Search results for: “wildfire”
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Up in Smoke? Know the Risks of Buying Real Estate in Wildfire Country
Recently, Redfin has been sounding the alarm about a particular real estate trend. People are building in dry areas with high fire risk. This is happening in a decade that’s seen unprecedented losses to fire. The Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) — where builders are active in and near natural lands — is now the fastest…
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Buyer Be Told: More Wildfire Risks for Homes in California—and Beyond
California has changed its laws in wildfire country. Buyers of real estate in in places where the risk of fire is “high” or “very high” will receive information about how the seller cleared the home of surrounding debris, and how the buyer should continue that task, protecting the home from flames and embers. It’s just…
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The Resilient Deed: What Property Buyers Should Know About Climate, Weather, and Insurance
We all live somewhere on Earth. Today, that means we all deal with some measure of climate-related risk. The “new normal” involves highly abnormal weather patterns, stronger storms, hotter heat. Florida, California, and Texas are frequently in the news for this reason. But even “climate havens” now deal with tornadoes and major floods. All this…
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KB Home Introduces Southern California to Its First “Fire-Resilient” Development
“Nothing is ever fireproof. We’re always just seeking to try to narrow those paths of destruction.” — Roy Wright, CEO, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety KB Home, a large real estate developer, has just introduced the first U.S. “wildfire-resilient community.” It’s built to meet a set of standards developed by the Insurance Institute…
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Tariffs and More: What Happens Now With the 2025 Housing Market?
There’s some extra tension in the real estate market. Anyone can sense it. Knowing what’s going on underneath it can help those who hope to acquire a deed this year. Home prices haven’t stopped rising in 2025. Prices could easily go up between 3 and 4 percent more, over the rest of the year. And…
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As Asheville Recovers, Home Buyers Rethink the Whole “Climate Haven” Idea
Asheville, a quaint and popular North Carolina town, has long been known for its welcoming atmosphere and a mild, inviting climate. Indeed, a public radio station once showcased Asheville as winning the real estate stakes of an unsettled climate. It’s now well understood that tropical storms get supercharged by human-driven effects on the atmosphere’s temperatures.…
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Florida Hurricanes Raise a Question: Can We Guard Our Deeds From Climate Losses?
October saw a string of dangerous and deadly storms in Florida. Those who made it through the storms are now cleaning up, in the midst of severe property damage along the Gulf Coast. With Hurricane Milton quickly following Hurricane Helene, Florida homeowners’ insurance adjusters had their hands full. No wonder insurance payouts to Floridians in…
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As Home and Condo Insurers Back Away, What’s a California Deed Holder to Do?
It’s wildfire season in California. You want to buy there, and yet you might have heard reports of homeowners being left stranded by their insurance companies. So you have special concerns about whether you’ll have trouble getting a home or condo owner’s policy. Your concerns are well founded. The California Association of REALTORS® found that…
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What’s the Low-Down on This Housing Market? Harvard Weighs In.
The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard has just published its 2024 State of the Nation’s Housing report. HOUSING COSTS STRAIN OWNERS AND RENTERS ALIKE, the report proclaims. MILLIONS PRICED OUT OF HOMEOWNERSHIP. The headlines say it all, right? While construction is starting to bolster inventories, the new report notes certain persistent issues: record…
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Next Five Years: Predictions for the Housing Market
The U.S. News & World Report has just come out with its housing market predictions. And it has a few zingers. Take a look.
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Indianapolis Rising: Where the Investor Buyers Are Going and Why
Some say the investment boom has fizzled. But mostly, it has changed tactics. Reacting to a sharp increase in the costs of mortgages, investors have shifted away from certain housing markets and into others. Investors are keeping deed recorders very busy in Indianapolis. Suddenly, Milwaukee is feeling the love, too. Columbus, Ohio? Yep, buyers…
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Climate Risks and Insurance: The Struggle Continues
Insurance policies are getting pricier. There is no end in sight. Companies hope to limit payouts for weather damage linked to climate disruption. And so, as floods, storms and fires intensify, homeowners and buyers across the country should brace themselves for more than weather. Companies are shrinking coverage, hiking premiums, and raising deductibles. Something’s got…
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“Unlicensed Appraisal” and Other Stories: How Scam Artists Chase Disaster Victims
After Tropical Storm Hilary blasted the Baja and San Diego regions in mid-August, the Federal Trade Commission urged people to watch for a surge in rip-offs. Opportunists may say they’re performing appraisals, but unless they are licensed appraisers, they lack professional accountability. If they’re improperly doing the work of adjusters, they might be violating state…
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Can I Stop Development (Or Other Nuisances) Near My New Home?
Looking at homes near undeveloped land? Found some real estate with a great view, and perfect privacy? Maybe too perfect, you think. Because it looks like a space developers would love, too. What if they build houses or apartments in that open space? What if you wake up in your newly bought home to the…
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Insurers Hike Prices, Pointing to Climate. Investors See New Opportunities.
With climate change impacting more and more real estate, insurance keeps getting pricier. As we reported last year, mortgage lenders for coastal homes often expect 40% down payments, just to offset the risks. This year, the insurance tech company Policygenius published a study showing U.S. homeowners’ insurance rising at a remarkable 12%+ rate. Among the top…
