Shake-y Shake-y Part 2

OK, now we can turn back to seismic subjects, now that Hurricane Irene has spared my daughter, and the time for earthquake weather is approaching. Though there is little data to support this concept, the especially warm weather that we typically get in September and October often feels a little ominous to me. I guess this is because in my lifetime, both earthquakes and fires have occurred during these periods of stillness or offshore (Diablo- devil) winds that come when the summer fog wall loosens its grip. 

Purdue University

Back to fire danger later. In the context of real estate here and our ongoing bio-geographic risk assessment, the overall message (that most of us have gotten already) is that we live in an earthquake prone locale. "The Bay Area straddles the boundary where two of the Earth’s largest tectonic plates meet and slowly move past one another. When boundary faults break and the North American and Pacific Plates lurch past each other, quakes occur." Most of us have heard of the San Andreas and the Hayward faults, which are the biggies, and there are lots of others. 

KVEC

Earthquake insurance is expensive and limited. Before purchasing property here you'll want to look at the hazard maps for property location. Also look at the foundation and type of construction of the building. Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country, and the Bay Area Governments Earthquake and Hazards Program are worth a look for sure. 

When you are looking at condo's with high HOA dues, find out what they include. Typically they include building insurance among other things. Sometimes they are high due to earthquake insurance, which some buildings do not carry due to high cost and high deductibles.

USGS

Beware especially the brick foundation. If it has not been seismically retrofited, or replaced, you will want to have an engineering inspection done during your inspection period and get an estimate of what it will cost to bring the building up to code. Some homeowners take the opportunity to add a garage when they do this, which adds quite a bit of value, especially in certain neighborhoods. Parking can be so precious, especially in the city, but also on many steep, narrow, twisty roads in Marin. Of course this requires a permit, and is not cheap. 


For now though, wishing you all a safe, restful, fun holiday weekend, sans natural disasters!

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