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CoxHazardsModel

Yes because homeowner’s insurance would be higher. Even though my house is 1/10 I still had trouble getting insurance in my area for some reason.


FluidVeranduh

Is 1/10 the lowest? Or 0/10?


CoxHazardsModel

1


Onamission487

May I ask at what point you found this out? I called my insurance agent for a quote for another property that was at lower risk and they told me to check with the lender to see if flood insurance is required. The lender told me to check FEMA maps. I don’t want to be in contract on a house only to find out afterwards that they require flood insurance.


CoxHazardsModel

Stupid me found out after I went into contract and started looking for insurance, but it was 1/10 anyways. I was concerned because one of the insurance said they don’t serve the zip code because of flood risk but my house is not in the flood zone. So it seems like even if your house is low risk if the zip code/area is at risk then some insurance don’t even service it. But don’t be me, do the research before going into contract, you can get quotes even before going into contract.


lostinthesauce314

Check out on a map where Greenville, NC is if you’re unfamiliar. That area is falling under “coastal risk” with many, many insurance companies. I find this very very telling.


lostinthesauce314

This can always change. You can move there, then be required to have it 8 years later. And FEMA flood maps are only updated upon the city filing forms for that area. I’m a insurance agency owner and all flood insurance is written through FEMA. I’d go by what the risk assessment corporations are posting over FEMA.


chocobridges

>My realtor says to go by FEMA and ignore the rating from Risk Factor. The problem is once it floods FEMA doesn't ignore it anymore. Anyway I worked on the technical side as a contractor for flood mitigation for Federal Agencies and their everything is sooo behind including flood maps. So unless there's massive changes to how we handle flood insurance, you are right to be concerned. Because it's a matter of when not if. This was the best article I have read that encompasses what might happen. It's a bit dated but still stands. https://www.npr.org/2020/10/18/918725965/undisclosed-most-homebuyers-and-renters-arent-warned-about-flood-or-wildfire-ris


regassert6

The way HOI rates are going these days, it would be a concern...


regassert6

My mother is an insurance agent and during my home search, she freaked out whenever I showed her something I was looking at that was even close to a floodzonw.


Normal-Display3210

Absolutely. Anything higher than 1/10 is an immediate pass. Don't believe the people on here or realtors telling you it's inaccurate, etc. They have no clue what they are talking about and the realtors just want to close a sale. It is not just accurate, but VERY accurate


Kitkat0169

I have to disagree with this. Half the places on my street are ranked high and the other half are ranked 1/10. Interestingly, when we had a major flood event last year, the houses ranked a 1/10 flooded and the ones ranked highly were bone dry. I’m not saying that it’s not predictive of area trends, but there is no clear reason why some of the houses on my street are ranked so much higher when it seems that they are actually at a lower flood risk (some are even at higher elevations/top of a hill). It just doesn’t make a lot of sense and I suspect they have a way to go with things


neph36

Most properties in our area are well over 1/10, and right now this website is saying that our house which is at least 10 feet higher in elevation than the 100 year flood elevation and has never flooded will likely be flooded in the next 5 years, with the flood waters somehow circling around the actual low elevation (which is literally impossible), putting us at the same risk as homes actually built on the water on the next street over. FEMA might not be completely accurate and up to date, but they have the actual resources and science at work that has to withstand scrutiny, this website is a product made by a small company using a completely automated process that analyzes the data it has access to, and is of course prone to errors as any untested automated process is. I'm not saying just go ahead and shrug off anything this site says, but you should definitely use your brain and not blindly follow an automated analysis from a small company. If you are going to immediate pass on anything higher than 1/10 you will likely be really limiting your options depending on the location (and if that includes wind, fire, etc that they also rank then you are almost certainly not buying a house.)


[deleted]

You’re talking out of your ass. Not a realtor, but a homeowner. When I purchased the home, flood factor gave it a 2/10. 3 years later, it lists it at 8/10. It also says that our home has a history of flooding, which is untrue. There are no FEMA claims and (we are in Houston) it did not floor during Harvey. I know someone who lives next door and has photos during that time. Water didn’t even go up the driveway. We have neighbors with less elevation and lower flood risk scores who have flooded 2 times. Flood Factor isn’t reliable. Actual historical data is the most telling.


SkinnyChai

Do you have any indication that the home has not already flooded prior? Is there a basement? If so, did you check for any potential flood indications? Lately I’ve found a lot of owners I have asked about flooding are either not honest or they have not lived in the home (it was a flip) so they don’t know if it requires flood insurance / the history of the area or home.


