From Pennsylvania to Paradise: Finding Our Home - and Our People - in Florida

We thought we were just moving states. Instead, we found a home, and a lasting friendship.

When my husband and I moved to Florida, we chose to rent for a year before deciding if this would be permanent. We came down without jobs and I had never been in the sunshine state during the hot, humid summer days. It didn’t take long to realize we were never going back to Pennsylvania.

There’s a lot that I miss about living in the northeast - the changing seasons, the burst of color in early spring and being close to family. But here in Florida? It’s a whole different kind of beauty. Abundant sunshine, bright blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and of course, coastal living.

We didn’t know many people when we arrived, so when it came time to buy a home, choosing a real estate agent felt like a shot in the dark. After my husband and I did our research, interviewed a few agents, we narrowed our choices down and ultimately chose Matt and Jessica.

Something about them just clicked. Like us, they’d moved from the North, had fallen in love with Florida, and are close to our age. But most importantly - their pets are a big part of their lives. This mattered to me. A lot.

As a fellow pet lover, I tend to gravitate toward other pet people. Not only that, studies have shown pet owners, especially dog owners, often come across as more trustworthy, likable and responsible. This was definitely true for Matt and Jessica.

Our house hunt wasn’t exactly easy. We’re both pretty particular - me, because I know what works in a pet friendly home (and what doesn’t), and my husband…well, he’s very opinionated, period. So Matt and Jessica had their work cut out for them. But they were patient through every showing, every “this isn’t it,” every “almost-but-not-quite”.

Then one day, we walked into the home and we just knew. Matt and Jessica knew, too. By then, they’d gotten to know us so well, that they were grinning ear to ear the moment we walked through the front door.

What’s even better is that our connection didn’t end at closing. We’ve stayed in touch, swapping pet stories and sharing in the heartache of loss and the joy of welcoming new furry family members. Around the same time they adopted their rescue dog Luca, we brought home our rescue golden retriever, Zoey. We hoped the pups would become fast friends, and they did. We’d meet for walks and go on adventures around town - it’s been sweet watching both of them grow up.

Throughout the time we spent together, we often talked often about doing a pet photography session with their family. But timing was never right, until this spring, when everything finally came together.

We met at their home so we could include their cat, Sal. After all, just because he’s a cat, doesn’t mean he’s not part of the family too. We knew Sal would be the wildcard (cats will be cats after all), but he did surprisingly well. We ended up with some great shots of him as well as with the family.

Since we met, Matt and Jessica’s business has grown. They now own their own brokerage firm and have made Venice their niche. Whether you’re buying or selling, I can’t recommend Matt and Jessica enough. They helped us find not just a house, but a home and a lasting friendship.

To connect with Matt and Jessica - click HERE.