That home looks great, but what if it’s in a flood zone?

I recently had a client who was interested in a home that was partially in a designated flood zone. The part of land in question was a back corner of the three-acre lot, and the home itself was toward the opposite end of the lot on higher ground and reportedly had never flooded. Other than that issue, the little home and everything else seemed to be great. What to do in a case like this? The question comes up more often than you may realize, especially after the Harvey flooding in 2016.

Even though Harvey was more of an anomaly that caused many previously “high and dry” homes to suffer damage, the stigma remains in many people’s minds. It was indeed a rare event, but it happened with such ferocity that flooding has taken on a whole new meaning to many home buyers. I make it a practice to provide my buyers with a current screenshot of the county flood map where the property of interest is located. This also shows detailed information about which flood zone, if any, the property is located. But I go a step further and advise them to check with their insurance company to find out what they have to say about the property and the possibility of needing flood insurance. This is what a typical flood map looks like, with the property in question designated by the purple marker:

A word of caution is in order. The county flood maps are periodically revised, so people need to ensure they are looking at the latest information. And this is another reason to call the insurance company to have that second line of defense. Something else: it’s always of some comfort to see a home listing that mentions the “home never flooded,” but it’s still really good to know about whether it’s in or near a flood zone.

There are many buyers who don’t seem to mind a home in a flood zone, since they feel their flood insurance will cover any potential damage, and the home is “perfect enough” to warrant buying the place. There are others, however, who simply do not want a home in a flood zone, and will not even look at the ones that are. They prefer having the peace of mind of not living in a flood zone. I fully respect and understand both viewpoints, and ultimately, it’s up to the home buyer to decide which direction to go.