How to Find Flood History for a Property?

Question

I am making an offer on a property for a live-in flip/BRRRR. I am confused about:

(1) whether the property is or is not within the 100-year floodplain and

(2) why would the seller state that he “recently found out” that the property is not in the floodplain when the survey shows that it is?

On the Seller's Disclosure Notice, the seller marked:

YES for present flood insurance coverage (handwritten note: but property is not in a flood zone)

YES for located wholly/partly in a 100-year floodplain (handwritten note: (1) have paid insurance for (10) years for 100 year flood plain. (2) Just recently found out property is not in the 100 year flood plain.)

Under the Notes section on the Survey:

According to F.E.M.A. Flood Insurance Rate Map, part of this property does appear to lie within a 100-year flood plain as shown.

According to the FEMA website, part of the property is indeed within the flood zone.

Is there somewhere I can go to learn about the flood history for a certain property and/or area?

Thank you in advance!

JH Bridge · Answer

Account Closed, is your survey an ALTA/NSPS survey? With an ALTA survey the surveyor researches the FEMA site for the client. You can tell, reasonably well, if your property sits in a flood plain. If it does, then you'd want to get a flood cert. (just a @Guy said). A surveyor has to stamp & sign the document with his/her registration number. I'd have some doubts about a handwritten note. I'm not saying every surveyor does their job perfectly & I'm not saying there isn't an extenuating circumstance with the handwriting, but I'd definitely look into it. If you'd like to send the survey via PM & it wouldn't hold up the deal, I'd be glad to look at it & see if I can help.

Account Closed · Answer

@Evan Lindstrom and @Guy Gimenez, thank you for your feedback!

Guy Gimenez · Answer

Check the FEMA site first. Then get an elevation certificate to determine what part of the lot/structure is within the flood plain. An elevation certificate is more accurate and will note the BFE and where the top of the lowest part of the structure sits in relation to the BFE.

Evan Lindstrom · Answer

@Lauren Juarez

The best place to go to figure out if the house is in a flood zone is here:

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8b0adb51996444d4879338b5529aa9cd

Search the address, identify the structure on the map, and if any part of it (even the tiniest corner or a deck) touches the blue shaded areas, it’s in a flood zone and requires insurance.

You can also go to Msc.fema.gov, search the address there for info on the flood insurance rate map. Those are the best places to start.

How to Find Flood History for a Property?

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