Moving After Divorce: Finding Home, Community, and a More Sustainable Life
Amy Bolduc shares her relocation story after divorce, her return to New England, and her practical approach to sustainability, community, and finding home.
7/8/20263 min read
Moving after divorce can be one of the most emotionally complicated decisions a person makes.
It may involve finances, grief, work, pets, family, housing affordability, and the desire to create a life that feels different from the one that came before.
For Amy Bolduc, host of the Grounded in Maine podcast, moving after divorce meant leaving Maine and relocating to southern Virginia.
She hoped for space, a longer growing season, more opportunities to garden, and a chance to build a different kind of life.
But as Amy shares in her conversation with Mary Foerster on Real Estate Connections, the move did not ultimately feel like home.
That does not mean it was a mistake.
It means it was part of the journey.
The Reality of Moving After Divorce
When people talk about moving, they often focus on logistics.
Where will you live?
What can you afford?
How far is it from work?
What kind of home do you need?
Those are important questions.
But moving after divorce often adds another layer.
You may be moving because staying no longer feels emotionally possible.
You may need distance.
You may be trying to rebuild identity.
You may be looking for a place where you can start over without being surrounded by reminders of your former life.
Amy’s move to Virginia was shaped by practical factors, including remote-work requirements and the cost of living in Maine.
But it was also shaped by hope.
She wanted land.
She wanted gardening space.
She wanted a longer growing season.
She wanted the possibility of building a food forest and living closer to the values that mattered to her.
The Proof of Concept Idea
Amy and Mary discuss a concept introduced by relocation coach Mariette Frey: the “proof of concept” move.
The idea is simple.
Before permanently relocating, spend enough time in a new place to experience daily life.
Go to the grocery store.
Drive the roads.
Visit local gathering places.
Meet people.
Try to picture yourself living there beyond the first rush of novelty.
That kind of trial period can be helpful.
But Amy also makes an important point.
It is not realistic for everyone.
People may not have the money to rent a place for a month.
They may have pets.
They may have work restrictions.
They may be in the middle of a divorce or other urgent life change.
Sometimes people make the best decision they can with the information and resources available.
That does not make them careless.
It makes them human.
The Difference Between a House and a Home
Amy toured homes in Virginia and found herself drawn to an older property on Egg Farm Road.
The name alone connected to her love of chickens, gardening, and a more rural lifestyle.
But the property had concerns that made it difficult to purchase.
The home she eventually bought was affordable and had an acre of land, but it did not create the sense of connection she hoped to find.
That distinction matters.
A house can be financially possible.
It can meet your basic requirements.
It can even be beautiful.
But it may not feel like home.
For Amy, the search continues in New England, where she is exploring possibilities that include a farm apartment in New Hampshire and a tiny home property with acreage in western Massachusetts.
Sustainability Does Not Require Perfection
Amy’s approach to sustainability is refreshing because it is practical.
She does not believe people have to do everything perfectly.
She believes people can start by caring for the small part of the world they occupy.
For some people, that may mean gardening.
For others, it may mean composting.
It may mean preserving food, reducing waste, supporting local businesses, using community solar, or simply learning more about the impact of everyday choices.
Sustainability can feel overwhelming when it is presented as an all-or-nothing lifestyle.
Amy’s message is that it does not have to be.
Doing something matters.
The Value of Telling People What You Need
One of the most meaningful parts of this conversation is Amy’s reminder to tell people what you are looking for.
Amy’s potential opportunity to rent an apartment on a farm in New Hampshire came through a chain of relationships.
A friend knew someone.
That person had been on a podcast.
Another person had just purchased a farm.
And that farm happened to have an apartment.
Those kinds of connections do not happen when we keep our needs private.
Whether you are looking for a rental, a farm, a tiny home, a new community, or simply advice, it helps to let people know.
Real estate is often about relationships.
But so is life.
Final Thoughts
Amy Bolduc’s story is a reminder that not every move works exactly as planned.
Sometimes a move is a fresh start.
Sometimes it is a learning experience.
Sometimes it is both.
The important thing is not perfection.
It is being willing to keep moving toward the life that feels more aligned with who you are and what matters to you.
Connect With Amy Bolduc
Grounded in Maine Podcast and Website
https://www.groundedinmaine.com/1952444
https://www.instagram.com/groundedinmainepodcast_?igsh=cjMyYzhqem9ucmxi&utm_source=qr
Guest and Resource Links
Grounded in Maine Podcast and Website: https://www.groundedinmaine.com/1952444
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/groundedinmainepodcast_?igsh=cjMyYzhqem9ucmxi&utm_source=qr