5.4-Mag. Earthquake in S. California, How Will this Effect Appraisers?

[Eli Weiss]

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A strong earthquake shook Southern California on Tuesday, causing buildings to sway and triggering some precautionary evacuations. No immediate damage was reported.
The jolt was felt from Los Angeles to San Diego, and slightly in Las Vegas.

Preliminary information from the U.S. Geological Survey estimated the quake at magnitude 5.8, centered 29 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles near Chino Hills in San Bernardino County. Ten aftershocks occurred in the next dozen minutes, including three estimated at 3.8, and the U.S. Geological Survey estimated the quake was about 8 miles below the earth's surface.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D927MVFO1&show_article=1

How does this effect appraisers in the areas that were hit, do you add a disclaimer in the addendum, to prevent any potential liability on structural damage?

 

[Gregory Beck]

I would think California appraisers will be busy. Living in Florida after a hurricane we're always busy.

 

[Eli Weiss]

I'm told the cellphone and internet service is down in many areas, so it might take a while for California AF members to reply...

 

[OCApp]

Don't know what effect it will have. I'm about 25 or 30 miles south of it and didn't even feel it. Heard about it on CNBC though.

 

[David Beasley]

I would think California appraisers will be busy. Living in Florida after a hurricane we're always busy.

Amen Gregory. Same thing here in NC when get at Cat 3 inland as far as say Raleigh.

Fran '96 was a bear. I lived in Chapel Hill NC at the time (West of Raleigh) and we were without power for 10 solid days. Every person I know had trees down, and fully ¾ of them had trees down on their homes - including us.

The flooding from Floyd '99 was also catastrophic, but that flooding didn't make it into my area. I bet the appraisers from just East of me to the Coast were busy for at least a year after that though. We've been getting updated FEMA maps left and right the past few years due to that one storm.

 

[Smokey Bear]

Sorry, but a 5.4 is a baby quake, minimal to no damage. It's about the equivalent of a heavy truck driving by on a residential street. It's embarassing to have some cell and phone coverage out for such a small quake.

 

[Greg Parker]

Amen Gregory. Same thing here in NC when get at Cat 3 inland as far as say Raleigh.

Fran '96 was a bear. I lived in Chapel Hill NC at the time (West of Raleigh) and we were without power for 10 solid days. Every person I know had trees down, and fully ¾ of them had trees down on their homes - including us.

The flooding from Floyd '99 was also catastrophic, but that flooding didn't make it into my area. I bet the appraisers from just East of me to the Coast were busy for at least a year after that though. We've been getting updated FEMA maps left and right the past few years due to that one storm.

We lost our first house to Hurricane Floyd flooding in Pennsylvania. I was not an appraiser during Floyd, was still in my old career and working part time as a trainee. Wife was appraising then, and she was busy after that. I know in our county at least for close to three years after that, we were forever having to add a statement in that the subject neighborhood was not hit by the flooding.

 

[TJSum]

Sorry, but a 5.4 is a baby quake, minimal to no damage. It's about the equivalent of a heavy truck driving by on a residential street. It's embarassing to have some cell and phone coverage out for such a small quake.

The media (CNN-FOX-MSNBC) sure got all excited, from us East Coasters we figured California had pretty much fallen into the sea... Geez, it is not like the media to blow things out of proportion...

 

[Matt Lemansky]

I felt it pretty good at my place...rocked the house and knocked some things off shelves. The only issue is cell service right now...based on what I'm seeing on the news it looks like there was very little damage.

 

[Eli Weiss]

Matt, I'm glad you are OK, although damage appears mostly minor, many experienced burst water pipes and flooding...