{"id":173601,"date":"2024-06-10T14:15:16","date_gmt":"2024-06-10T20:15:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/?p=173601"},"modified":"2024-08-06T14:11:25","modified_gmt":"2024-08-06T20:11:25","slug":"14-cities-facing-highest-property-damage-risk-during-hurricane-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/14-cities-facing-highest-property-damage-risk-during-hurricane-season","title":{"rendered":"14 Cities With the Highest Risk of Storm Damage This Hurricane Season\u2014How Can You Protect Your Property?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n      <iframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/playlist.megaphone.fm\/?e=BIGPOC3215322465\" width=\"100%\"><\/iframe>\r\n  \n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2024 Atlantic h<span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">urricane season is beginning to ramp up. Hurricane Debby recently made landfall, bringing heavy rain and wind to parts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. has started, and forecasts are not looking good. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The season <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">is expected<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> to be very busy and possibly top the record books for the number of storms named. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts there could be as many as <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.noaa.gov\/news-release\/noaa-predicts-above-normal-2024-atlantic-hurricane-season#:~:text=NOAA&#039;s%20outlook%20for%20the%202024,of%2039%20mph%20or%20higher).\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">25 total storms<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, with eight to 13 becoming hurricanes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Metro Areas Most at Risk of Hurricane and Storm Surges<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">According to analytics company CoreLogic, more than <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.corelogic.com\/press-releases\/corelogic-estimates-32-7-million-homes-at-risk-of-hurricane-damage-ahead-of-another-forecasted-active-hurricane-season\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">32.7 million homes<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> from Texas to Maine are at risk of hurricane damage this year.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">While it\u2019s impossible to know exactly who will be impacted this hurricane season, some areas could be harder hit than others, while not all homes will experience a total loss. Some could be damaged by flooding and storm surges, and others by wind.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.corelogic.com\/intelligence\/2024-corelogic-hurricane-risk-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">CoreLogic\u2019s 2024 Hurricane Risk Report<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> identified the areas most at risk of damage from hurricane winds and storm surges. Areas with high population density in low-lying coastal areas are most at risk. However, how much a property could be damaged depends on various factors, such as elevation changes and any barriers to block water from moving inland.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s important to remember that while most initial damage occurs in coastal markets as the storms make landfall, the impacts can still be felt hundreds of miles away\u2014either up the coast or inland. For example, Debby is expected to drop 20 to 25 inches of rain in some areas. Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina, each received <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/weather\/live-news\/tropical-storm-debby-08-06-24#h_ef803be5e32f02fe9172773775563ace\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">more than a month&#8217;s worth of rain<\/a> in just one day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With that in mind, h<span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">ere\u2019s a look at places with the most risk of damage from hurricane winds, as well as the reconstruction value from such phenomena.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-regular\"><table><thead><tr><th>Metro Area<\/th><th>Number of homes at moderate or greater risk to hurricane winds<\/th><th>Reconstruction value (in billions)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>New York, New York<\/td><td>3,765,489<\/td><td>$1.961<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania<\/td><td>1,657,757<\/td><td>$703.6<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Houston, Texas<\/td><td>2,092,308<\/td><td>$671.3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Boston, Massachusetts<\/td><td>1,347,819<\/td><td>$669.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Miami, Florida<\/td><td>2,048,827<\/td><td>$511.4<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Tampa, Florida<\/td><td>1,107,320<\/td><td>$294.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Providence, Rhode Island<\/td><td>483,033<\/td><td>$211.7<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Virginia Beach, Virginia<\/td><td>583,928<\/td><td>$186.4<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Jacksonville, Florida<\/td><td>580,352<\/td><td>$167.9<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Richmond, Virginia<\/td><td>435,597<\/td><td>$153.6<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Hartford, Connecticut<\/td><td>353,537<\/td><td>$150.3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Bridgeport, Connecticut<\/td><td>212,853<\/td><td>$135.8<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>New Orleans, Louisiana<\/td><td>442,099<\/td><td>$135.1<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>North Port, Florida<\/td><td>398,672<\/td><td>$107.7<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Many <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">of the<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> metro areas with the most at-risk homes also tend to be in <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">areas<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">that are<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> familiar with hurricane damage.