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Homebuyers and wildfire risk: A Colorado Springs case study

Formally Refereed

Abstract

In recent years, the threat that wildfire poses to homes has received much attention in both the mainstream press and academic literature. However, little is known about how homebuyers consider wildfire risk during the home-purchase process. In the context of a unique wildfire education program, we consider two approaches to examining the relationship between wildfire risk and home purchases. Results from a market-level analysis using home sales price data are compared to household survey results. The household survey validates the market-level analysis and provides further insight into homebuyers and wildfire risk. Specifically, we find that while homebuyers prefer locations near dangerous topography, they also prefer less flammable building materials. However, most homebuyers were unaware of wildfire risk when they made their home-purchase decisions.

Keywords

economics, environmental attitudes and concerns, hedonic price model, homebuyers, human behavior in the environment, survey methods, wildfire

Citation

Champ, Patricia Ann; Donovan, Geoffrey H.; Barth, Christopher M. 2010. Homebuyers and wildfire risk: a Colorado Springs case study. Society and Natural Resources. 23: 58-70.
Citations
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/34714