Joan Vassos and Chock Chapple talked about moving to NYC after getting engaged onThe Golden Bachelorette, but there are signs the move will never happen. Living arrangements have been an issue for 61-year-old Joan and 60-year-old Chock, who live over a thousand miles away from each other. Joan, a private school administrator, lives in Maryland, while Chock, an insurance executive and business owner, lives in Kansas.
When they got engaged, they were up front about not to sell their respective homes. They intended to travel back and forth between Maryland and Kansas to be together. No one could blame Joan and Chock for not wanting to uproot their lives for a person they just met on a reality show, but a long-distance relationship may not be a sustainable arrangement.

After getting engaged onThe Golden Bacheloretteseason 1, Joan and Chock decided they wouldn’t sell either of their homes, and they’d look for a second home together. Since they both wanted to live in New York City, they started to explore real estate there. Since then, it seemsless likely Joan and Chock’s dream of a NYC apartment will come true. It probably seemed like a good idea at the time; however, reality set in, and its becoming clear it might not be an option anymore. Though Joan and Chock appear to be very happy together, there are signs Joan and Chock aren’t headed for The Big Apple.
8Joan & Chock Still Haven’t Found A Place In NYC
They Never Talk About It Anymore
Joan and Chock had both always dreamed of living in a big city. WhenThe Golden Bacheloretteseason 1 couplelearnedthey both had NYC dreams, they decided it would be a great idea to get a place there. The plan was to keep their homes and meet up in the city, where their children could come a well. After going public with their relationship, Joan and Chock spent a lot of time in the city and posted photos all the time.
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In November 2024,Joanand Chock posted an NYC apartment update on Instagram. In the clip, they talk about looking at apartments but not finding one they like. They said their real estate agent was going to continue looking for a place for them. Chock even saidthey expected to be in a place by the end of 2024. Not only did that not happen, but Joan and Chock haven’t mentioned the apartment much since that November post. The NYC Big Apple dream may be dead.

7Joan & Chock Might Not Be Ready To Have A Space Together
They’ve Both Gone Through So Much Change
Joan made her television debut as a contestant onThe Golden Bachelorseason 1but was cast asThe Golden Bachelorettewhen she had to leave the show early due to a family emergency. Long before that, Joan was a happily married woman. She was married to her best friend, John Vassos, and they had four children together. In 2021,John was diagnosed with cancer, and he passed away, leaving Joan a widow. Joan was devastated by the loss.
Joan expected to grow old with John, but she found herself having to reenter the dating pool.
Like Joan, Chock lost a great love. He was engaged to Katherine Goree for nine years until she died in 2022. Ithasn’t been very long since Chock and Joan lost their significant others, and they may not be ready to share a space yet. They seem so happy since leavingThe Golden Bacheloretteseason 1, so there’s no need to rush into a massive change like moving to a big city with a new partner.
Could She Move To Wichita?
Joan and Chock have been going back and forth between Kansas and Maryland to be together while also spending time in New York and Los Angeles. They spent Thanksgiving at Joan’s house in Kansas, then celebrated Christmas at Chock’s house in Kansas. Recently,Chockposted Instagram photos of him and Joan hanging out in Kansas. Though they’ve said they intend to find a place together in New York,Joan looks like she had a great time in the Sunflower State.
Joan could potentially consider relocating to Kansas to be with Chock.
Chock owns his own businessin Kansas, so it would be difficult for him to move. Joan’s job as a private school administrator would be easier to transfer to a new state. Besides,Joan’s career as a public figure has been taking offsinceThe Golden Bacheloretteand could transition out of education. She’s been steadily increasing her social media presence. She has 182K followers on Instagram as of January 2025, while Chock has 77K followers.
5Joan & Chock Like Going Back And Forth
They Get To Travel More
Since leavingThe Golden Bacheloretteseason 1, Joan and Chock are enjoying their long-distance relationship. Though it may seem like a long-distance relationship can’t work,Joan and Chock appear to be having fun with it. They both get to spend time showing each other around their respective states while spending time with each other’s family and friends. On top of that, they get to travel more often.
