Question about flood zones

[383 240z]

I'm looking at a handful of acres to build my new home and shop. The only issue I can find with the property is that some of the acreages are in what is referred to as a "Special Flood Hazard Area, Zone A". The flood zone area is not where I would be building. If the buildings are not in the SFHA do I still need to purchase flood insurance?

I like the property, the views are pretty good. But flood insurance would run between $1400-$4600 a year. I don't like any property that much!

My budget allows for the property at full asking, I can afford to build a house I am proud of along with a decent shop. What I cant do is justify an additional $4600 a year in flood insurance.

Yes, I understand that these questions have important legal ramifications and I should be consulting my insurance broker. It is, however, a holiday weekend and I can't reach anybody. I can't get my head off of this issue. I need to get this budget together so I can relax and enjoy the holiday

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I wouldn't touch property that had any sort of flood rating, but that 's just me.

Tommy

 

[Ralf11]

Flood zones are based on old data - the climate has changed, so flood risk will be worse than expected from the maps.

I am with LS6 on this

 

[bctexas]

I had a property in Florida that bordered on and sloped down toward an empty field. A new subdivision was built on the other side of the field after I built there, and they dumped their runoff into the field. One morning I opened the front door to find water an inch from coming into the house. There was water in my garage. Never got water in the house, but my shed at the back of the property had about a foot. The issue was eventually resolved but short term it killed the property value. The only way I sold that place was that my employer bought it as part of a corporate moving package. If there is any indication that the property has flooding issues, RUN! Flood insurance won't make you feel better if you get your feet we getting out of bed in the morning....

Just my $.02, from which you may get change.....

 

[NUTTSGT]

I wouldn't touch property that had any sort of flood rating, but that 's just me.

Tommy

Id agree with Tommy on this one, unless you were buying it as it abutted property you already owned.

 

[kd3pc]

keep in mind the flood zones change, and the AHJ also changes what has to be mitigated and when and how. Elevation certificate is likely required to build and they can run several $1000 for basic.

FEMA is the government personified and your insurance agent is the only one/middleman between you and them. Most flood insurance claims render your homeowners moot.

The need for flood insurance will screw up almost every offer when it comes time to sell, and the folder on the home will have to be disclosed. That folder is maintained by the insurance industry and has every flood claim the house has had.

 

[ford33]

I would not invest in a flooding area. Keep looking for a better property.

 

[L5wolvesf]

What is the definition of a "Special Flood Hazard Area, Zone A"?

Last time I looked, years ago, here in AZ the flood zones were defined as: 50 year, 100 year. Meaning the area / property was likely to flood once on those time frames.

 

[Chevy-SS]

Banker, insurance broker, lawyer, local building inspector, contractor.... I'd chat up one (or all) of them prior to considering property like this.

Good luck!

 

[greg13]

Here is a link to flood zones.
https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search?

Just because you are in a flood zone does not mean you HAVE to have flood insurance, if you are financing the purchase the LOANER will require it. If you are paying cash no flood insurance is required.

There are ways to work around a build in SOME flood zones. I am in an AE zone and am about to start on my 24x32 pole barn (delayed by death in family), took a little work but I did find a work around.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

Before you "panic" about flood zones on property check the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (aka: FIRMS) at the local municipal or county buildings....... These are the only way to determine if the property is in a flood zone and they are what FEMA and banks go by.

 

[tarmy]

Flood zone may or may not be bad. It depends on the rating FIRM and whatever the current rating is. They do change...a CE or LS in our state can advise as to current status. Risk is mitigatable...depending on what the threat is.

An issue that can bite you is the underwriting of the property for a home loan...and insurance for the rated risk...

Every home in the US has some risk...hurricane, earthquake, flood, wildfire...whatever. The key is to understand that risk...assess it for your condition...and determine your risk tolerance...and your banks!

 

[Lassen Forge]

I like the property, the views are pretty good. But flood insurance would run between $1400-$4600 a year. I don't like any property that much!

I think you answered your own question. It's likely the company will still consider it at risk, because part of the property does sit in a special flood zone...

