posted 10 years ago
Maine.
No, seriously. Along the coast in the central-southern part of the state where we are, the winters are Winter, but not so bad as all that if you are prepared and have a good woolen sweater or two. We have a friend who went through this last winter without heat at all in an old farmhouse with no windows. It's not high on his list of experiences to repeat, but he still has all his fingers and toes.
Most places with a "nice climate" are going to be a) WAY out of the price range most permies are looking for, and b) so full of people and regulations that you cant do what you want, even if you could find the land to do it on.
Meanwhile, there's a 10-acre plot for sale in our town - 4 miles from downtown, a wicked easy bike ride - with a leveled building site, several springs, and a nice south slope for $12,500. Owner financing, even, as long as you dont build anything permanent before it's paid off. We looked at it, but I'm more into livestock than rice paddies (but I know enough about rice to know that this land is made for it if ever one was...). The town has no building permits, livestock restrictions, or anything - you can do a Jenkins system on Main St if you want to - and permie/green people are pretty well a majority population. The town is aging fast and most of the populace is aware enough to know that we need young blood to survive. I can throw a rock from my front door and hit half a dozen properties for sale at prices between a fart and a song.
Seriously, think about Maine. It's not nearly so insular and cold as we make it seem to outsiders... Have a little respect for the lifeways here, work hard, and you're on.