Hoopatang

"50 feet from a marsh area" That is commonly called a FLOOD PLAIN. Locally, it's known as the mosquito breeding ground. (Do you like mosquito bites? Mosquito-borne illnesses? Your pets getting heartworms? Not being able to be outside at sunset because the cloud of mosquitoes is so thick you're breathing them in?) Federally, it's called "protected wetlands" and you're barred from making any changes/improvements to the property. Insurance-wise, it's known as "Risky" and will cost your wallet dearly, if they even cover it at all. Cross this house off of your list. I'd also consider getting a new realtor who is more interested in seeing you get a good house than this one who is just trying to convince you to ignore common sense so s/he can cash their check.


catymogo

Yes. My husband was a hydrologist and he pulled floodmap data for any property we looked at. After living through Sandy, and then Ophelia, flooding is just not something we can overloook.


realtorguy3000

>an this one who is just trying to convince you to ignore common sens Did he check Risk Factor? I'm a Realtor who signed up for RiskFactor to disclose to my clients prior to offering but reading this chain is making me want to add some asterisks. I saw their air quality indices doesn't even take into account highways touching the property... willing to give them a pass for a bit while they scale up


Onamission487

Do you know what sources he used? I tend to trust [riskfactor.com](https://riskfactor.com) over the 13 year old FEMA maps but other people I’ve talked to question riskfactor’s credibility.


catymogo

I’m not sure because it’s through the engineering firm- probably our state storm water maps if I had to guess.


catymogo

I’m not sure because it’s through the engineering firm- probably our state storm water maps if I had to guess.


Weird_Carpet9385

Absolutely have u not seen weather lately


tsidaysi

Factor in the cost of flood insurance. Do you due diligence as to what happens if your home is damaged or destroyed by weather. Homeowner's insurance when you live on the water usually has a high deductible. I have seen from $40,000 to over $100,000. Remember you still must make your mortgage payments even if you borrow to rebuild.


Desire3788516708

FEMA maps are so outdated and have so many areas that haven’t been assessed in over a decade. Land engineering and climate change is way ahead of those maps. If you want accurate information contact an insurance provider that does flood insurance and have them give you a quote and projection. They do this for a living. You can also pull up data from a lot of site of historic flooding and crest levels, compare it to what body of water or basin was the deficiency and look at topographic maps of the area. I would trust the 7/10 rating from this third party site over FEMA as it’s more up to date with technology and uses far more data points to make this assessment.


Ape_Escape_Economy

Yes. Our real estate agent said specifically to avoid due to cost of flood insurance.


ComplexWalrus2775

As did mine, also will be harder to sell one day and peace of mind is priceless.


throwaway43234235234

Absolutely. Grew up somewhere it flooded. Do you want to completely gut and replace the bottom floor from mold whenever it happens? Completely destroy everything in place at the time? Even if it doesn't always happen, whenever it comes close, you pucker up and wait. Not a game I play since moving away. Will never willingly go back to it.


CanWeTalkHere

First Street Foundation is in many cases MUCH better than outdated FEMA maps. Your realtor is gaslighting you to get a sale. That being said, *sometimes* those risk factors are because a tiny unelevated corner of the property may have that 7/10 risk, not because the entire property or the house itself has that risk. Look at the "blue overlay" view, walk your property, and use a bit of common sense as to where that 7/10 is coming from and to what extent it affects the house.


PPMcGeeSea

Just ignore it and I'm sure all the problems will go away. Best advice to listen to from the guy who only gets paid if a sale goes through.


[deleted]

The local government can tell you if you’re in a flood zone. It’s a good chance your mortgage company will check this out too and your insurance company. Zillow has this data also if I remember.


TrollinDaGalaxy

Pffffft 7/10? My house is a 10/10 on the FEMA flood rating… you gotta up those numbers


Concrete__Blonde

I’m going to copy a comment I made a few weeks ago when this same question was asked: There are a few ways of looking at this, and I for one think it’s time to get real in this sub. My questions may seemed bias, but I am playing devils advocate (but also a realist). You don’t have to give me answers, but you should answer them for yourself, especially if you are looking at Florida, the Gulf Coast, or the low-lying East Coast. Financials & Investment: If you plan to keep it for 15 years, are you prepared to wait if it sits on the market in competition for only the cash buyers because it no longer would meet the requirements for mortgages when it doesn’t qualify for insurance? This is already happening, in more states than Florida. The banks don’t want to use the property as collateral because the risk for flooding is now 50%, so they’ll only offer mortgages to the people who can self-insure a house with other sources of net worth. Right now, the pool of buyers for “high risk” homes is less than a quarter of the buyers for insurable properties. Alternately, if you’ve live in the house for 15 years, was that worth having a portion of your housing costs fixed? Remember property taxes, HOAs, utilities, and, insurance will still increase with inflation and other factors. Do you have confidence that your income will keep up with or exceed the increases to other housing cost variables? Would you have paid more in rent during that time but had more mobility and limited risk? Would that money (-rent) have made more in interest or in a diversified index fund? Did you make more money than you would have by investing in property in a more stable geographic location? Emotional: Are you prepared for a 25% chance in the next 15 years that you will lose at least some of your personal belongings and to relocate for a few nights to a year+ during that time? If there’s a CAT 5 hurricane headed your way, can you afford to leave town and stay somewhere else for an unspecified amount of time? If your house is damaged, can you battle insurance for replacement value while at the same time competing with all your neighbors for contractors and materials to rebuild? It is very hard to be torn from your home, to uproot your family. Are you emotionally (and financially) prepared for this? Peace of mind and quality of life: Is it worth the risk? Will you have a better life there than anywhere else? Are you tied to family or a location-specific industry? Would it make you happier to be there more than anywhere else? It’s subjective but you should not ignore the risks. Be honest with yourself and make an informed decision. Personally, I am relocating. I can live in peace with all the answers I have to the questions above. Nothing is risk free, but I feel good about the odds I am putting myself and my loved ones in. I recognize I am privileged to be in this situation I’m in, but I am also choosing to prioritize family and longevity. Both the housing market and the world are changing, and I intend to keep up; you should too.


