you might find the Lower Peninsula of Virginia a bit more to your liking. It's quite urban in areas -- Newport News/Hampton/Wiliamsburg (which means you have great healthcare facilities & shopping, etc.), but get a few miles off the beaten track and its really (sometimes scary) rural. Waterfront R/E is expensive, but for the same bux you can get several acres inland (if you want the hassle) and a decent house. Keep your boat somewhere pretty inexpensive. From Hampton Roads you have access to the Atlantic (pop up to New England for the muggy months), Chesapeake Bay (glorious in fall), or even cruise down the ICW to Oriental. Norfolk is an interesting town, especially if you're a fan of the gray funnel shipping line, Richmond has some cool stuff going -- all within an hour or so. Taxes? We have a 3-bedroom bungalow on an acre in the Northern Neck. R/E taxes are