We used to live on the "bedrock" side of a known earthquake fault zone... even though everything 200 yards west of our property line was a severe earthquake damage zone, we still carried expensive as heck EQ insurance as you never know what mother nature has planned...

Your choices are pony up the money for insurance, go naked and don't be pissed when that 1000 year flood event (that seem to be more like 5 year floods any more) wipes out your property, or pass on it. My choice would be #3, but I don't know your situation, or how much you're willing to risk.

 

[andyvh1959]

May be worth a visit to your local county offices. They should have all sorts of soil maps, water maps, water table maps and perhaps even flood maps. If they don't they should be able to direct to the state contact that does have the data.

Decades ago I researched the county maps for all this relating to a rural property I had purchased. Learned en awful lot about where to find property info, especially on undeveloped land.

 

[Jackfre]

Having trouble posting a link but the 6/29/29 issue of the Wash Post speaks to how out of date the national maps are. Prior to going ahead, you might consult their maps.

 

[MushCreek]

It also depends on the how high the non-flood zone property is. My neighbor owns land on a creek. Most of it lies in a flood zone, but there's one area that doesn't. BUT- it's only 2' higher! By comparison, we looked at property with a creek that was over 100' above said creek.

We don't buy property in a flood zone. Too many news reports of people in john boats saying, "It's never flooded here before!" The weather does seem more volatile these days. A few years ago, the lower part of SC had nearly two FEET of rain. Everything was under water- including the interstate.

 

[jbwilkins]

What is the definition of a "Special Flood Hazard Area, Zone A"?

Last time I looked, years ago, here in AZ the flood zones were defined as: 50 year, 100 year. Meaning the area / property was likely to flood once on those time frames.

"Structures located within the SFHA have a 26-percent chance of flooding during the life of a standard 30-year mortgage.", depending on other development along the waterway, would mean every 2-100 years....

I live near an AE floodplain, it typically 'floods' every other year........Zone AE means that base elevations have been established, Zone A doesn't have base elevations established and is considered high risk.

 

[dfiler2]

Having trouble posting a link but the 6/29/29 issue of the Wash Post speaks to how out of date the national maps are. Prior to going ahead, you might consult their maps.

Hey can you post the stock market activity page from that issue

 

[CraigStu]

One thing to also consider is that maps and other regulations change. Some times you might get lucky and be OK or grandfathered. Friends lived on the water in Md and owned two lots. The house had originally been on one and a storage building on the other. They had expanded the house and added an beautiful oversized attached garage and a pool w/ deck behind the garage. The garage and pool were actually across the line dividing the two lots. It had always been their plan to move the line some and sell off the rest of the other lot to help w/ retirement. They happened to be in the county office one day and heard about an upcoming new law that said if any part of a building crossed a dividing line as of xyz date, the line would no longer exist. They would have one lot and no way to sell part of it. They had one month to have the garage, pool, and deck removed. It was sick but they did it. Now their house was only 8 feet from the line. So it's not just flood zones one needs to worry about.

 

[Docbentley]

Those mapped flood zones have been drawn by the guvmt with a very broad brush. I live in a small development on a peninsula that extends into a large lake. The whole peninsula is mapped in the flood zone A. All the houses in the development are well above the max flood level. We have to have an elevation survey done to prove we are not really in the flood zone to avoid having to purchase flood insurance. After this is done 1 time, it doesn't have to be done again if the records are passed from buyer to seller. The guvmt will not change their map even with the new correct information. Cost me less than $1k for the elevation survey.

Maybe buy the property subject to an elevation survey.

 

[chicken89]

our house is on 1 acre of property, a corner of maybe 30 sq ft is considered in the flood zone, it sits lower then the rest of the property. we had to get flood insure due to it. FI is only $1200 a year. i couldn't find any history of flooding, but it was "cheap insurance"
the fields adjacent to our property (where the corner is located) sits 6' lower than our property, and frequently floods with heavy rain, but thankfully has never been a problem. that field is probably 60-80 acres

 

[Bobthetractor]

Don’t be scared of a flood zone by itself. Look at the elevations. Keep in mind that just like wetlands (which are almost always a bigger PITA) some localities set their own flood areas and that’s the bigger possible hinderance. I just closed a $20M commercial deal and a small piece of the building was in AE but the floor was 2’ above the base elevation. Bank ultimately required food insurance but it’s $200 a year so wasn’t even worth getting a LOMA to make them happy. Now the low elevation did affect storm water retention but it was coastal and we wouldn’t have had to worry about this if it was a single family home/barn.

