For most French people, acquiring a primary residence is the project of a lifetime. So it is better to avoid betting on a property exposed to major natural risks, otherwise you will have to carry out work which sometimes costs several tens of thousands of euros. But it is often difficult for buyers to obtain all the information to avoid unpleasant surprises. In order to overcome this problem, the company Dangers-Habitat launched an online tool in September which analyzes hundreds of factual parameters relating to the risks of a property. With this system, a future buyer can obtain a complete report on environmental risks (earthquakes, landslides, floods, etc.) and security risks (burglaries, fires) from a simple address.
“With global warming, more and more real estate is exposed to major riskssuch as rising water levels or a risk of fireexplains Julien Sornay, co-founder of Dangers-Habitat. But in France, no diagnostician informs buyers about the quality of a home in the face of climatic dangers. We therefore decided to create a tool to allow buyers to secure their investment.”
But how does it work ? The future buyer is invited to enter the address of the property on the Dangers-Habitat website. In a few minutes, he receives a free report on the environmental risks of housing. Mentioned in particular are possible seismic risks, nearby nuclear sites, landslide zones, risks of drought or even erosion. The report thus informs the purchaser of the security level of the accommodation. This data is in theory accessible on public sites but it is very difficult to compile and analyze, so the tool saves buyers time.
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In addition to free information concerning natural risks, Dangers-Habitat also offers buyers the opportunity to obtain a much more detailed report which includes information related to safety, fire risk, or even the probability of water damage. . Future buyers can in particular be informed of the burglary rate in the area where the accommodation is located, the effectiveness of its alarm system, the quality of the electrical installation or even the materials used for the construction of the property.
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The report also mentions information that may seem insignificant at first glance, but which can prove very useful. For example, the tool notifies the buyer of the possible presence of large trees (more than eight meters) near the home, which could fall on the home in the event of a storm and cause damage. Areas prone to forest fires are also mentioned, if they are located close to the home. More than 80 pieces of data are thus analyzed and transmitted to the buyer.
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It remains to address the question of the cost of this service for the buyer. The complete report on the risks of a home is billed at 39.90 euros per unit. Dangers-Habitat also offers a “purchase project” formula at 99.90 euros, which includes a detailed report for three different properties. “These prices may seem high, but the investment remains moderate compared to the price of a property and the consequences of a possible risk on housing», explains Julien Sornay. In addition, the home risk report can allow you to negotiate your home insurance premium down. In fact, in most cases, insurers set their rates based on information provided by the owner.
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