""But not sure about the NE dig."" No dig intended- just observations.
Observations suggest part of the population want out of certain parts of the Northeast and Upper Midwest. When I lived in Columbia, SC, and Midway, UT I observed this on a frequent basis. When I lived in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, I did not see this trend- ever. Midway, UT is an outstanding example. Beautifull terrain, quaint town, but offered nothing long term to its somewhat older residents. Near impossible to have an enjoyable meal, and if you did you typically had to wait, and pay a premium. Midway was just a place to sit and wait to die. One can buy roof racks for their SUV, but after a handful of trips to the trails, many older folks with visions of hiking the mountain trails every day became just that- a vision.
Yet Midway prices of single-family homes doubled from 2018 through 2021. Doubled. It was primarily residents of California migrating to Midway, but really- for what? The southern California traffic was already starting to congest the roads in and around Midway when we left. Seems people just want out of certain areas and are possibly "overpaying" for areas that offer very little except they are West, Southwest, or South. Time will tell.