My advice- don't make a permanent change, until you try the idea and area you are considering on an extended temporary basis first.
Example- we live in the "snowbelt"- where we get gloomy winters that average about 100" of snow a year between Dec 1 and April 1. Many of our friends relocated permanently after retirement, to southern States, where is is brutal in the summer, yet (unless in Florida or Arizona) the winters are still cool enough that you are limited in outdoors time.
We on the other hand- have tried Florida, and Arizona, each for 2-3 months. By the time April rolls around it's near 90 already, and (in FL) humid as well- so we are glad to get back to Ohio. Also- we think that, by having a second home, it owns YOU instead of the other way around. (Example- say we owned a place in New Orleans today- we'd be planning a trip south to access the damage.)
We never bought a second home- and find it's better to rent, then leave the keys on the kitchen counter on the way out.
