LA is one of the riskiest places to lose a home to a natural disaster, report says

(FOX 11) - When it comes to the risk of losing a home to a natural disaster, Los Angeles is third in the nation -- according to a recent report.

A study by Irvine real estate research firm Attom Data Solutions found only Oklahoma City, Okla. and San Jose, Calif. to be more at risk.

The company analyzed more than 3,000 counties and more than 22,000 U.S. cities based on the risk of six natural disasters: earthquakes, floods, hail, hurricane storm surge, tornadoes and wildfires.

Attom also found homes in high-danger zones are more sought out after, with prices in the top 20 percent of hazard-prone areas growing twice as fast over the past five years than those in the bottom 20 percent with the lowest risk.

"Strong demand for homes in high-risk natural hazard areas has helped to accelerate price appreciation in those areas over the past decade despite the potential for devastating damage to homes that can be caused by a natural disaster -- as evidenced by the recent hurricanes that made landfall in Texas and Florida," said Daren Blomquist, senior vice president at ATTOM Data Solutions. "That strong demand is driven largely by economic fundamentals, primarily the presence of good-paying jobs, although the natural beauty that often comes hand-in-hand with high natural hazard risk in these areas is also attractive to many homebuyers.

As for the places considered low risk for losing the home to a natural disaster? Philadelphia, Pa., Phoenix, Ariz., Buffalo, N.Y., Orlando, Fla. and Brooklyn, N.Y. came out on top.

Read the full report here.