I Wasn't Supposed to Stay in South Florida (But Here's Why I Did)

I had one of those moments last week where I stopped and thought: how did I get here?

I was meeting clients at a house in Cooper City—gorgeous property, A rated schools, exactly what they were looking for. They'd flown in from out of state for the weekend to see properties, and like most relocating families, they had their kids with them. We pulled up to the house, and within minutes, I could see the stress building. The kids were having a complete meltdown in the backseat. Full chaos. The kind of crying and complaining that makes parents question whether this whole house-hunting trip was a terrible idea.

So I did what I always do: I popped my trunk, grabbed the bubble wands I keep stashed back there specifically for moments like this, giving them a distraction.

Problem solved. The kids were entertained, and my clients could focus on the property without trying to mitigate witching hour.

Standing there watching those kids run around the front lawn with bubble solution, I had this surreal moment of clarity. Ten years ago, I was helping people navigate foreclosures—people losing their homes during the darkest chapter of their lives. I had never even considered staying in South Florida permanently. I definitely never imagined I'd be showing luxury homes while entertaining clients' kids with bubble wands in someone's yard.

But here I am. And honestly? I wouldn't want it any other way.

So if we haven't met yet, or if we have but only in passing, let me actually introduce myself—not the polished professional bio version, but the real version that explains how a girl from New Hampshire ended up building a life in South Florida.

Hi, I'm Alexis. Let Me Reintroduce Myself

I'm originally from New Hampshire, the kind of small-town, cold-winter place where everyone knows everyone. My grandparents were snowbirds who split their time between New Hampshire and Delray Beach, spending half the year up north with us and half the year down here in the warmth. Growing up, I'd visit them in Florida, and it always felt like this completely different world—sunshine, palm trees, a pace of life that just felt lighter than what I knew back home.

In my twenties, I ended up doing something I never expected to do, something that would completely change how I understood real estate and what it really means to help someone with their home. I started working with people in foreclosure.

The Work That Changed Everything

It started in 2012 when foreclosures and short sales were everywhere. When people are in foreclosure and faced with losing their home, they start calling everyone they can think of—the bank, the bank's attorneys, anyone who might be able to help—and typically get absolutely nowhere. As someone who always strives to help and doesn't like to hear the word "no", I jumped in however I could to help those in traumatic situations, losing their homes, not sure where to turn, trying to figure out a solution.

This turned into years of work in foreclosures and short sales, negotiating with banks and working against auction dates and dealing with attorneys who wouldn't return calls. I was trying to help people find alternatives so they wouldn't lose their homes, or if they had to lose them, at least move forward with less damage to their credit and their future. It was heavy work, the kind that stays with you, because I'd be working with dozens of people at once, all going through the worst chapter of their lives—postponing foreclosure sales the day of the auction with buyers literally parked outside ready to bid, fighting to get people just a little bit of breathing room, a little bit of hope that things might work out somehow.

I loved helping people, I really did, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't emotionally exhausting to carry all of that weight day after day. Here's what that work taught me though: real estate is never just about the property itself, it's about security and stability and someone's safe space in the world, and when you're handling someone's home, you're handling their entire life and future.

That experience taught me how to read contracts with my eyes closed because I was negotiating them out every single day. It taught me how to negotiate when the stakes are impossibly high, how to protect people when they're vulnerable, how to make sure every single detail is covered because one missed clause or poorly written addendum can change everything and lead to litigation down the road. But after doing that work for years, helping people through crisis after crisis, I reached a point where I thought to myself: what else is there? I was already deep in real estate, I knew the contracts inside and out, I understood the emotional weight of buying and selling a home better than most people ever will. Maybe, I thought, I could use all of this experience to help people during an exciting chapter of their lives instead of the hardest one they'd ever face.

The Move That Changed My Life

In 2015, my grandparents were getting older and they'd stopped snowbirding between New Hampshire and Florida. Spending that extra time with them was incredibly important to me, I wanted to be there for them and be available should they ever need some extra help, and honestly, there wasn't even a question about what I needed to do. So I packed up my life and moved to South Florida to be there for them. It wasn't a career move or some strategic business decision—it was just the right thing to do for the people who'd been there for me my entire life.

And then something completely unexpected happened: I met my husband. He's born and raised in Weston, a true South Florida guy who knows this area like the back of his hand. We built a life here together, we had kids, we became a family in a place that I'd only ever known as somewhere I visited my grandparents. Suddenly I wasn't just working in South Florida real estate, I was South Florida—researching preschools in Cooper City and Weston, finding pediatric dentists in Fort Lauderdale, exploring family activities from Boca Raton to Aventura, figuring out which playgrounds don't turn into literal lava in the summer heat, learning the difference between neighborhoods that look similar on paper but feel completely different when you're actually living in them.

