When buying a home, more matters than price or location: disaster risk. Thorough evaluation before purchase is essential.
Step 1: Research historical data. In the past 50 years, how many times has the area flooded? Earthquake damage? Landslides? For long-term mortgages, this history is crucial for future prediction.
Step 2: Check government hazard maps. Use your city's hazard map portal to check earthquake, tsunami, flood, and landslide risk levels.
Step 3: Evaluate the structure. When was the building built? Before or after major building code revisions (e.g., Japan's 1981 revision)? Older buildings may need reinforcement.
Step 4: Confirm insurance availability. Check if flood and earthquake insurance are available in the area and costs are reasonable. Unavailable areas may indicate high risk.
Step 5: Evaluate different scenarios. If worst-case scenarios (e.g., 100-year major earthquakes) occur, how much damage would the property suffer?