 

[pcmeiners]

Live in a newly designated flood zone. Most people with flood insurance were screwed due to Sandy . Personally I would never buy property with a chance of it being in/near a flood zone. Flood insurance is a scam right up there with medical costs.

 

[bassbone52]

A 100 year special flood hazard area zone A means that in any year, there is a one percent chance of flood waters reaching the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). It does not mean that the BFE will occur once every 100 years. It could occur three years in a row. Go to https://msc.fema.gov/ to search for your Flood Insurance Rate Map by address.

 

[Chevy-SS]

our house is on 1 acre of property, a corner of maybe 30 sq ft is considered in the flood zone, it sits lower then the rest of the property. we had to get flood insure due to it. FI is only $1200 a year. i couldn't find any history of flooding, but it was "cheap insurance"
the fields adjacent to our property (where the corner is located) sits 6' lower than our property, and frequently floods with heavy rain, but thankfully has never been a problem. that field is probably 60-80 acres

Man, I'd be doing some back-filling to get the 30 square feet raised up 6 feet. Paying $1200 a year for that would drive me out of my mind.

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

How large is the land? typically if a portion of your property is on a flood zone they you have to pay for flood insurance on your whole property

could you sub-divide the flood zone portion away and keep that as a separate vacant lot that you still own? Thus you wouldnt have to have flood insurance on your portion of land where the residence is?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dcg9381]

There are lots of properties in the "flood zone" here. We live around a non-constant level lake. The flood zone has changed once since I've been here (they moved it higher). There are maps of the flood zone, usually denoting the 100 year mark. I'd absolutely buy property in the flood zone (lake) - if it was partial and I had a solid understanding of how the last 20 years of flood history has gone.

I'd get a good idea from the survey or topo maps which part(s) are the flood area. I would not buy one that is solidly in the 100-year zone, UNLESS I was willing to build a flood home (these are usually on stilts - designed to have lower floor flooded). Not good situation for a shop.

USAA offers "flood" insurance - I suspect like others - that the devil is in the details. Here, I need a certain % of neighbors homes to suffer the same "flood" fate for my claim to be valid. Apparently, if I'm the only home that floods - that's a different issue and my claims my be denied.

 

[kd3pc]

Man, I'd be doing some back-filling to get the 30 square feet raised up 6 feet. Paying $1200 a year for that would drive me out of my mind.

you may not be able to "back-fill" anything now....unless your local AHJ, EPA, Corp of Engineers, and a host of other agencies who have total control of water flow, down to drips and puddles. There are horrors about EPA "managing" dead, dried creek beds and seasonal wetlands. Your local AHJ may not have the "power" they think they have.

One should be real careful about "doing some back..."

And that is before you get to the chesapeake protection act, or zones, soil disturbance permits and so on if you actually live on those waters.

 

[kd3pc]

USAA offers "flood" insurance - I suspect like others - that the devil is in the details. Here, I need a certain % of neighbors homes to suffer the same "flood" fate for my claim to be valid. Apparently, if I'm the only home that floods - that's a different issue and my claims my be denied.

there is only ONE flood insurance, and it is FEMA. Your local insurance company is merely a broker/rep to/for FEMA and is your contact to that bureaucracy. Your risk or exposure has nothing to do with your neighbors. My home was the only one in a culdesac of five to flood.

Think of FEMA as not insurance, as much as a vehicle to "help" you recover. There are tons of loopholes, exceptions and explanations why something is covered or not. On our claim, outside HVAC units were not covered, nor was anything to do with an inground pool. You have few choices in specifying what grade of materials are used to "recover" your home. Even though we had 1" cherry flooring, repair was approved using $1/sqft product, no labor.

