Never Lived in the Midewst Before? Consider This!

Ok, so you're relocating to Scott Air Force Base and you've never lived in the Midwest. Here is something you may want to consider before you start looking at properties...

I'm originally from Virginia and never realized how important a basement is in this area. It's really incredible how quickly Spring weather can turn tornadic, but it happens pretty much every year. Residents of East Belleville and Shiloh, IL experience a small tornado in May, 2002 that resulted in many homes sustaining significant damage. Whiteside Middle School was among the targets of the tornado where more than $1 Million in damage was done. Read about it here.

In any case, what you want to consider before you start looking at homes is customizing your search to include homes that have basements. Where will you go when you hear those tornado sirens? If you don't have a basement, an interior room is best, but it's not nearly the protection you'll need in a bad storm. If someone tells you that your chances of getting hit are so low that you shouldn't worry about it, think again. There are more than 30 families in Villa Madero who where either thankful they had a basement or lamented its absence at the time the tornado hit.

Incidentally, in this particular case, I lived across the street from Villa Madero the night the tornado hit. I vividly remember going outside after the super cell passed overhead to be greeted by a BEAUTIFUL, bright moon and a very clear sky...so goes mother nature. Wild and tempestuous one moment, calm the next. It wasn't long after that that we started to hear helicopters, sirens, etc. What a night that was!

One final word of encouragement. Tornadoes in this area are sporadic. There have been some doozies, though, as you can see when you click here. My final advice: Buy a home with a basement, no matter what.

If you're thinking of relocating to Scott Air Force Base, or for information on communities, schools or homes for sale in O'Fallon, Belleville, Shiolh, IL and other communities that surround Scott Air Force Base, please go to www.RelocateToScottAirForceBase.com