Coronavirus: how are luxury bunkers whose demand has increased due to the threat of covid-19

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Alive

Larry Hall and Robert Vicino, founders of two companies specializing in the sale of luxury bunkers in the United States, had imagined a different apocalypse.

In their heads they imagined the possibility of a North Korean attack or the beginning of The third world war.

In recent years they have built underground bunkers sealed for their customers with steel armored doors and all mod cons possible to survive a few months or a year.

Now, both entrepreneurs claim that demand for their luxury resorts has soared due to fear of the coronavirus pandemic and claim to receive many more calls a day from interested buyers.

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From Survival Condo, Hall’s company, they assure that now customers buy without even arranging a physical visit to the facilities.

Of course, paying for these complexes is not within everyone’s pocket.

Vivos, Robert Vicino’s company, offers mini bunkers starting at $ 40,000.

At Survival Condo, on the other hand, more luxurious bunkers are advertised for prices reaching $ 4.5 million.

Pools and helicopter ride

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Alive

“Vivos is not just a shelter made of concrete and bulletproof steel doors. It is an alternative plan of ssurvival. A space that will not need to surface for a year, “Dante Vicino, architect of Vivos, a company based in California, United States, tells the BBC.

Vivos boasts having facilities available in the states of Indiana and South Dakota, in the United States, and another large complex in Europe, in Germany.

The one in Europe, as announced on its website, will be the company’s largest underground bunker complex once completed.

Compare it to a modern “Noah’s Ark” and they say that each family will be able to enjoy more than 200 square meters.

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In addition, common areas will include swimming pools, gyms, and theaters, for example.

“Owners will be able to arrive by car or private plane to the nearest airport. There, Vivos helicopters will be deployed to take each owner to their bunker,” they promise on their website.

“They are luxury nuclear bunkers that are designed to provide not only physical protection, but also mental well-being,” said Larry Hall, owner of Survival Condo, in an interview with the BBC in 2017.

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Alive

He also explained that he had spent millions of dollars to provide homes with the necessary characteristics to reside in them for a long period of time.

Among these, water and air filtration systems, alternative energy sources, swimming pools, movie theaters, surgery rooms and, of course, guards guarding the entrances.

Increased demand

“In recent days, inquiries from potential buyers have exploded. But now the calls are different. Buyers are scared and have more urgency for the coronavirus,” Hall tells BBC Mundo.

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“They want to know the available units and their price,” he adds.

The businessman reveals that a buyer recently purchased one of these bunkers without even physically visiting it.

“He called us, we organized a virtual visit and after four days the purchase was closed“, bill.

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Survival Condo

However, the economic crisis associated with the coronavirus pandemic does not discriminate and is also affecting the privileged pockets of Survival Condo clients.

“Many of the clients are not in a position to buy right now. First they need the stock market to recover or sell a property to deal with the acquisition. It’s frustrating, nor can we offer financing for everyone, “laments Hall.

Vicino also claims that inquiries about his bunkers have increased.

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However, he says that his clients’ economic profile is not limited to that smaller percentage of people with high incomes, but that middle-class people have also contacted him.

“Our clients they are neither paranoid about the apocalypse nor do they belong to the 1% of the economic elite. They are educated people who want to take care of their families in the midst of current global events, “explains Vicino.

A plan B

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Survival Condo

“Alive is Plan B of all clients who want a refuge because they fear the world will break apart due to the threat of a plague, an attack by North Korea or a Third World War with Russia and China,” says Vicino.

The businessman compares owning a bunker with car or life insurance.

“You think you’re paying for something you don’t need, but when you need it it’s something that is priceless“he assures.

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“Some owners of our bunkers have already warned us that, given measures of total confinement, violence or scarcity, they prefer to spend a season here than in their first residences,” says Hall.

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Survival Condo

For the owner of Survival Condo, regardless of whether or not they have a bunker, it is very important that each house has food and medicine supplies for each family member for at least a few months.

“Many governments in the world have huge and deep bunkers for their officials and the elite, but not for the rest of us,” says Vicino.

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The architect, on the other hand, recognizes that your business may spark skepticism for taking advantage of your clients’ fear.

“Everyone will believe in the need for this when it is too late to find a solution,” he says.

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