Earthquake hazard factor in Pacific Northwest
Hi everyone,
I have recently become very interested in moving the pacific northwest to invest in buy-and-hold properties long term. I am particularly interested in the Portland and Vancouver areas as well as other places in Washington state and Oregon, including Seattle. These states and metro areas seem both like a nice place to live long term (10, 20+ years) as well as invest.
I got particularly interested in Vancouver for tax reasons, but then realized it is located next to several active volcanoes (Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Ranier, Mt. Hood...). I started looking into what risk volcanic activity might pose, and then started investigating the earthquake hazards in the region more generally.
Considering I am planning on holding properties in the area for decades it seems like a real factor to consider. Earthquake and tsunami risk aside even just having tons of ash dumped on numerous properties sounds devastating. I have read as well that insurers in the area typically won't insure against such hazards.
Anyway, I imagine I will get a mixed response here, but I am very curious what people more familiar with the area and the risks have to say. How much of a factor would these hazards be in a long-term investment strategy in the region?