Looking at buying a new property? As an astute buyer, you will probably have a list of things to check out before you make your offer such as council records, water tightness issues and a building report.
However, many people miss out one very important subject… the property’s susceptibility to natural hazards. And in a country punctuated by everchanging extreme weather patterns, the Earthquake Commission (EQC) has launched a new public education campaign – Home Safe Home? – to inspire home buyers to view a prospective property through a ‘natural hazard lens’.
Buying a home is a critical time for some people to make risk-based decisions, while others might be willing to make additional investments to improve the safety and resilience of their new home. But EQC public education manager Hamish Armstrong says the message is clear; before you buy a home, find out how natural hazards might affect it and what you will need to do to remedy any damage.
“There’s a lot to think about when buying a new home,” Hamish says. “However, top of the list might not be how it will stand up to a natural hazard.
“The campaign is not intended to tell people not to buy a particular home – instead we want to encourage them to be more ‘risk aware’ during the process. We want home buyers to consider actions they might need to take if they’re going to buy it.
“We hope this will continue to improve people’s awareness of the natural hazard risks we face in New Zealand and help home buyers spot the risks that might affect them and their property before they buy.”
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