Joan and Chock have traveled to Los Angeles several times since getting engaged.
They’ve posted photos of their variousGolden BacheloretteDisneyland adventures. If Joan and Chock got a place in New York, they’d have to vacation there all the time, instead of mixing it up. It’s possible the couplerealized they were having fun enjoying their jet-setting lifestyle. Once they get tired of going back and forth, they can start talking about moving to New York.
4Joan Hasn’t Given Any NYC Updates
It Hasn’t Come Up In Months
Joan hasn’t posted about New York since the November apartment update they posted to Instagram. Whileneither ofThe Golden Bachelorettealums have posted about The Big Apple, they’ve been posting about plenty of other adventures. Since leaving the show, they’ve grown their social media followings. They’ve been open about the challenges of starting a relationship later in life, and people have been really interested in watching Joan and Chock work through it.
While they both have their careers, they may have stumbled into becoming major lifestyle influencers.
Joan and Chock represent the hope of second chances, so it’s understandable they’d have a lot of people rooting for them.The Golden Bachelorseason 1 couplecould easily parlay their budding relationship into careers as public figures. Joan has even expressed interest in appearing onDancing With The Stars.
3Joan & Chock’s Children May Not Want Them To Move
They Have Six Adult Children Between Them
AfterThe Golden Bacheloretteseason 1 finale, Joan and Chock focused on spending as much time together as possible and finding ways to integrate into each other’s lives. They’re both very family-oriented people, so itwas important for them to have all their children supporttheir relationship.
They both wanted to get to know each other’s children and for all the children to get to know each other.
Joan and Chock were determined to blend their families, butthings didn’t go as smoothly as they hoped. Joan recently made some comments suggesting they’re dealing with family drama.Joanposted a clip on Instagram of her and Chock discussing their relationship. During the clip, they talk about the good parts of their relationship, but they also talk about their challenges. When Joan talks about family, she admits bringing their families together has been a “little harder right now.” It could be one reason they won’t move to New York.
2Joan & Chock May Have Been Discouraged By The Search
A Tight Real Estate Market
During their November 2024 NYC apartment update,Joan and Chock talked about their exhaustive search for an apartment. They discussed looking at apartments on the Upper East Side, the Upper West Side, and several other parts of the city, settling on finding a place in Soho. Though their real estate agent showed them several places, they hadn’t found the right one yet. MaybeThe Golden Bacheloretteseason 1 couplegot discouraged by the search.
New York is a great city, but finding an apartment is no easy task.
Finding an apartment in Manhattan can be a full-time job, even with the help of a good real estate agent. Not to mention,the apartments in NYC are expensive and tiny. Joan and Chock are homeowners who are accustomed to much bigger homes, so they’re probably struggling to find a place.
1Joan & Chock May Want To Get Married First
There May Be Another Golden Bachelor Wedding Soon
Joan and Chock have seemed blissfully happy since getting engaged onThe Golden Bacheloretteseason 1, and they may want to get married before moving in together. Unlike the firstGolden Bachelorcouple,72-year-old Gerry Turnerand 70-year-old Theresa Nist. They got married just a few weeks after going public with their relationship andannounced their divorce only three months later.
So far, Joan and Chock appear to be taking their relationship much more slowly than Gerry and Theresa ever did. Being so thoughtful about their relationship is a good sign that they’ll get their happy ending. They may be waiting to move to New York until after the nextGolden Bachelorwedding.
61 years old
182K Instagram followers
60 years old
77K Instagram followers
The Golden Bachelorette
Cast
The Golden Bachelorette: This reality series offers one woman in her later years the opportunity to find love, as a group of seasoned men compete for her affection. Participants bring diverse romantic histories, seeking a meaningful connection and a chance to build a promising future together.