Originally both from Michigan, Travis and Breezy Bernheisel built a life in Charleston, South Carolina. The hustle and bustle of city life excited them, and during their 14 years there, their family of two grew into a family of three, and eventually a family of four. It was that focus on family that drove their decision to move back to Michigan closer to loved ones.
“The last six years in Charleston, we were praying we would end up back in Michigan,” Breezy explained.
“The big city was great and has its own perks, but we were ready to be back in the country,” said Travis.
After Breezy obtained her master's degree in educational nursing, the big move back to their home state started to fall into place.
“I got my master's degree, and doors started flying open from there,” Breezy reflected. “Travis got a job offer from the company he was working for, and I was able to find work in Michigan as well.”
The Bernheisel family.
Since the summer of 2022 when they packed up and moved back to the mitten state, Travis and Breezy, along with their 10-year-old daughter and four-year-old son, have lived with family, but soon they will move into their brand-new home in Jackson County.
The couple worked with builders to make their dream home a reality.
“I definitely can’t wait for our house to be completely finished and my kids will have space. They’ll have their own rooms for playtime,” said Breezy. “Dreams are being unraveled in front of our eyes. It’s all coming to fruition. It’s been a blessing for sure.”
The Bernheisels are enjoying their new home's serenity in contrast from the city life they left behind.
Although the moving truck is booked and the bags are mostly packed, this home build didn’t happen overnight. It all started with a plan drawn out by a friend of the two.
“We worked with someone to draw prints. We got to lay out the floorplan and incorporate almost everything we wanted into the floorplan. The homes we had in Charleston were predesigned, but with this house, we got to pick out the whole floor plan.”
Travis and Breezy worked with GreenStone Financial Services Officer Ben Hawes to finance their new endeavor. Being familiar with their family and having mutual friends, Ben was excited to help make their dream a reality.
“This is a small community. The fact that they wanted to come back and raise their family here is pretty sweet,” said Ben.
“We had talked to Ben a few different times,” said Travis. “I called him and asked him questions about moving, buying and selling. He helped with a lot of other stuff too. He was always willing to have a normal conversation.”
Many conversations later, builders were able to break ground on the three bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom house filled with features specifically picked out by Travis and Breezy.
“It’s ours,” explained Travis proudly. “We got to pick and design and there was some give and take between the two of us and budget wise, but for the most part, we’ve picked out and designed everything in the house. That’s a pretty cool feeling, especially now that it’s nearly done.”
“I love the marine blue siding we picked out,” said Breezy. “It’s one of my favorite colors and I love how it turned out.”
Ben, along with family and friends of Travis and Breezy, have been able to follow the home build in real-time as the couple posted Facebook live updates throughout each project.
“It has been really cool to watch them post their videos and see the build every step of the way,” said Ben.
Their new home offers plenty of possibilities for their growing family.
The two plan on watching many sunrises and sunsets in their new abode, as well.
“I love the porch. The porch on the back has a great view of the sunrise, and the porch on the front has a great view of the sunset. It’s one of my favorite parts of the house,” said Travis.
And don’t worry, their two kids also had a say on their spaces — and they were both strategic.
“My daughter wanted the front bedroom so she can see the sunset,” explained Breezy. “My son wanted the back bedroom so he can see the deer and wildlife roam out back.”
It’s the countryside paradise the family always dreamed of having.
“Having a large property has always been something we’ve talked about, and now we’ll have some property to hunt on. That’s exciting,” said Travis.
With just a few more projects to wrap up, the family plans to officially move into the home this spring, and they are more than ready to unpack their boxes and enjoy their new forever-home.
“We’re just ready to be in,” said Breezy. “It’s our own space and I can’t wait to have my family at my house.”
And possibly more excited than them – their team at GreenStone.
“I get excited about their home construction as if it’s my own home,” explained Ben. “It’s a feeling you can’t really describe.”
“Everyone I worked with at GreenStone has been amazing, especially Ben Hawes and Renee Lewis,” said Breezy. “The people we’ve encountered were so kind. I’d point anybody to GreenStone, for sure.”
To view the spring 2024 issue of Partners magazine in its entirety, click here.
