If you are not partial to a city or neighborhood, you will have a lot of options with homes. While some home buyers are determined to get features such as being close to their work or having a basement, you may be most interested in minimizing natural disaster risk for your family.
While you will not be able to avoid all disasters because unnatural events can happen, you should feel confident about buying a property that greatly reduces your chance of experiencing them.
Major Fault Lines
Fault lines are all over the country, but there are certain areas with greater risk than others. The San Andreas Fault is one that goes through most of the west coast, putting the coast at high risk. While it is possible for no major earthquakes to occur in this region throughout your lifetime, you may should consider buying a home away from this region to avoid taking any chances.
This does not mean that California, Oregon, or Washington are off the charts completely. Moving closer to the eastern borders will reduce your risk, just not as much as living out of these states.
Flood Zone
Flooding is a problem when there is nowhere for water to go such as through infrastructural drainage systems, natural lakes and rivers, or due to rising sea level.
It is not difficult to research neighborhoods or cities that are at risk of flooding. Also, as a rule of thumb, you can buy at home at high elevation without nearby major water sources.
Hurricane Zone
During a hurricane, it is common for storm surge to cause flooding in coastal areas that are close to sea level elevation. This can quickly invade entire neighborhoods damaging all homes in the process. A hurricane is also harmful through the heavy winds that it can bring. Powerful storms can tear off roofing, lift cars off the ground, uproot trees, and turn objects into weapons.
Most hurricanes take place in the southeastern portion of the country. If you would like to live in this region, you should consider buying an inland home that is far away from the ocean. Buying a home with your family is something that you should look forward to doing. Homeowners who live in disaster-prone areas often have insurance and other preparations to minimize risk.
Keeping these details in mind when you begin looking at where you want to buy a home will help you choose a location that feel confident about as a homeowner.