and Andrea sells her NY home.
While they’re both really excited for their next chapter, they both admit the difficulty of making such a big adjustment. “It’s really hard when you move somewhere new where you don’t know anybody. It’s hard to make friends,” Andrea says. “It’s overwhelming. But it’s still very exciting ‘cause it’s something new. And it’s ours.”
Hear more from Sheldon
Still, Andrea credits her daughter for encouraging her to take this leap and begin the next chapter of her life. “If I was trying to do this by myself without any support, I’d probably be stuck in the same position. Other people in your circle can help you get there. I think we’re all creatures of habit to some extent, and it’s hard to make a big life change,” she explains. “But if you have people cheering you on, people to bounce ideas around with, you can do it.”
But if you have people cheering you on, people to bounce ideas around with, you can do it.
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