Is Your Home at Risk of Flooding? The Data Is Hard to Find

In Florida and a number of other states, sellers have limited or no legal obligation to disclose if a property has flooded before, and it can be difficult for inspectors to see if a home is a flood risk unless they happen to visit at high tide or during a heavy rainstorm. Homebuyers are increasingly looking for flood histories before buying, and some homebuyers are steering clear of homes in potential risk zones. Although flood maps do outline flood zones, they do not take into account future sea level increases or the increased risk of more intense hurricanes. Some of those maps also have not been updated in more than five years. Meanwhile, groups like First Street are working with various universities and institutions to create a comprehensive database on whether homes in the United States have previously flooded or are at risk of future flooding. The groups are using satellite imagery, high-water-mark data, and other information to model whether homes would have been flooded, combining that information with FEMA data on flood claims and making it available for homeowners to access free of charge. The database is expected to be available within a year.

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