And that was the good news, as any homeowners or renters policy of yours or a tenant are no longer applicable. Nothing. Your insurance agent will no longer engage with you, and will repeat - Call FEMA.

OP should talk to someone or several someones, who have made a flood claim and come out the other side. Many just walk away.

 

[DGersic]

there is only ONE flood insurance, and it is FEMA. Your local insurance company is merely a broker/rep to/for FEMA and is your contact to that bureaucracy. Your risk or exposure has nothing to do with your neighbors. My home was the only one in a culdesac of five to flood.



Think of FEMA as not insurance, as much as a vehicle to "help" you recover. There are tons of loopholes, exceptions and explanations why something is covered or not. On our claim, outside HVAC units were not covered, nor was anything to do with an inground pool. You have few choices in specifying what grade of materials are used to "recover" your home. Even though we had 1" cherry flooring, repair was approved using $1/sqft product, no labor.



And that was the good news, as any homeowners or renters policy of yours or a tenant are no longer applicable. Nothing. Your insurance agent will no longer engage with you, and will repeat - Call FEMA.



OP should talk to someone or several someones, who have made a flood claim and come out the other side. Many just walk away.

We did, after Sandy. Despite the horror stories, that part was pretty painless. We called the broker, he “inspected”, wrote up the claim, and sent us the paperwork.

We corrected it, signed it, and sent it back. A check arrived a few days later.

The biggest correction we had was that he included drywall and insulation, neither of which we have.




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[greg13]

Man, I'd be doing some back-filling to get the 30 square feet raised up 6 feet. Paying $1200 a year for that would drive me out of my mind.

You have no idea how much that would cost in Engineering studies alone. That "displaced" water has to go someplace. You will need studies to prove where all that water will go and and what if any addition damage it will do to other properties.

 

[reader2580]

I bought my house in 2014 and it was not in a flood zone. It is fine Ana d and rains great. Not the slightest thought there would be a flood issue as not near a body of water other than a swamp at least 1/4 mile away.

FEMA released updated flood maps in December 2015. Half of my property was now in a flood zone and I was required to get flood insurance for my detached garage. No flood insurance required for my house as it was not in flood zone.

I had a survey done in 2018 and my entire property was removed from the flood zone via a LOMA.

 

[bbbarracuda]

https://floodfactor.com/
I recently saw this website mentioned in another discussion about flooding. I have no idea about the accuracy or correctness of it. It does seem to show not only river flooding, but also flooding from heavy rains on lowlands.

 

[steve308]

Many years ago my dad said "Always build on the top of a hill". Years passed, and I was building a house and had a choice of two lots. One on a hill, one across the street with a small drainage usually dry ditch that ran thru the property. I chose the hill top. Glad I did. Never build in an area that can flood.

 

[bigdav160]

I have 13+ acres with some of it in a flood zone. There is language in my deed that prevents me from building anything in that area. 3 times in the last 30 years the water has made my road impassible. In 2015, due to a malfunction of the dam and politics of the populated areas downstream it took nearly three months for the water level to recede.

Still, I love the area. With the elevation changes the views are nice. I can easily walk down to the lake and fish. The boat ramp is just down the street. Looks like flood factor webpage says I will flood. That would require the lake level to be 5ft above the emergency spillway. I am not going to worry about it.

oh yea, no insurance.

 

[Bobthetractor]

How large is the land? typically if a portion of your property is on a flood zone they you have to pay for flood insurance on your whole property

could you sub-divide the flood zone portion away and keep that as a separate vacant lot that you still own? Thus you wouldnt have to have flood insurance on your portion of land where the residence is?


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If just a portion of dirt is in a special flood area I’ve never seen that trigger the need for flood insurance so long as you can show the zone on a survey that your building isn’t in it.. I’ve done tons of construction in flood zones and parking lots or other site work never triggered a need for insurance, only vertical improvements (buildings) did and in all but one case we LOMA’d out of it. I have heard that some states (NY was specifically mentioned to me) have additional banking regs that will require it if a portion is in but I haven’t seen it in the seven states plus PR that I’ve worked.