The problem with homes is you still need a place to live. I am meeting more couples who sold their homes and are now renting. Sell high, rent low. For instance, I could sell my house in Blacksburg (hot market) for $520k and rent a nice place in a depressed area like Bluefield WV for $700 a month.
The problem is places that don’t cost a lot, tend to become high-crime areas.
Or you could sell your home and buy another one for less in a lower cost of living area and ditch the monthly payments.
There are a lot of people from northern states moving into the Myrtle Beach area that did just that.