Americans are moving into areas with higher risks of intense storms, flooding and extreme heat, according to Redfin's 10 Hottest Neighborhoods of 2022 report, which found eight of the top 10 most popular neighborhoods for relocations are in Florida. "People who are set on moving to Florida have to take the bad with the good; hurricanes are just part of life here," Eric Auciello, a Florida-based Redfin real estate agent, said in a release. "It's a growing concern for a lot of Floridians, but especially those in communities with aging infrastructure since older buildings are more likely to crumble and have drainage problems when flooding occurs. Flood insurance has also become astronomically expensive, which means we may start to see even more cash buyers than normal because homeowners without mortgages aren't required to have flood insurance." As noted, Florida cities have become popular destinations. This rings specifically true for the Sarasota metro area, which features predominately on the list. This news comes are some are saying the homeowners insurance market in the Sunshine State has reached a "crisis level." "The Sarasota area has changed radically over the past year, " Auciello said. "Many of the towns surrounding Sarasota are exploding in popularity because so many people are getting priced out of Sarasota proper or moving in from out of state to work remotely and take advantage of the sunshine, low taxes and relative affordability. A lot of the neighborhoods house hunters are flocking to have historically been retirement communities but are becoming younger with all of the first-time buyers and early retirees moving in." Neighborhoods in and around metropolitan Sarasota are also gaining steam because more Americans retire, according to Redfin, which noted 3 million Americans have retired early due to the pandemic. The above slideshow reveals the 10 hottest neighborhoods at the start of 2022, according to Redfin. Related: |