We were lucky to catch up with Christine Williams recently and have shared our conversation below.

Christine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Growing up in North Carolina with a Belgian mother, I was fortunate enough to travel to Europe several times as a child. I discovered that the world is so much bigger than the parameters of our daily lives and our hometown. My hometown was very small and felt stifling. I was bored and wanted more. I wanted a warmer climate and like many, I was always fascinated with Florida. It seemed to be the magical place where everyone was always happy! With a bachelor’s degree in psychology, I needed to further my education to have the income that I desired. I had studied Tallahassee online for a year, with the intention of enrolling at Florida State University for my master’s degree. At the age of 23, I announced to my family that I was relocating to Florida in two weeks. I did not have a job lined up and had no idea how I would pay my rent. My dad was stunned and concerned. I explained that most people relocate because of a job opportunity, or a relationship situation. I was going to move to where I wanted to be first, and then things would fall into place. That first year was hard! I never did go back to earn a master’s degree. Instead, life took me in a different direction. Eleven years later, I was self-employed as a REALTOR®, lived in a three-bedroom house alone, and owned five rental units. Life was good by the standards of many. Yet, I was unsatisfied and often felt like something was missing. I would often admonish myself because there was no reason to be unhappy.

I knew what was missing. I have always been drawn to the ocean. It has such a calming effect on me. Sometimes in my daily routine of life, I would feel so unsettled and bored that I would drive the two hours to the nearest beach, just to breathe it in for an hour or two. I simply needed the ocean.

In 2005, I was able to realize my dream of living at the beach. I kept my homes in Tallahassee and relocated to Ponte Vedra Beach. I remained a REALTOR® but I secured a job as a mortgage loan officer with a guaranteed salary for six months. It was an adjustment to live in a tiny rental but I was within walking distance to the ocean. So, it wasn’t a sacrifice. It was a stepping stone.

That chapter was the beginning of 17 years of swimming upstream. Ponte Vedra is just below Jacksonville, which is simply a city that I never wanted to live in. For me, the energy feels very dark and dangerous. Indeed, some of my scariest experiences happened there including an assault, embezzlement, ID theft, and a stalker. It was exhausting and my soul was slowly dying. I was surviving, not living.

Yes, I accomplished a lot professionally. I opened a real estate school. I began writing and teaching real estate courses, in addition to my real estate sales business. Over time, I earned respect as a real estate instructor and started getting hired and paid to present live classes.

Then the world changed in 2020. In-person events were cancelled. My income plummeted.

September 2020 was when my world changed. I was bored and missed traveling. I wanted to travel somewhere new, within a budget, to a place that was no more than a 5-hour drive.

I was curious about Sarasota. People always told me it was the city of “old people”, a haven for retirees. I researched demographics and discovered that the median age was actually close to mine: early 50’s.

Gas and hotel accommodations were inexpensive in the fall of 2020. I figured the cost of a trip was still cheaper than a couple of professional therapy sessions would be, and it was probably better for some soul soothing.

From the moment I hit the exit ramp into Sarasota, an explicable calm blanketed me. My shoulders automatically relaxed, my breathing slowed down and I literally felt different.

Although it was my first visit, there was an instant familiarity. Aside from specific destinations, I instinctively found my way around, with very little navigational effort. I was completely enchanted with the magic and calm of this place. I wanted to consume and absorb all of it. I was connected to this place in a way I had never felt.

Reluctantly, I headed back to northeast Florida. As I drove across the state, a darkness came over me and I teared up. Over the next few months, I continued along in my routine life, surviving. I stopped accepting social invites because it was simply useless. I knew nothing would invoke the joy that I had felt on that trip.

Six months later, in April 2021, I took my 2nd trip to Sarasota. I needed to know if all that I felt was truly something soulful, or simply the relief of escape during the 2020 lockdown of life.

Once again, the familiarity washed over me and confirmed that there is simply something about Sarasota that resonates with me. Over the next 15 months, I invested in another 15 trips across the state. I soaked up every moment of joy and peace. I met people. I participated in community events. I joined local Facebook groups. I observed, I listened, I researched.

Friends told me repeatedly that I actually looked and sounded differently during phone calls and in pictures, when I was physically in Sarasota. I was alive again and my light was shining from within.

All I knew was, I was somehow, some way, going to relocate to Sarasota. Everyone told me that it was SO expensive. I knew that being self-employed meant that I would be starting over AGAIN. All I knew was, I was drawn to the city and had to be there.

