South Coast Prime Times - January/February 2022

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We buy your unwanted firearms and accessories. Many households have unwanted firearms that may have belonged to yourself or a family member - and you’d like them legally removed from your home - and earn some cash as well. We come to YOU! For an in-home consultation, please call Bill Bachant (774) 263-3134 or email bgslakeville@gmail.com

www.GunOrphanage.com

Look into the future

Without insight into a new property’s risk for flooding, wildfires, or sea rise damage, millions of homebuyers could end up overpaying for homes that could experience severe natural disasters between now and 2050. Redfin.com and Realtor.com now incorporate climate change risk information in their listings. Go to safehome.org/climate-change-statistics or climatecheck.com. Type in an address or zip code to see a property’s climate risk snapshot – storms, drought, temperature, fire, and flood – over the course of a 30-year mortgage.

impact of climate risk over such a long timeline?” [see sidebar]

Weigh the pros and cons So look before you leap. Investigate the current homeowner insurance costs in the region you’re interested in. Most insurance policies do not cover flood damage, so you may need to take out an expensive flood insurance policy through the government. Remember that any location at elevated risk of natural disasters will see policy premiums skyrocket over time, or even see policies cancelled. And if you can’t afford the proper insurance coverage for your chosen location, start looking for a less vulnerable location. Buying a home is an investment, and the value of your property could fall, which would lead to an increase in property taxes if too many homeowners in the area leave, shrinking the tax base. If you’re still determined to relocate, consider renting for a year so that you can experience all four seasons and learn about the living expenses – and hidden costs – typical of the area.

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S ou th C oast P r ime T imes

J a nuary /F ebruary 2022

There’s no place like home When you start your search, look for the most climate-resilient areas with the lowest risk of floods, droughts, storms, wildfires, and rising sea levels in the coming decades – places like Minnesota, inland New England, Colorado, and the midwestern/northeastern states bordering Canada. And don’t forget that those cold and snowy winters of New England will be warmer in years to come. Despite being partially coastal and subject to hurricanes, the Northeast is identified in many surveys as less likely to be severely impacted by climate change risks when compared to other regions. It may well be that there’s no better region, relatively speaking, than where you live right now.

Elizabeth Morse Read is an awardwinning writer, editor and artist who grew up on the South Coast. After 20 years of working in New York City and traveling the world, she came back home with her children and lives in Fairhaven.


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