Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you’ll likely make in your life, so it’s important to protect your property from natural disasters. This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts an above-average hurricane season—and with the season officially beginning this Thursday, June 1, there are several precautionary measures to take within the next couple of days to prepare your home. Here are our recommendations.

1. Assess your home’s potential risk: Assess your home’s risk to a hurricane, heavy winds, and possible flooding. A variety of online hazard and vulnerability assessment tools are available online, including FEMA’s Map Portal and FloodSmart.gov.
2. Review your home’s insurance policies: Especially if this is your first time enduring hurricane season as a homeowner, it’s important to double check that your home’s insurance will cover the complete cost of rebuilding your home after a storm. Building costs are constantly rising, so this could save you tons of money in the long run.
3. Ensure that you have flood insurance: Most mortgage loan transactions require you to purchase flood insurance, so make sure that it is not going to lapse within the upcoming months. If you do not have this type of protection, talk to your local insurance agent to see if it would be a good investment for your location.
4. Make copies of ownership documents: If a hurricane levels your home, you’re still going to have to prove that the property is yours. The easiest way to keep track of this proof is by storing copies of such documentation in a safe location or hurricane preparation kit.
5. Create your hurricane preparation plan: Before a hurricane strikes, you want your home to be as secure as possible. Some preparation steps to include on your list are inspecting and sealing your roof, securing porches, sealing windows and doors, patching holes in the home, clearing the lawn, and safeguarding your garage door.

Although these suggestions on how to prepare your home for hurricane season are crucial to protecting your home from a storm, it’s important to remember your personal safety is more important.

“If the order comes to evacuate, you evacuate,” stated Julie Rochman, President and CEO of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. “You’re not going to stay home and hold onto the doorknob and hold the door closed. You want to go having done the things you should have done so there’s a good chance when you return that your house is in good shape.”

Of course, it’s difficult to determine the exact impact the storm will have on an area—so make sure you’re protected before the season begins. For more information on preparing your home for hurricane season, or to learn more about home financing options, contact one of our mortgage specialists today.