No Day At The Beach: Coastal Homes Are At Risk From Flooding

By CHUCK GREEN In upcoming decades, U.S. homeowners in areas along coastlines could be up the proverbial creek. Sea level rise, along with changing storm patterns, could result in flooding that severely damages homes in many coastal areas. Especially vulnerable, according to estimates, are the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Carolinas, and the Washington, DC, area. In 2018, the Union of Concerned Scientists hoisted warning flags when it released an interactive map that showed the estimated number of homes at risk for chronic flooding in the coming decades due to sea level rise. That year, the group reported that burgeoning sea level rise – fueled mainly by climate change – was projected to exacerbate tidal flooding in the country. Within…

Homebuyers Increasingly Worried About Natural Disasters

More than half of respondents to a Realtor.com survey said they considered natural disasters when deciding where to live. Millennials and Gen Z were particularly wary of potential disasters when choosing a home. Disaster fears have grown over the last five years, with 47% of homeowners becoming more concerned over time. Of current homeowners, 62% expressed fears about the threat of natural disasters to their homes. The most concerned demographics were recent buyers, Millennials, Gen X, and urban homeowners. These groups also reported the most growth in their fears over the last five years. Baby Boomers, the Silent Generation, and rural homeowners weren’t as worried overall; half said they weren’t concerned at all. More than half of Millennial and Gen…