Bethenny Frankel Says She Decided to Move to Florida Because Large Estate ‘Was Drowning Me’

The Real Housewives of New York City alum Bethenny Frankel has specific reasons for relocating down south to Florida with her 14-year-old daughter, Bryn.

“The morning of March 19th, this wasn’t even a thought and by that evening, a series of events transpired and we decided it was the best move to move here,” Frankel, 54, said in a Friday, May 2, TikTok video. “Within five weeks, [we] had sold and bought a home in both places. We’ll keep this apartment, but I sold my home and bought a house in Florida.”

According to Frankel, her previous home base “was drowning me” due to its sheer size.

“It was just the two of us,” she said, referring to her daughter with ex Jason Hoppy. “It was a massive property, and I made the decision to buy that property when I was in a different stage of my life. I thought it would be this, like, big family home and that I’d be entertaining there a lot.”

The New York residence featured a WeWork space, an entertainment barn, an extra apartment and even more amenities.

“The house was drowning me because it had an apple orchard, it was a historical house, it had all this property, and it was beautiful and amazing for a big family with kids and grandparents,” Frankel explained. “It just ended up being a place that I spent a lot of time alone [in] because I didn’t really know many people in that community. It was lonely.”

Frankel didn’t want to always be “home alone,” so she sought to relocate to a place where she had access to a bigger community.

“I wanted to simplify,” the Skinnygirl mogul added. “My simplification is someone else’s complication ‘cause I’m still going to be in a beautiful home, but I just took on too much and the idea of something was different than the reality of it.”

Frankel had also thought of holding off on her move until Bryn went to college, but she had a change of heart.

“This situation was drowning me and something else was distracting her and neither of us would say it out loud because this is just what it was,” she noted, without offering any specifics. “The moment it became about her, I was able to be honest with myself about how I felt and it freed both of us. I think I’ll be lighter and brighter and happier in the coming months.”

Frankel further revealed that the last few years had been “a lot,” from dealing with her divorce from Hoppy, grieving the death of her mother and calling off her engagement to Paul Bernon.

“I’m excited for this next chapter,” she said, thanking her fans for “getting [her] through this tough time.”

Frankel announced her move to Florida in April, citing “personal and professional” reasons.

“Something has arisen that made this the best and healthiest for myself and my daughter,” Frankel wrote via Instagram at the time. “We will maintain residences in the Hamptons and New York City because we love New York. This [place in Florida] will be our primary and permanent residence.”

A source later told Us Weekly that the move was primarily driven by Bryn’s best interests.

“Bryn is Bethenny’s top priority, and the decision to move to Florida was all about supporting her,” the insider exclusively told Us. “The move reflects Bryn’s academic and athletic goals, and was made with her physical and emotional well-being front and center.”

Frankel’s decision also has the support of her former RHONY costars.

“[She’s going] like everybody else?” Luann de Lesseps joked to Us earlier this month, reacting to Frankel’s move. “Snowbirds. It’s a little early. I mean, it’s just getting [to be] spring.”