Looking To Move To Anthem or Phoenix/Happy Valley Area

[pgc323]

There were a few homes that had damage several years ago in Anthem from a freak rain storm. However, most of Anthem is in the 100-500 year flood plain (x1). I believe that is a 0.2% chance of flooding, and even then it is less than 12". I think that's the same for a good part of Phoenix metro. Flood insurance is usually not required from lenders when homes are in this classification. Very low risk. I own a home in Anthem.


FEMA zone x1
"Areas between limits of the 100-year flood and 500-year flood; certain areas subject to 100-year flooding with average depths less than one (1) foot or where the contributing drainage area is < 1 sq. mi.; or areas protected by levees from base flood."

[ScottsdaleMark]

Originally Posted by Wally Sconce

Where did it flood up there "recently"?

I was thinking of last week ("Clean up begins in Anthem after heavy rainfall")but there was also the flooding last year that I'm sure everyone remembers. As the OP asked about the far north region in general, I think it's very reasonable to mention flooding due to the risk of flooding in various spots up that way. If the past two years throughout the region are any reminder, exceptional floods do happen sometimes, seemingly especially lately. I wouldn't buy any house without considering possible flood risks.

[johnp292]

Originally Posted by ScottsdaleMark

I was thinking of last week ("Clean up begins in Anthem after heavy rainfall")but there was also the flooding last year that I'm sure everyone remembers. As the OP asked about the far north region in general, I think it's very reasonable to mention flooding due to the risk of flooding in various spots up that way. If the past two years throughout the region are any reminder, exceptional floods do happen sometimes, seemingly especially lately. I wouldn't buy any house without considering possible flood risks.

News Flash....it rains here in Anthem some times. Just like it does everywhere else in the Valley. Sometimes it's heavy. Sometimes there is storm damage.

We've been here three years. The first summer we got drenched. Standing water in our yard several times, nothing in the house. The past two, we would watch the news at night as they talked about all the storms and the storm damage elsewhere in the valley and we'd wonder where the rain went, since it never got here most days. Talking to others who actually live here, the consensus seems to be we get less storms than other parts of the area do.

I just recently priced flood insurance for my home because several coworkers (who don't live in Anthem) had damage. FEMA rating was low to moderate.

[ScottsdaleMark]

Unfortunately, perhaps because flood insurance is underpriced for many high-risk areas, e.g, low lying coastal areas, it seems to be overpriced for much or all of our metro region. Fortunately, most of the Phoenix metro is quite unlikely to flood, but it's worth investigating and making a decision. I wouldn't personally buy a house that backed up to a wash, for one example, but I know many people do and feel just fine about it. To each their own.

Anthem does receive more rain than most of the Phoenix metro, about ~4 inches more (than the airport), although monsoon season totals aren't that different. I think a lot of the difference comes from winter rains and orographic lifting due to the increasing elevation.

[PinkElephant]

How can you find that map? I think my employer is in an unsafe area!

Watch out for the apartment complexes. A lot of them post phony great reviews when in reality people are breaking leases and calling in favors to move. And they tend to sue you for "excessive cleaning and ruined carpets". It's a scam that no lawyer seems to know how to fight. Judges favor those who they do regular income generating business with.

[ScottsdaleMark]

You can view flood maps for the whole country at floodsmart.gov. Here is one for part of Anthem, just as a reference, (LINK) but you can type in any address and it will bring it up and you can click on whichever grid you want near there.

The interface is cumbersome and it's kind of a pain to zoom and pan, so I find this Maricopa County site easier to use but not as detailed...it's just an overlay of their floop map on top of what looks like a Google Maps type satellite picture. LINK

[PinkElephant]

It just flooded in the Skunk Creek area recently, on I17

[Cyborg13]

Originally Posted by Wally Sconce

Where did it flood up there "recently"?

The beginning of the video is looking south at Carefree Hwy in the Tramonto area (roughly 29th Ave alignment). It then moves south by the transfer center (Dixieleta interchange), where it starts flooding I17.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXXAK6pMXGw

[Wally Sconce]

Originally Posted by Cyborg13

The beginning of the video is looking south at Carefree Hwy in the Tramonto area (roughly 29th Ave alignment). It then moves south by the transfer center (Dixieleta interchange), where it starts flooding I17.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXXAK6pMXGw

Who lives in Skunk Creek or on the I17?

[kimjady]

Kudos to the comment about paying high flood insurance rates in this area due to the low rates paid by people in the very high risk areas. If the rates were based on risk most of the Valley area would be much cheaper policies. Wonder what the rates are for the mansions on the Jersey Shore?