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Hurricane Sandy, for example, caused an estimated <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nyc.gov\/site\/cdbgdr\/hurricane-sandy\/hurricane-sandy.page#:~:text=The%20storm%20resulted%20in%20the,New%20Yorkers%20were%20temporarily%20displaced.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$19 billion<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> in damages and lost economic activity across New York City in 2012. As the most densely populated city in the U.S., it\u2019s not a surprise that it tops the list of <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the most<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> homes at risk of damage from storm surges and hurricane winds.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Here\u2019s a look at those places most likely to see coastal flooding, as well as the reconstruction value.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-regular\"><table><thead><tr><th><\/th><th>Number of homes at moderate or greater risk to storm surge<\/th><th>Reconstruction value (in billions)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>New York, New York<\/td><td>878,226<\/td><td>$415.4<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Virginia Beach, Virginia<\/td><td>396,843<\/td><td>$124.8<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Miami, Florida<\/td><td>509,133<\/td><td>$124.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Tampa, Florida<\/td><td>448,013<\/td><td>$109.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>New Orleans, Louisiana<\/td><td>320,908<\/td><td>$99.3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cape Coral, Florida<\/td><td>318,004<\/td><td>$78.4<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>North Port, Florida<\/td><td>254,218<\/td><td>$64.6<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Boston, Massachusetts<\/td><td>148,005<\/td><td>$59.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Naples, Florida<\/td><td>196,454<\/td><td>$54.9<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Charleston, South Carolina<\/td><td>148,987<\/td><td>$53.3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Houston, Texas<\/td><td>192,937<\/td><td>$52.6<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Jacksonville, Florida<\/td><td>154,177<\/td><td>$46.1<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania<\/td><td>120,426<\/td><td>$42.1<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Salisbury, Maryland<\/td><td>138,295<\/td><td>$40.9<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Other metro areas, such as Miami and Houston, are <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">also<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> familiar with hurricanes. According to NOAA\u2019s historical trackers, there have been 48 and 28 hurricanes within 60 nautical miles of Miami and Houston\u2019s counties since the beginning of the 20th century.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">How to Protect Your Property During Hurricane Season<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For homeowners and real estate investors who own property in areas that are more prone to hurricane and storm damage, it\u2019s essential to understand and know the risks these storms present to your property, Maiclaire Bolton-Smith, vice president of hazard and risk management at CoreLogic, told BiggerPockets. \u201cWhen you know your risk, you can accelerate your recovery,\u201d she added.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">She added that the other key to preparing is to understand your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.BiggerPockets.com\/landlordinsurance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">insurance policy<\/a>, knowing what is covered and what isn\u2019t. For example, flood insurance is not mandatory unless the property is mortgaged and in a FEMA-designated flood zone. If a property is damaged by flooding and isn\u2019t covered, you could end up footing the bill yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cAs we have seen from events like Hurricane Harvey in 2017, flooding damage can be extreme and often not limited to designated flood zones, so understanding what is covered is critical. That\u2019s not something you want to <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">find out<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> after a home has sustained hurricane damage,\u201d Bolton-Smith said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Besides<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> insurance, you can also fortify your home, such as making sure the roof is in good condition and there are no loose shingles, as well as ensuring there are no large trees or other items that could damage <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">your home, she added<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Does It Still Make Sense to Buy In Areas Prone to Climate Disasters?&nbsp;<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Hurricanes and other climate disasters have been more frequent and extreme in recent years. This increases the risk of potential property damage and costs\u2014and has caused insurance premiums to <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/insurance-premiums-to-reach-record-highs-in-2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">skyrocket<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> in many areas. And it seems that this trend will only get worse, with as many as <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/cities-in-these-areas-are-facing-higher-insurance-costs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">40 million homes at risk<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> of a spike in insurance premiums.