Past
What happened here before?
Look for movement, flooding, erosion, repairs, stabilization and previous insurance or permitting issues.
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Jenni Peterson FieldworkJenni Peterson • field notes on property due diligence
The hidden
cost of the view.
A field guide to coastal geology, land risk & property due diligence.
01 / 14
The property behind the photograph
The more valuable the property, the more important it becomes to understand the conditions you cannot see.
A house is supported by land. Land interacts with water. Water interacts with slopes, shorelines and drainage. Roads, utilities, retaining structures and insurance connect the physical property to a larger system.
A way of seeing
Think in three
time frames.
Good due diligence does not eliminate uncertainty. It makes uncertainty visible.
Present
What evidence exists today?
Separate visible conditions from assumptions and identify what needs professional confirmation.
Future
What could become more expensive?
Consider maintenance, changing conditions, regulatory limits and the cost of insurability.
Inside the guide
The chapter
docket.
Start with the chapter that matches the property's main exposure, then use the toolkit.
01The Anatomy of Moving GroundSettlement, creep, lateral movement, landsliding02Water Is Often the TriggerRunoff, drainage paths, saturation, seasonal behavior03Coastal Erosion and the Moving EdgeShoreline history, bluff retreat, exposure04Hillsides, Slopes and LandslidesGeometry, gravity, access, and warning signs05Engineering: Protection Is Not PermanenceRetaining walls, seawalls, monitoring, maintenance06Insurance, Permits and the Paper TrailExclusions, records, prior repairs, responsibility07Reading the History of a PropertyStorms, changes, incidents, and timelines08When Environmental Risk Becomes Financial RiskPricing, liquidity, carrying cost, decision points09The Risk Outside the Property LineRoads, utilities, neighbors, shared systems10The Decision Before the PurchaseA disciplined final review and escalation path
The questions behind the questions
Replace vague impressions with evidence.
The strongest buyer is not the person who knows every geological term. It is the person who knows which questions must be answered before signing.
01
What supports the foundation?
02
Where does stormwater go?
03
Has the site moved before?
04
What protects it, and who maintains that protection?
05
Open the full field guide ↗What does insurance actually cover?
Keep the evidence close
The complete 80-page field guide.
A practical reference for reading coastal property risk before it becomes an expensive surprise.
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