---
title: "We Bought a Second Home on Amelia Island. A Year Later, We Moved Here."
description: "We bought a second home on Amelia Island in 2020 and moved full-time in 2021. Angie Heitzer shares her story of downsizing, coastal living, and finding home."
published: "2026-10-15"
canonical: "https://blog.angieheitzer.com/blog/our-move-to-amelia-island"
author: "Angie Heitzer"
---

*How our family's “one day” dream became our everyday life—and why I eventually chose to help others do the same.*

There is something about Amelia Island that stays with you long after you've gone home.

For our family, it started with visits. We'd come to Fernandina Beach, spend time on the island, and inevitably start talking about what it would be like to live here.

One day, we'd say.

One day, when the timing was right.

One day, when we didn't have so many responsibilities pulling us back to Atlanta.

For nearly twenty years, Amelia Island was our “one day” dream.

And then, in 2020, we finally did something about it.

## When Did We Decide to Make Amelia Island Home?

In 2020, my husband Jim and I purchased a second home on the north end of Amelia Island.

At the time, that was the plan. A place to escape to, spend weekends and holidays, and enjoy the beach whenever we could.

But something happened that I think a lot of second-home owners will understand.

The more time we spent here, the harder it became to leave.

We loved the pace of life. The beach walks. The feeling of being part of a small coastal community. The simple pleasure of waking up and knowing the ocean was just down the street.

Before we'd even owned our second home for a year, we made a decision.

We were moving.

In 2021, we sold our family home in Atlanta and made Amelia Island our permanent home.

## What Was It Like Downsizing From Atlanta to Amelia Island?

It was quite a downsize!

We left behind a much larger family home with rooms we rarely used. Our house on Amelia Island was smaller, and there was definitely some adjusting to do.

But here's the thing.

I'm 500 steps from the beach.

And I don't miss those extra empty rooms.

I think about that whenever I'm working with buyers who are considering a move to Amelia Island.

Sometimes people arrive with a list of everything they think they need in a house. A certain amount of square footage. Extra bedrooms. A formal dining room. Space for all the furniture they've accumulated over the years.

And sometimes, after spending a little time here, that list begins to change.

Suddenly, being able to walk to the beach matters more than having another guest room.

Being close to downtown Fernandina Beach, riding a bike to dinner, or spending the afternoon outdoors starts to feel more important than maintaining a house that's bigger than you really need.

Of course, everyone's priorities are different. But for us, downsizing wasn't about giving something up.

It was about making room for a different kind of life.

## What Did I Do After Moving to Amelia Island?

For the first time in a very long time, I took a break.

A real break.

After a career that included nearly eighteen years in hotel management and more than a decade in commercial real estate, I wasn't in a hurry to jump into another demanding professional role.

So I spent two years enjoying Amelia Island.

I walked the beaches, especially on the north end, and collected shark teeth.

Lots of shark teeth.

I explored the island, settled into the community, and enjoyed the freedom of not having every day dictated by a work schedule.

And somewhere along the way, I realized that the life we'd talked about for so many years was even better than I'd imagined.

## Why Did I Choose Residential Real Estate on Amelia Island?

By 2023, I was ready to go back to work.

Real estate wasn't new to me. I'd been licensed since 2009 and had spent years working in commercial real estate in Atlanta, including hotels, mixed-use developments, and residential development projects with our investor group.

I knew that business well.

So naturally, I considered returning to commercial real estate.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn't want to go back to grinding out commercial deals.

I wanted to do something I genuinely enjoyed.

And I kept coming back to the same thought.

What if I could help other people discover what Jim and I had found here?

What if I could help someone who'd been visiting Amelia Island for years finally make the move?

Or help a family find their first beach house, knowing that it might eventually become the place they call home?

That's when I decided to focus on residential real estate.

Not because I was leaving my professional experience behind, but because I wanted to use it in a different way.

## What Have I Learned About Buying a Home on Amelia Island?

One of the most important things I've learned is that buying a home here isn't always about finding the biggest house or the most impressive finishes.

It's about understanding how you want to live.

Do you want to walk to the beach every morning?

Would you love being able to take your golf cart downtown for dinner?

Do you picture yourself in a quiet neighborhood with a little more space, or do you want to be right in the middle of island life?

Would a condominium give you the freedom to lock the door and travel, or would you rather have a home with a yard and room for family to visit?

Those questions matter.

And they're different for everyone.

Amelia Island has so many distinct ways to live, from the historic streets of downtown Fernandina Beach to the north end, mid-island neighborhoods, and the communities farther south.

The right home isn't necessarily the one with the longest list of features.

It's the one that fits the life you want to create.

## Could Your Second Home Become Your Forever Home?

It certainly happened to us.

We bought our Amelia Island property in 2020 thinking it would be our second home.

By 2021, we were living here full-time.

And by 2023, I'd built a new chapter of my career around helping other people make their own real estate decisions in this community.

I never imagined that all those years of saying “one day” would lead to this exact life.

But I'm grateful they did.

Today, when someone tells me they've been visiting Amelia Island for years and dream of living here, I understand.

I've been that person.

I know what it's like to wonder whether you can make the move, to rethink what you need in a home, and to discover that a smaller house can offer a much bigger life.

For me, *Love Where You Live is more than a tagline—it's an invitation to live differently.*

And if Amelia Island is part of your “one day” dream, I'd love to help you explore what making it a reality could look like.

*Angie Heitzer is a REALTOR® with Summer House Realty, helping buyers and sellers throughout Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach, Yulee, Nassau County, and Northeast Florida. Learn more at [angieheitzer.com](https://www.angieheitzer.com/).*