CLINTON, TENNESSEE — Bill and I lived in Florida for 30 years, but after enduring relentless hurricanes and skyrocketing insurance costs, we were ready for a change.
In 2004, my dad died in Hurricane Charlie and we lost half our house to that storm. And then right after that, we had Hurricane Ivan. We had quite a bit of damage and 200 mile an hour winds for four days.
Moving wasn’t just about escaping the storms—it was about finding peace.
In July of 2023, we set our sights on Clinton, Tennessee. I had visited the area many times over the years on trips to see my lifelong friend, Maggie. I’d fallen in love with Tennessee during my visits and I knew this was where we were supposed to be.
This knowledge sustained us through a home buying journey that would last more than a year, including five airplane trips across more than 700 miles, three unsuccessful offers, and looking at dozens of homes.
What also sustained us was K.K. Meredith’s remarkable friendship. As an agent with NextHome Clinch Valley, we trusted her one hundred percent right from the beginning. When we started looking at homes, I called up the first real estate office I found and just by coincidence connected with K.K.
Right off the bat, we knew K.K. had our best interests at heart. We flew down here that first time and she took us around to see a few different places. We went out to breakfast together and we all connected over our shared love of boats. We got the feeling that she really wanted to help us and our happiness was more important than any commission she would get.
Her commitment to helping us and the work she put in was no small thing. We had a specific list of things we wanted in a new home: acreage, space for our fifth-wheel trailer, and a big garage where Bill could set up a work space. These weren’t easy to come by, especially on level land. Acreage in the area we wanted was notoriously hilly.
I’d fly up from Florida with lists of homes, and K.K. and I would spend days crossing properties off, narrowing down the options.
K.K. wasn’t just a realtor; she became a friend – a very patient and understanding friend. We put offers on three different homes, but each one fell through. One was in a flood zone—a dealbreaker after our Florida experiences. Another didn’t pass inspection. The third had a seller unwilling to budge on timing, and we couldn’t align our closing dates. Each time, K.K. reassured me: the right home would come along.
She was right. One day in 2024, while I was visiting Maggie, we decided to drive around and check out properties on our own. We found a house with a locked gate, but from the road, I knew it was special. It had a big garage and peach trees lining the property. I immediately sent Bill a video and he got the same feeling about this house. When he saw the peach trees, he knew this was our next home.
The seller had another full-price offer, but we waived the inspection and that sealed the deal. We closed on this house in August 2024 – just over one year since we started looking. Shortly after we settled into this place, Florida was hit by Hurricane Helene and our old house was severely damaged. We are still amazed at the timing.
Living here has been a dream. The people are kinder and the atmosphere is calmer. We have one neighbor, and they’re lovely. Instead of hurricanes, we have cows in the backyard and birds in the front. My husband traded his Florida boat for a tractor. The best part? No more hurricane warnings.
Every day I am finding more and more joy and peace in quilting, gardening, and dreaming about landscaping projects for the spring. We plan to bring in dirt to start a garden, and I can’t wait to make the yard truly ours. Having family here for Thanksgiving was the first of many beautiful memories here, and I look forward to many more gatherings in this special place.
Looking back, the journey was long and filled with ups and downs, but it taught me the value of perseverance. For anyone searching for their dream home, my advice is simple: don’t give up. Know what you want, make your list, and keep crossing off what doesn’t work. The right place is out there, waiting for you to find it.
Even though the journey was long, with a little trust, patience, and friendship, we were led to the exact place where we belong. And with K.K., we have the added joy of making a new friend in the process.
