With the Powerball jackpot climbing to a jaw-dropping $1.5 billion, dreams of waterfront mansions, luxury estates, and private coastal retreats are running wild. But if you’re fortunate enough to hold that golden ticket, how much house can you really afford after taxes—and how do you protect your windfall from vanishing faster than the tide?

Here’s a closer look at what a winner could take home and why buying smart—especially in tax-friendly, weather-resilient locations like the New Hampshire Seacoast and Southern Maine—could make all the difference.