In San Diego, a half-million would get you maybe a 1500 sq ft house on an 1/8 acre lot.
Maybe I should just hold on to this place. If I retire in 10 years at 62 I could sell it and live off the earnings the money from the sale would make.
You won't find prettier country in East Tennessee and if you stay out of the big cities the cost of living is low and so are the taxes. As of right now we don't have an income tax either.