Bunkers for the Next Generation

Little holes to hide in are getting a little play in the news. The latest is in the LA Times where they profile a new condominium style of survival bunker.

But this brings up a great point. Back in the 50's and 60's, folks were digging holes in their back yards, but today we are talking condo bunkers! How the world has changed. With change comes opportunity.

There are other things to think about. Imagine what happens when the value drops out of the condo bunker market like it did for regular condos? Should you wait for adjustable mortgage rates to skyrocket and shop for a bunker in foreclosure? Wouldn't it be better to pick up maybe even a bunker that was ceased from a paranoid drug lord?

The only question you should ask is how long you should wait? A good deal on a bunker, condo-based or just a reconditioned missile silo, may not be worth waiting for. The end of the world could be here any second now and saving a couple of dimes now isn't going to help when dimes are no longer in fashion.

Another interesting notion is that people are putting down deposits on these bunker condos. The deposits are about what you would expect for an average condo, so fairly reasonable.

What about resale value? This could be another fly in the radioactive ointment for condo bunkers. Condos on the beach can go for a million dollars or more. A condo in Barstow California is not going to pull that kind of value. Condos with a great view will also garner a bigger value and being a bunker, there are no windows that far underground to have any view. Your depth underground could be part of the value, but that hardly matters when a young married couple is looking for their first home.

Another issue is getting to your bunker. One of the genius bits of a condo bunker is that they are built out of harm's way in the middle of the dessert. That also means low cost of land, soft sand to dig into, and far away from foot traffic if zombies start roaming the earth. The downside is that you can't get to your bunker unless you have a decent warning. Easy freeway access is just as important to a condo bunker as it is with any other real estate property.

I think this condo bunker is a bit of a fad anyway. Can you imagine living through the end of the world with a bunch of people so paranoid that they bought a condo bunker? It isn't like these are going to be artists, novelists, and scientists. More likely they are paranoid, delusional, and lucky that they got a spot in the condo before the condo association fees got too expensive. Can you imagine the home owner association meetings? A bunch of people screaming that the end is nigh and waving Bibles. Nothing would ever get done.

My recommendation is to just dig a hole in the back yard. Build your own bunker. Disguise it as your combination wine cellar and tornado shelter. You'll only have to worry about living out Armageddon with your family and not a bunch of crazy strangers. Best of all, you will have a great place to store your wine!