(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

A uthor: Ivis García , Texas A&M University

Picture this: You’re looking to buy a place to live, and you have two options.

Option A is a beautiful home in California near good schools and job opportunities. But it goes for nearly a million dollars – the median California home sells for US$906,500 – and you’d be paying a mortgage that’s risen 82% since January 2020 .

Option B is a similar home in Texas, where the median home costs less than half as much: just $353,700 . The catch? Option B sits in an area with significant hurricane and flood risk.

As a professor of urban planning , I know this isn’t just a hypothetical scenario. It’s the impossible choice mill

See Full Page