When we were looking to relocate a few years ago, my wife was drawn to Santa Fe for the cooler climate and small city vibe, but we couldn’t afford it.
You were wise. No one in their right mind wants to live in Santa Fe now.
Small city, big houses and respect for the 2nd amendment were high on my list when I selected Chubbuck, Idaho as my replacement for San Diego. Cooler climate? Sure. Down to -27F over the years I've been here. September to early May tends to be "cooler". It is now late May. Nights are cool enough to need the heater (30 to 50F). Days are hot enough to need the airconditioner (80 to 103F). Winds are strong enough to pull rain gutter nails out if you failed to use "barn bolts". The small town vibe from late 2000 (population 9800) has been replaced with significant growth in 2025 (population > 15,000). We have actual "rush hour" traffic around 4:30 PM now. The 3900 sq ft house I purchased for $179,900 in August 2000 just had a tax assessment at $397,000. The 2nd house I purchased in 2005 for $79,000 was just assessed at $250,000. My property taxes are going up.