We shopped NC and SC for three years, and snagged our house + cabin for $40k! Emergency sale. Paid half down and finished it off in two years, so, no mortgage. Pretty nice for retirement. But, we used to live in SC, and we would ride all over the state googy-eyed at the wonderful decorative architecture. Here in western NC, there is no attractive historical architecture. Hillbillies had cabins and shacks. So, what we do is drive around and admire the scenery. Scenery here is mighty fine.