Three years after moving from Rhode Island to Merritt Island, Florida — Rachel drives through her neighborhood and tells the real story. Not a pitch. Not a highlight reel. Just what she's learned, what she loves, and what she'd tell herself if she could do it over again.

How She Ended Up Here — The Actual Story

Rachel grew up in a landlocked Connecticut town, then lived in Newport, Rhode Island. She loved Newport — the historic feel, the small town energy, the ocean — but the winters were destroying her. "I can't do it anymore," she told her husband one winter. He asked if she'd want to move somewhere warm. She said yes immediately.

Her husband's company had offices in warm locations around the country: San Diego, Orlando, Jacksonville, and a place they'd never heard of called "Cocoa Beach." That last one caught Rachel's attention — small surf town, beach vibe, sounds like Newport but warmer. They looked into it. His hesitation: lower pay, and starting over in real estate is hard. So the idea got shelved.

Then came May 2022. They got COVID. Homebound, bored, stuck indoors. Her husband got an email from the company — that Patrick Space Force Base job was still open. Rachel told him to just email HR and ask about the pay scale. He did. Within hours they responded: the pay was more than what he was making, and the job would be simpler and less chaotic than his current role. He applied on a Monday. The interview was scheduled Wednesday. They were on a plane to Cocoa Beach that Friday.

The First Night: Waffle House and Uncertainty

They arrived at night. The dog had escaped through the fence that afternoon — they found her, but it was a stressful departure. They landed, got to Cocoa Beach, and the only place open was a Waffle House. Rachel's thought: I don't know if I like this place.

The next morning, she woke up and looked outside. "Oh my gosh, this place is so cool." The beach was gorgeous. She was in real estate mode within the hour — pulling up listings, looking at homes for sale, ready to make a decision.

Why They Chose Merritt Island Over Cocoa Beach

They could have bought in Cocoa Beach, right near Patrick Space Force Base. Instead, Rachel fell in love with Cocoa Village — the historic district right across the bridge on the mainland, with restaurants, bars, and an aesthetic that reminded her of Newport. Merritt Island was only 10 minutes from Cocoa Village. The house she found was affordable, had a new roof and new windows, and checked every box. They got pre-approved that night. Put the offer in. Got it accepted. A month later, they were driving their belongings south with the dog in the car.

3 Years Later: What Living Here Is Actually Like

Rachel is still in Merritt Island. She loved their starter home enough to upgrade — she and her husband now own the starter home as a rental and moved into a pool home nearby. They've even looked at beachside properties but keep coming back to the same conclusion: Merritt Island is home. They have their people, their dog sitter, their routines, their favorite spots.

Here's what she genuinely loves about it after three years:

  • Central location — easy access to the whole county for her real estate work, 45 minutes to Orlando International Airport, no bad traffic surprises
  • Cocoa Village — her favorite spot in all of Brevard County. Historic, walkable, great restaurants and bars, something different from the standard Florida suburban strip. Ten minutes from home.
  • The beach is 10 minutes away — specifically Cape Canaveral, which has free parking, a more local crowd, and a calm vibe that she prefers over the busier Cocoa Beach areas
  • Surrounded by water — Sykes Creek, the Indian River, the Banana River. Watching the sunset over Sykes Creek is something that still stops her.
  • The people — kind, wave-at-you neighbors, genuinely welcoming community
  • School options — multiple public, private, and charter options, including Edgewood School (one of the top-rated public schools in the United States)

What's Changing

Merritt Island is developing. A brand new hospital is being built across from the old 1960s mall (which she cheerfully calls "desolate" but says has everything you'd actually need — JC Penney, Macy's, Dillard's). New construction communities have opened up on the north end. The island is growing, and Rachel believes the values here have significant room to run.

The Honest Bottom Line After 3 Years

Some people move to Florida and it's not for them. Rachel gets that. But for someone coming from a cold-climate Northeast state who loves the idea of year-round outdoor life, historic neighborhood character, water access without paying beachfront prices, and a real community rather than a resort — Merritt Island is about as close to the right answer as you can find on the Space Coast.

She and her husband are happier, healthier, and more grounded than they were in Rhode Island. He got a better job. She built a real estate business. They upgraded their home. They're not going anywhere.

Ready to Explore the Space Coast?

If you want a neighborhood-level breakdown of the island, start with Central Merritt Island neighborhoods explained.

And for the south end of the island, see South Merritt Island neighborhoods explained.

We're Rachel Langley and Nichole Barna, Florida REALTORS® based in Brevard County. Rachel made this move herself and helps families do the same thing every day — not just buying a house, but finding the right community for their life.

We're available days, nights, and weekends — because a move this big doesn't wait for business hours.

Rachel Langley and Nichole Barna, REALTORS at Blue Marlin Real Estate

Merritt Island move?

Merritt Island is unlike any other Brevard town. Talk to someone who has actually lived it.

Nichole Barna is a Brevard County native and Rachel relocated to the Space Coast in 2022. We are your team at Blue Marlin Real Estate. We know the canal streets, the river access lots, the storm history, and the lots that go fast versus the ones that sit.

Space Coast Relocation Checklist

A printable buyer briefing on Brevard County life, including Merritt Island specifics on insurance, flood, evacuation, and what to budget beyond the sticker price.

Send Me the Checklist

Talk to Us About Your Merritt Island Move

A thirty minute call with Rachel and Nichole. No script, no pressure. Tell us your timeline, your budget, and what you actually want. We will tell you what we would do.

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Beware

Call us BEFORE you walk into a model home or open house.

The sales rep works for the builder, not for you. Builders let you have your own agent, but you HAVE to name us on your first visit. Walk in without us and you can lose the right to bring us in on that purchase.

Text us at 321-212-7676 first. We meet you there. You still get the new construction. You also get two REALTORS who negotiate pricing, contract terms, inspections, and repairs every week.

Read this next: What It's Really Like to Live Waterfront on Merritt Island, FL — The Honest Boater's Guide