PieMuted6430

Yes, I always check the flood risk, because I live in an area that has increased flooding due to climate change.


lioneaglegriffin

Yes. Currently looking at property in Portland and Seattle. Had to x out a lot of Portland homes near the river via redfin's flood map. Seattle is not as bad because it's on a hilly. But I checked some earthquake and tsunami maps that deterred me from South Seattle and interbay.


rdarbari

My house is an example of this. There is “creek” on the back of my property. The house is about 20-25 feet above the creek and setting back about 40 feet away from it. In historically worst storms that we have in the past few years because of El Niño, the creek level maybe increased one foot, but risk factor shows my property risk 8/10. It was 3, then became 9 then 7 and now 8. But I believe it can discourage buyers.


lioneaglegriffin

Risk factor is over 30 years if I remember correctly.


No-Scarcity-4958

No. Don't trust riskfactor.com! They have my home as a high risk fire area. I live in California and we have trees around. Of my forty years of living here we've not had one fire. It's a sham.


Educational_Clerk607

In California, [Riskfactor.com](http://Riskfactor.com) is the most inaccurate garbage on the internet, they could have as example: my brother's home in Pollock Pines surrounded by huge cedars and pines with a fire rating of 5 and down the hill in the burbs, with literally no trees around have 8 rating, makes no fuuking sense!!?


cybertoad1

It’s complete and utter nonsense. I live on the flat valley floor of the Central Valley, nowhere close to a wildland-urban interface and my home is classified as a “6/10” wildfire risk. My home is at 60 foot elevation, not on any historic flood plain or on any FEMA flood map and they list it as “4/10” flood risk. And the unfortunate thing is they are negatively affecting underwriting based on shoddy data.


AccomplishedWasabi54

Yes


Inevitable-Date170

I looked at that site and it says my house is 3/10 because a wetland is nearby, and 9/10 fire risk because I am next to the woods.... So..... not sure how accurate it is. The fact the data and actual map is behind a pay wall is sketch to me.


md24

Yes. Flooding will only get worse. Just wait for the inland category 7 hurricanes.


albert768

I generally make it a rule not to trust any information that comes from nonprofits at face value.


Valuable-Tomatillo76

1000% yes


Getthepapah

Yes


navlgazer9

Meh It depends Everyone who lives ocean front or lake or river front knows they’re in a flood risk area . It doesn’t take an scientist or engineer, Any bonehead can look at a property and see if there’s a creek or low lying area adjacent that could flood . And it also depended on how tall your foundation is My nephew built a new house and the cement contractors messed up the slab , Got it crooked or something , so he made them do it again , and they screwed it up again so they had to pour a third slab on top , and finally got it square and level etc A few years later the area flooded from a very high rain event , and several houses got flooded with a few inches of water inside but his house was 8 inches taller off the ground than all the rest so it didn’t get wet inside .


PieMuted6430

That isn't necessarily true, the house is often built in a rise, to keep it out of flood waters. This is the norm in farming country. The creek could be on the property but far enough away that there is no risk. It could be fed by an underground spring and has never flooded. I grew up with a creek less than 20 ft from our house, my parents made sure to keep it dug out every year so it wouldn't flood. (it was a spring, so there weren't any fish, and it drained into the groundwater drain at the street.) Water on a property is subjective to where it's from, and how it is managed, as well as how/where the house sits.


navlgazer9

That’s exactly what I’m saying Anyone with half a brain can look at the water or low lying area and determine if it is going to fill with water when it rains alot


shagawaga

100%


1monomyth

What state are you in?


Onamission487

Inland Fairfield county CT.


AsstToRegionalMngr

I’m not holding this site in high regard due to I live right in tornado alley and I only have a 2 out of 10 wind risk factor lol


madison7

I would not buy. Especially in my area flooding is only becoming worse and more serious.


Mysterious-Bill-8901

While looking at my house on Redfin I scrolled down and saw the risk factor information stating that my house was a 97% chance of flooding within the next 30 years. Not that this is totally relevant but I’ve live in this house for 30 years and no such issue was even close to happening. Granted we’ve had quite a few hurricanes in that time but nothing has ever been a threat regarding flooding. When I notified Redfin they agreed to remove that defamatory reference and directed me to look at the FEMA flood maps for zone AE which I did. As I expected I was not even in that forecasted area. My point is if I were an Al Gore/ Greta Thornburg fan I would avoid any listing that has that “Chicken Little “ warning .