I began to speak it out loud. That’s what all of the experts say, right? Speak it out loud, to manifest it. While I didn’t want to jeopardize my current business in NE Florida, I decided not to hide my intentions.

An interesting thing happened. Many people were fully supportive and started referring business to me, in Sarasota. They believed in me. I wrote offers from hotel beds. I actually had my first closing before I actually moved. It was validation that I was headed in the right direction.

There were others that were not supportive. I was told by the naysayers that you have to make yourself happy wherever you are. It’s an inside job, so it’s your responsibility to be happy, no matter your circumstances or where you live. They are part of the “grass is never greener on the other side” club.

In May 2022, I secured housing for an August move. There were so many logistics and yes, a huge dose of stress. I had no idea what the first few months would look like but I had enough income to sustain me for about 4 months.

September 28th was the day of Hurricane Ian. For awhile, it was predicted as a direct hit to Sarasota. Locals brushed this off, because of the folklore about the history of Sarasota. You will hear stories of how the natives purposely chose this area to settle their tribe because they believed it to be sacred. They then put a prayer of protection over the area, specifically for storms.

As often happens, Hurricane Ian changed direction and headed further south. The storm was a ferocious monster Category 4, which means sustained winds of 130-156mph. Even though Sarasota was an hour north of where it hit land, this storm spanned over 500 miles. So, while we didn’t take a direct hit, it was terrifying to experience firsthand.

For the first time in 29 years as a Floridian, I was scared. I watched roof shingles fly around like pieces of paper. One shingle landed on my lanai, and it sounded like a sonic boom. I texted my parents that I was going to text them pictures of my important papers, just in case. Meaning, just in case I died.

I’m one of the few that somehow never even lost electricity or internet. Twenty-five units in my community had to be immediately vacated due to severe damage, including the two units across the hall from me. There is no explanation as to why or how I endured this with absolutely no damage, other than the psychological effects. It simply reassured me that I was finally where I was supposed to be.

For awhile, the buzzphrase was Survivor Guilt. As we rode around for the next few days with streetlights out, and our city looking like something out of a horror movie, we shared tips online on where to find gas and either a grocery store or restaurant open. Remember, without electricity, life ceases to function.

Experiencing this with my new friends in my new hometown, was a connection that no one else will ever understand. People that endure a major catastrophe are bonded by the experience. As I write this, it is two months later, and many of us are still providing meals and essentials to those that were affected much more than we were. It is yet another affirmation that I am in my Soul City.

It also was a great reminder of how much I truly am loved, by people from my past. For weeks, my phone was flooded with “are you okay?”.

I am not a member of the “just be happy with where you are” club. Yes, happiness is an inside job. It is the responsibility of each individual to define what that means on a personal level and then to create it.

I have discovered in this most recent journey that when a person makes a bold life change, it causes others to reflect on their own lives. Are they simply inwardly envious? Have they been wanting to make a bold change, too and do not have the courage? Are they truly unhappy but have obligations keeping them where they are? We must always remember that people speak from their own circumstances and perspective.

I have no idea why I was so compelled to relocated to Florida at the age of 23. It took three cities and almost three decades for the reason to be revealed. I was unconsciously looking for home. What I can tell you is, do not ever let anyone talk you out of what allows your inner light to shine. I am finally home.

For me, it means energetically aligning with a place. It feels a lot like being in love.

Christine, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been a REALTOR since 1999 and consider it my lifelong career. I will also be involved in guiding people through the process of selling and buying homes. I am now also devoting more time to writing and presenting real estate courses, to inspire and motivate real estate agents to bring professionalism back to the industry.

I am in the process of publishing some real estate training books which will be available on Amazon in the months ahead.

I’ve also recently become a presenter of the National Association of REALTORs course entitled Real Estate Safety Matters. I’m available to present it through real estate associations throughout the country.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Real estate is about relationships. My business is from referrals of friends, past customers, and real estate colleagues around the country.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I believe in authenticity. Show up on social media as the person that you are in real life. Be relatable but be discerning as to how much you disclose. No one ever endeared a future homeseller by posting selfies from the hospital bed, or from spewing the details of their relationship breakup.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinewilliamssellshomes/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOuq9RzQjNzuX2oHIMblK0g
• Other: https://flrealestate.theceshop.com/