Why I Transitioned to "Normal" Real Estate

After years of foreclosure work, I made the shift to traditional real estate—helping people buy and sell homes during exciting times, not just crisis moments.

But here's what I didn't realize at first: All that heavy experience prepared me for this in ways I never expected.

When a permit issue pops up on one of my listings? I've dealt with code violations and title issues a hundred times. It doesn't scare me.

When contract language needs to be bulletproof? I know exactly how deals fall apart when details get missed. I've seen it. I've prevented it.

When a client is stressed because things feel overwhelming? I've worked with people in the most stressful real estate situations imaginable. I know how to stay calm, find solutions, and keep things moving forward.

The work that once felt so heavy became the foundation for how I serve my clients today.

Who I Am Today

Today many of my clients are families relocating to South Florida from out of state—people moving here for work, schools, tax reasons, or lifestyle. Many of my clients end up in Weston, Cooper City, Parkland, and throughout Broward County, and here's the thing: I am literally my own customer, which gives me a perspective that's hard to replicate if you haven't been through this yourself.

I relocated here knowing almost no one. I've navigated school systems across Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, researching relentlessly. I know what it's like to wonder if you're making the right choice for your family, to second-guess yourself about neighborhoods and commutes. I understand the questions families ask when considering Cooper City versus Coral Springs, or whether to be closer to Fort Lauderdale for work or further west for more space and A rated schools.

When clients bring their kids to showings and apologize for the chaos—the meltdowns, the "I'm hungry" complaints—I tell them don't apologize, I completely get it, and that's why I keep bubble wands in my trunk.

When buyers are stressed about coordinating a move from another state while trying not to disrupt their kids' school year, I remind them I've been there and we'll figure it out together one step at a time. And when sellers need someone to handle every detail because they can't be here for everything, I show up—I've been to every single showing for my listings across South Florida in Broward County, Palm Beach County, and Miami-Dade County, even vacant ones where I could easily use a lockbox. Lockboxes mean I'm not there to tell every buyer and every agent how spectacular your home is, or explain to them what makes YOUR home unique. I am there to point out everything that made YOU fall in love with your home. A lockbox can't do that.

The South Florida Real Estate Market I Know Inside and Out

Working in luxury real estate across South Florida—Broward County, Palm Beach County, and Miami-Dade County—means understanding not just property values, but the nuances of different communities. Fort Lauderdale offers urban energy and beach lifestyle. Weston has A rated schools and master-planned community feel. Cooper City attracts families looking for suburban charm with more A rated schools. Each area has its own personality and advantages.

Part of my job is helping families figure out where they actually belong in South Florida, not just where they can afford to buy. I've had clients who thought they wanted to be right in Fort Lauderdale near the beach, only to realize after discussing their daily life that they'd be happier further west with more space. I've had others assume they wanted a quiet suburban area like Cooper City, but after understanding their lifestyle, we found a better fit closer to downtown Fort Lauderdale or in Boca Raton. Some families discover they prefer the equestrian lifestyle of Wellington in Palm Beach County, while others realize Coral Gables in Miami-Dade offers the urban sophistication they're seeking. These conversations matter because buying a home isn't just about the house—it's about whether your daily life in that location will make you happy seven years from now.

What Drives Me Now

I think about my grandparents a lot—the ones who brought me to Florida in the first place. I think about the families I helped during foreclosure years, the ones who just needed someone to fight for them. I think about my own family and what it took to build a life here in a place that once felt foreign but now feels like home.

The common thread through everything I've done is showing up for people when it matters most. That's what drives me now—not closing deals or hitting numbers, but being the person who shows up when someone needs someone they can trust to guide them through one of the biggest decisions they'll ever make.

What You Should Know About Working With Me

I'm not a big team with transaction coordinators and showing assistants. You work with me, you get me, from start to finish—and I say that half-jokingly but completely seriously because I will be at every showing, every inspection, every walkthrough. I will answer my phone when you call. I will meet inspectors, appraisers, roofers, contractors, you name it—because that is exactly what you hired me for. To be here for you.

I will go to bat for you in ways that matter. I will make sure your contract is airtight because I've seen too many deals fall apart over language that seemed fine but wasn't protecting anyone. I will help you figure out what you actually need versus what you think you want, because sometimes those are different things. I've been on both sides of real estate—I've seen people at their worst and their best, I've relocated myself and built a family here, I've lived the exact journey many of my clients are on. And I genuinely care about getting it right for you, not just closing a transaction but making sure you end up in the right place for your family's future.

Trust me, I get it…

You're probably researching South Florida neighborhoods late at night after the kids are finally asleep, comparing school ratings and trying to figure out if Cooper City or Weston makes more sense for your family, all while coordinating a move from another state and hoping you're making the right decision for the people you love more than anything in the world. I know, because I've been exactly where you are—and that's not something most real estate agents can say.

P.S. — If you ever see me at a showing with bubble wands in hand, now you know why.