Sarabeth, Erinn, Kelly and Kristi.Photo:Kelly Holbin
Kelly Holbin
In aviral clip, four best friends — Kelly, Erinn, Sarabeth and Kristi — find out they will be living next to each other in the same neighborhood. The clip shows the women celebrating when they realize Kristi just bought the vacant home next to Sarabeth.
Kelly and Sarabeth were the first to establish roots in the neighborhood, living just around the corner from each other for about 10 years. As Kelly explains exclusively to PEOPLE, it all started when Sarabeth and her husband decided to build a home in an empty lot.
“As one of her besties, I’m like ‘Shoot me the address. Let me just go and see.’ And I drove past her lot and it was just so cute,” Kelly recalls. “I ended up calling her afterwards and was like ‘Do you think it’s weird if I also purchase a lot in the same development?’ ” Thankfully, Sarabeth was all for it.
Enter Erinn, who moved across the street about three-and-a-half years ago. “It was kind of a running joke,” Erinn shares. “I had a life change, and I mentioned to Sarabeth, ‘Oh I’m looking for a new place to live.’ And, she jokingly mentioned the house across the street is available. Then it just really worked out and made sense.”
Kristi, Kelly, Erinn and Sarabeth.Kelly Holbin
The real magic happened when Kristi decided to join the neighborhood crew. After slyly going through the process so her friends didn’t know, Kristi hatched a plan to reveal the news. “I said, ‘Hey, I wanted you guys to go look at this other house in the neighborhood, Can you come?’ ” Kristi recalls.
The women started driving to the neighborhood but Kristi made believe she left her phone at one of the women’s homes. As they were driving back, Kristi drove into the driveway of the home directly next to Sarabeth.
“I turned around and went back and pulled into the neighbor’s driveway, and that’s where the video starts, where I said, ‘Did you like my new house?’ ” The reactions captured in the now-viral TikTok were priceless.
According to the ladies, their new living arrangements include a mix of spontaneous gatherings, shared traditions and unwavering support. “My favorite part is if we’re having a rough day, or anything’s going on, I’ll message Kristi and be like ‘Will you come over and have a glass of wine with me?’' " Sarabeth shares.
Kelly and Erinn.Kelly Holbin
Kelly chimes in, “Being around someone that loves me and supports me, and we can either work alongside each other, sip on a glass of wine or watch a movie. It doesn’t have to be this constant chatter. It’s truly magical."
Their shared traditions, like Halloween extravaganzas and Christmas morning visits, add to the sense of community. Erinn also points out the practical perks. “I love when sometimes I’m home and I hear someone dragging my garbage bins out from the driveway. They’re small things that just give you a level of ease," she says.
Kristi and Sarabeth.Kelly Holbin
But beyond the logistics, the women stress how important their community is. As Erinn notes, “It’s bigger than where our homes are located. We actually truly operate as a community.”
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Kelly chimes in, “I think about how much community is missing in people’s lives. It made me reflect on how truly blessed I think we are. Regardless of the proximity, we’ve been very blessed in this group for many years with a very solid group of women.”
source: people.com
