I've been watching HGTV home buying shows and I keep seeing homes in Florida that have front doors that open outward. Is this a Florida thing? What is the reason behind this? I'm dying of curiosity. :|

My brother had a big gator trying to get in his house one day, I will see if he will resend me the pic.

Hurricanes. It's harder to blow "in" if it opens out (so it's stronger).

And I believe Wednesday is the beginning of the 2011 hurricane season. With the way the weather has been in the rest of the country so far this year.......YIKES!!!!

That makes a LOT of sense MTS
I never really thought about this before :D:D:D

Okay, I thought it might be weather related. I sure would want a peephole though...don't like the idea of opening the door outwardly to a stranger (salesperson).

Originaly it was because the gators if there was one at your doorstep you could push it off or keep it closed if it tried to get in, they are very strong

Yikes, gators too! Guess they could push in a door, couldn't they? !!!

To sweep the sand out the door? after you push the alligator out!

I'd lived in Florida most of my life until moving to Alabama last year, and all my front doors that I remember opened in and the screen doors opened out. Yes, hurricane season starts Wed, June 1. Won't miss being in Pensacola for that.

The homes they were showing on HGTV were fairly "new" homes, so maybe this is a new building code??? Maybe other Floridians will weigh in on this question.