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cThe reality is, risk of some kind is present in most places,\u201d said Bolton-Smith. She lives in California, which faces both earthquake and wildfire risks. And while it&#8217;s unlikely a hurricane would hit every area mentioned in CoreLogic\u2019s report, there is a chance of multiple disaster events in one year.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Still, technology and building codes have greatly improved to ensure that homes <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">are fortified<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> against risk, such as with <\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/homes-built-with-magnesium-siding-are-fire-resistant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">magnesium siding<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> or reinforced doors and windows.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Ultimately, \u201cI think it comes down to understanding the potential risk and deciding whether you\u2019re comfortable with it and knowing what resources you have to mitigate it,\u201d Bolton-Smith said.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n    \n  <div id=\"visibility-group-block_ec95967285cbd556d6000fd692de05ae\" class=\"visibility-group  hidden\">\n        \n\n<div id=\"hero-block_2ed1c09283366ea3fc24b31ada815cd4\" class=\"first:mt-0 hero-block py-4  alignwide   has-background has-theme-gold-light-background-color has-text-color has-theme-gold-color\">\n    <div\n        class=\" flex flex-wrap lg:flex-nowrap max-w-screen-xl mx-auto px-4 relative lg:items-center \">\n\n        <div class=\"relative z-30 w-full \">\n            <main class=\"py-4\">\n                \n\n<p class=\"has-theme-gold-color has-text-color has-large-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:800\">Get the Best Loan Today<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-3 md:my-5 lg:my-8 has-slate-900-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Find trusted, <em><strong>investor-friendly<\/strong><\/em> lenders who specialize in your strategy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=button-custom-event-block_410fdf9b25d78f5cfbbd8353d4564322 class='button-custom-event'>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/business\/finder\/lenders\" x-on:click=\"window.analytics.track(&#039;Blog Block | B2C Marketplace Lender Finder&#039;, {\n      referrer: &#039;https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/14-cities-facing-highest-property-damage-risk-during-hurricane-season&#039;,\n    });\" class=\" btn-shape inline-block no-underline has-background has-theme-gold-background-color has-text-color has-white-color\" target=\"_blank\">Find a Lender<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n\n            <\/main>\n        <\/div>\n\n                <div class=\" first:mt-0 relative h-full lg:flex lg:items-center\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"object-cover w-full relative z-20 my-0  rounded-md hidden lg:block\" src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Marketplace-Blog-Blocks-Lender-v3.png\" alt=\"investor friendly lender, investor friendly real estate loans\" title=\"\">\n        <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n  \n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n    \n  <div id=\"visibility-group-block_64dd31c79f00f\" class=\"visibility-group  \">\n        \n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"hero-block_64dd2875dba9d\" class=\"first:mt-0 hero-block py-4    has-background has-slate-100-background-color has-text-color has-theme-slate-color\">\n    <div\n        class=\" flex flex-wrap lg:flex-nowrap max-w-screen-xl mx-auto px-4 relative lg:items-center \">\n\n        <div class=\"relative z-30 w-full \">\n            <main class=\"py-4\">\n                \n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading my-0 tracking-tight font-extrabold has-theme-slate-dark-color has-text-color has-large-font-size\">Join the community<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-3 md:my-5 lg:my-8 has-theme-slate-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400\">Ready to succeed in real estate investing? Create a free BiggerPockets account to learn about investment strategies; ask questions and get answers from our community of +2 million members; connect with investor-friendly agents; and so much more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=button-custom-event-block_64dd2888dba9e class='button-custom-event'>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/signup\" x-on:click=\"window.analytics.track(&#039;Blog Block | Acquisition | Free Membership Signup&#039;, {\n      referrer: &#039;https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/14-cities-facing-highest-property-damage-risk-during-hurricane-season&#039;,\n    });\" class=\" btn-shape inline-block no-underline has-background has-theme-blue-background-color has-text-color has-white-color\" target=\"_blank\">Sign Up<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n\n            <\/main>\n        <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div>\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>More than 32.7 million homes from Texas to Maine are at risk of hurricane damage this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":613681,"featured_media":173603,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,7119],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-173601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-estate-trends","category-biggerpockets-daily"],"acf":[],"comment_count":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/173601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/613681"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=173601"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/173601\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/173603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=173601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=173601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=173601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}