Apartment or House (to rent, houses, transfer)

[jamoeorjoe]

Looking to relocate in the area. Husband will be transferring his job. Never lived in an area with hurricanes so trying to prepare in advance about a place to live.

Would we be better off (safer) in an apartment or a house? Secondly, if an apartment is the answer- would we be better off on the ground level or an upper level?

Looking to rent, at first. Once we have lived there we will later find a place to buy. Thanks in advance for any help with this decision of apartment vs house.

[beachmouse]

Age of property and location are more important than single family or multifamily. In terms of age, there were big building code changes after Andrew that got fully phased in around 2001, so that's one area where newer construction is better, even if it seems a bit generic.

As for flood maps, avoid barrier islands in general, and googling for Escambia County flood zone or Santa Rosa County flood map will give you good information not only on surge zones but also whether nearby bayous, rivers, and streams are prone to flooding when we get one of our ordinary stalled front 10+ inches of rain events.

[ncnittany]

What's your concern? Protecting your life or your property? The difference between an apartment or house will likely matter very little during a major storm. Evacuate and take your valuables with you.

[southernnaturelover]

You have to consider, those older houses have withstood many hurricanes, and survived just fine. Most damage is usually caused by downed trees or flooding.

[Bayouliving]

I don't think there's much difference in safety whether you're in an apartment or house. It's the location that matters the most. The closer to the water, the more risk. Just be smart and evacuate when told to do so.