It all depends on where back east you are talking about. NJ property tax is terrible, DC is not so bad and senior citizens can pay 1/2 the regular price. Bernie’s property in DC is a condo bought in 2000. His home in Burlington, VT probably is not that heavily taxed. It is a part rental property valued at between $100,000 and $250,000 with income. His wife retired from a $160,000 a year job as president of Burlington College in 2011. The vacation home was bought with the proceeds of a family home of hers owned in Maine since the last century. As I said before, not hard at all, especially if your wife is also working or has income and property.
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/bernie-sanders-wife-accounts-for-reported-assets-120261
http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/08/bernie-sanders-summer-house
I am not sure what you mean by “Taxes on $200,000 are half.” I’m sure that the former Mayor of Burlington, VT has friends and reliable repair people or someone managing his rental property. Although taxes are high in VT, taxes are also a deductible business expense for rental property. Maintaining a condo in DC is a lot easier than maintaining a house.
I’ve owned real estate for decades and here in Arizona and Mexico. What I know for sure is that if you are not good at maintaining it yourself, you get eaten alive with costs. What I mean is that on $200,000 salary taxes federal, state and city take 50%.