Buying a Home on the Eve of Destruction: How to Live Comfortably in the Aftermath

I have been assured by multiple sources with increasing frequency over the past few years that modern society is teetering on the brink of collapse. I'm sure that most of you have heard some sort of variation on this theme whether it is the Rapture; the end of the world that the Mayans predicted the end of the world to happen around Dec.21st, 2012; the current economic crisis; global warming; or a zombie invasion. However, what should you do if you're looking to buy a residence while you wait for the apocalypse to occur?

When considering what kind of home to buy on the verge of global catastrophe it is important to consider what sort of end of the world scenario you consider to be most likely. If you anticipate the Rapture being the most likely, then you won't really need to worry about how your house meets your needs AFTER the event—or will you? If you suspect that you would in fact be left behind, then you'll need to decide if it's likely that society would fall in the aftermath before you invest in reinforcing your living space.

If you think that the end of the world is likely to be the Mayan version of the apocalypse then you may want to have a home that has a good potential for residence after the end of the world (at least as you know it). The Mayan "prophecy" of the end of the world is based on a cycle that has the end of the world being followed by the beginning of a new world; it doesn't seem to claim to destroy the entire planet or even all of New Jersey. Since there is such an unknown factor to this prophecy it is best to take the best tips from the other types of world-ending catastrophes and make the best of the situation as best you can.

If you're looking to purchase a residence that can get you through a world-ending economic crisis or end-of-the-world global warming you're probably going to want a more specific type of housing. A post-apocalyptic future like these might result in would best lived in a home with good security features that can keep out wild mobs of feral children or cannibals that will inevitably be roaming the streets of the cities. You will undoubtedly need lots of pantry space and room for a nice big freezer to store enough food to keep you comfortable. It would also be best if your home had some solar capacity for heating water or generating electricity, a composting toilet, and lots of space for a garden. The more off-grid your home is, the more comfortable it would be after the collapse of society because you'd no longer be getting electricity and water from the city.

In what I think is probably the worst-case scenario of them all—a full-scale zombie invasion—there are again going to be some particular aspects of a home that will be of particular benefit to your long term comfort. From watching numerous zombie movies, I know that one of the most important things that you are going to need is a well stocked gun safe and lots of ammo and a flame thrower. It is also worthwhile for this eventuality to take a gun course and practice a bit so that you aren't "that guy" who doesn't know how to work a shotgun; every movie has one of those. You will also want to make sure that the outside doors of your home can be easily made impervious to break in, even from the walking dead; they may be slow, but they are infinitely persistent.

Many homes within your price range are probably going to be at least a decent start to getting prepared; don't discount a house just because it doesn't have a bullet-proof safe room or a rain water cistern, there are many things that can be added to your property at a later time. Look for the potential in the properties that you tour; since the end of the world isn't expected for a few years yet, you will have a little time for construction and stocking up.

For many of these situations it is best to remember that the end of the world can come in many forms, but the better prepared you are, the more comfortable you will be but the more jealous the people next door might be of you. So you may want to help your neighbours prepare for the inevitable as well as making sure that you're prepared for jealous, unprepared people to come knocking on your door as well.