This fictional former nuclear bunker offers its wealthy members an underground retreat with medical facilities, food supplies and of course plenty of weapons.

Prospects is not predicting an imminent world war, catastrophic financial meltdown or zombie apocalypse, but it is not just hedge fund billionaires who need a safe space against potential political and economic disasters. Here we suggest five real estate strategies for investors who foresee the need for a bolt hole.

Over the hills and far away

Venture capitalist Peter Thiel became a New Zealand citizen in 2011, partially in order to be able to buy a country estate there, a 193 ha tract near Wanaka, South Island. Other US billionaires are reported to have bought New Zealand property, attracted by the country’s remoteness and the potential to be self-sufficient. New restrictions on foreign property investment may be a barrier, but reports suggest these can be bypassed. After all, Thiel became a citizen despite having only spent 12 days in New Zealand.

Canada’s wild open spaces are also popular with survivalists or ‘preppers’ actively preparing for disaster, and also with people seeking to live greener lives. There are plenty of off-grid homes on the market, which are not dependent on municipal power or water supplies.

Your own private island

Where better to keep away from the travails of the world and indulge your James Bond villain fantasies than a private island? Island ownership is not just open to billionaires, smaller islands can be picked up for less than $250,000. However, buyers ought to consider the cost of constructing a house, dock and underwater lair. Other considerations are supplies of power and fresh water, and whether the island could be self-sufficient in terms of food. It is also worth remembering that many idyllic islands in the Indian or Pacific oceans are in the path of seasonal storms and only a few feet above sea level.

Safe houses

If you don’t fancy heading into the wild and start hyperventilating at the thought of living deep underground, you might consider an ultra-secure home with panic rooms, back-up power and security. For example, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un’s Ryongsong Residence in Pyongyang is protected by an electric fence, minefields and army units.

The $15m Rice House, just outside Atlanta is said to be the safest home in the United States, with a watchtower, 15,000 sq ft bunker, off-grid power and its own well. For those with a smaller budget, all new homes in Singapore have been required to have a bomb shelter since 1996. Just don’t do what everyone else does and fill it with junk!

The nuclear option

The end of the Cold War saw large numbers of nuclear facilities all over the world decommissioned and many are now in private hands or available to buy. UK estate agent Griffiths Eccles has been marketing a former nuclear bunker in Sweden with 22 acres of land and 108,000 sq ft of underground space, protected by a granite mountain. It has hydroelectric power, air filtration and water from underground springs and is on the market for £25m.

Bargain hunters might prefer a Vivos underground shelter, available on a 99-year lease for $25,000, plus the cost of fit-out. Vivos owns 575 concrete bunkers in South Dakota, which it has developed as “the largest survival community on earth”. So there will always be someone around to lend you a hand or a spare magazine for your AK47…

Don’t take sides

If you can’t find or can’t afford a safe property, a sensible alternative might be to move to a safe country. The Global Peace Index ranks countries according to their involvement in wars, levels of crime and political stability.

Iceland has topped the index for the past eight years which, added to its remoteness and island nature, must make it a prime pick for safety-conscious investors. Citizens of the European Economic Area may buy property, while other potential buyers need to seek state approval. Singapore is the highest ranked Asian country and is eighth placed overall, followed by Japan, which has fallen down the rankings due to an increase in military spending and rows with China.

Do bear in mind the words of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States. “The rights of neutrality will only be respected, when they are defended by an adequate power.”

Further reading:
Survivalism
The Rice House Atlanta
Private Islands Inc.
Vivos
Vision of Humanity