Define hot. This area is about 45 - 50 miles from Houston. Temps range from 30 degrees to 100 in summer but there is almost always a breeze blowing off of the lake. Property taxes are pretty low and no state income tax. You don't even have to be a believer to appreciate the beauty of heaven on earth from outside your back porch.
Big Canoe in North Georgia fits all your requirements. In fact, I've been up there at least a dozen times looking at homes for myself. I don't know what you plan to do in retirement, but they have 27, soon to be 36 holes of golf, an excellent workout facility, miles of walking, biking & hiking paths and flyfishing not far away. There are lots of families, but mostly people in their 50 - 70's. There's also three beautiful lakes on the 6,000 acre property. You can buy a home with a fantastic mountain view or one that's secluded in the woods. Prices are very reasonable and property taxes are low. The area has DSL. http://www.bigcanoepoa.org/index.php/contentview/amenities/amenties-news/ Western North Carolina (Boone, Asheville) is also very nice. http://visitboonenc.com/ I lived in Oregon for awhile, and highly recommend both it and Washington, but you'll get far less out there for you money vs the southeast. However, at least for me, the recreational opportunities in Oregon far exceed Georgia.
North Carolina or northern Georgia near the water (not on the ocean, but near it). There's an area in Georgia near Jekyll Island (yes, the birthplace of the federal reserve called Brunswick, that meets all your criteria).
Green isn't all it's cracked up to be. There's a lot of beauty in the desert. San Diego is the ultimate for mild climate, but it will not meet your 100-200k requirement. Though, if you buy now, your retirement home would probably double in value in the next decade since the market is so depressed. It sounds like you need to be a snow bird and buy a house in the Phoenix metro area, preferably Scottsdale. Fly away for the summer, since it tends to get a little warm here and you can get your green fix back home. A quick note about humidity. I've flown to Houston in August, when it was 114 in Phoenix, 103 in Houston. I thought I was going to die when I walked out of George Bush airport. The same thing happened in Kansas City (I had no idea KC could hit 105 AND 90% humidity). Humidity is a killer.
i dont like the southwest.the climate is ok but no green trees,too many people,taxes,traffic,crime. i want a peaceful lifestyle.
Palm trees are green at the tips I guess I spent too much time in the Southeast. I'm all greened out, not to mention the humidity. And it sounds like you don't know the climate of northern AZ. It's plenty green up there, and it snows, too, if you're into that sort of thing. And the tax situation isn't bad at all in AZ. California, on the other hand, is getting out of hand. Crime is bad in any big city. No getting away from that, other than what you have planned, living 50 miles or so away.
Houston is even hotter then Orlando. I live there one summer. Typical day in July is 102 high 82 low with 90% humity. Orlando tops out about 97-98.