I am often asked the same question: why did we choose Southwest Florida? Before explaining the reasons that led us to live here, I want to make one thing clear again: every choice is personal. It depends on each family’s wishes, priorities, and constraints. The answer I am giving here is our own and cannot simply be applied to somebody else. Someone moving because of a work transfer may have little or no choice. Some people want four seasons, others want the mountains, and others dream of life in a big city.

The goal of this article is not to say that one place is better than another. I simply want to explain why we chose Southwest Florida, just as other people might choose Miami or Minnesota.

Background

We had no obligation to choose a specific state, region, or city because we had green cards and we both work remotely in the web industry.

During the summer of 2015, we spent almost a month in Florida to see where we might settle. We ruled out Miami right away because I already knew it and could not picture myself living there. My husband had the same feeling when he discovered it a few months later. That does not mean we dislike Miami at all, only that we did not see ourselves building our everyday life there.

We then visited Orlando and its surrounding area, the entire East Coast up to Jacksonville, and later part of the Gulf Coast from Tampa down to Venice.

During that scouting trip, we did not have a real crush on any place. Before leaving France, we thought we might end up in Tampa, but the size of the city put us off, even my husband who comes from Paris. We liked Sarasota, but it still did not feel like the right fit.

As the trip came to an end, we realized that we had not had time to see either Northwest Florida or Southwest Florida. We were full of questions and slightly frustrated not to have explored that part of the state.

Back in France, we kept thinking and, because we knew we would start with temporary housing, we decided on Orlando as our first base since it was a city we genuinely liked.

Our arrival

In March 2016, we arrived in Orlando and settled there for several weeks. During those two months, we explored the city, including the well-known Dr. Phillips area where many French families choose to live, but we still did not connect with it. There are many other pleasant residential neighborhoods in Orlando, but we never had that real click.

After the first month, we were even thinking about changing states and possibly heading back toward California. We had already started comparing different areas there and the cost of housing.

At the same time, we still wanted to see Southwest Florida. An exchange with French people living there, friends of friends, convinced us to go for a weekend.

Love at first sight

It is hard to explain, but from the moment we arrived we had a real crush on the area. We loved the scenery, the beaches, the parks, and the overall atmosphere. We were looking for calm, simplicity, safety, wildlife, a coastal setting, and a family-friendly lifestyle, and we found all of that there.

In just one weekend, we were able to picture ourselves living in that region, even though we had spent months trying to decide where to settle in Florida.

Ten months later

We live in a residential community that we love: it is beautiful, family-oriented, and offers many activities. We also love the city where we live and its proximity to Naples, Bonita Springs, and Fort Myers. We found our rhythm there, and today it feels like our little paradise.

Conclusion

Our criteria are personal, and it is obvious that other people might not be able to picture themselves here, just as we could not picture ourselves in Orlando, Miami, or Tampa.

If you are not tied to a location for work, it is very important to come and scout the place where you think you want to live. The best option is often temporary housing so that you can experience real daily life there.

Choosing the place that truly suits you is essential. Moving abroad is not a simple decision, and you need to give yourself the best possible chance of making it work. Feeling good in your day-to-day life, in your city, and in your home is a priority because this will become your new home for months or years.