Hurricanes, Bugs, Tornadoes, Snakes (Charleston, Rock Hill: hazard insurance, loan, buying a home)

[teebopop]

How bad are each of those in the York/Lancaster area?

Is this area considered part of "Tornado Alley?"

How often do you have a bug control company come out and spray?

How often does a hurricane come to town and how do I find out if the home I am going to buy lies in a flood plain?

Is it tough to get flood/tornado/hurricane home insurance?

Snakes ... a lot of them or just a few now and again?

Thanks in advance.

[beachbumssb]

I am originally from Illinois so I know a few things about tornadoes. I live just outside of York and have been in the area for about 7 years now. In the time that I have lived here we have had a few warnings but no major touchdowns. We had one go through the Chester area and south of Rock Hill a few weeks ago but nothing to worry about. Tornado Alley is located in the Midwest.... Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois... so we are well away from that.
Hurricanes, haven't experienced a direct hit since we have lived here only the outerbands of heavy rain and wind, which can spaun tornadoes. I think Hugo was the last direct hit in the Charlotte area.
As far as bugs go, it took a bit to get used to. They were alot bigger than we grow back in the midwest. We built a home in the country so naturally we see a few more than usual. As far as control, we just have our yearly termite treatment and let the frogs take care of the rest. We have seen quite a few black widow spiders in the area though. You just have to be aware of them and know that they like places like well covers and crawl spaces.
I have seen a few snakes since we have been in our new house. Nothing dangerous, mostly just run of the mill black snakes. Usually small ones however the other day, my husband ran upon one about 5 foot long while doing yard work.

We love living in York county and plan to stay for a long time. Its a great area to live in and very close to Charlotte so there is lots to do. Also, it is about 2 1/2 hours to the mountains and 2 1/2 hours to the beaches in Charleston so you have the best of both. Hope that helps.

[AdiosNJ4EVA]

How bad are each of those in the York/Lancaster area?

Not bad at all

Is this area considered part of "Tornado Alley?"

No

How often do you have a bug control company come out and spray?

We live in a new development and had to have them spray for spiders, but that was once and have only seen three little ones since.

How often does a hurricane come to town and how do I find out if the home I am going to buy lies in a flood plain?

Rarely ever, I believe it was either Ivan or Hugo that hit here years ago, but that's it as far as I know. Haven't noticed any floods either as we are now in a drought.

Is it tough to get flood/tornado/hurricane home insurance?

I don't think you need it here honestly

Snakes ... a lot of them or just a few now and again?

I've been here for a year and a half and haven't seen one.

Thanks in advance.

[kellyandmike]

We have baby snakes in our back yard that the cats drag up to "show" us. There is an area that is woodsy though so that is the reason.

We get our house sprayed for insects year round as we have seen two black widow spiders (one dead in the garage and one on our back porch).

All in all, there are trade offs...

[Belmarin]

I believe your hazard insurance protects you for hurricane and tornado damage.

Flooding is a different issue. If water intrudes your home from the outside, this is only covered by flood insurance. For example, an extremely heavy rain causes the water to build up outside the house and it enters the home from the exterior, this is only covered by flood insurance. As we live in an area that has lakes, streams, etc., some areas are determined to be flood plains. This was determined by FEMA and you can access maps of the area on their website. York County GIS will also designate flood plains on individual parcels.

Flood zones are designated by different catagories. If you home is in a flood zone designated "C", flood insurance is a reasonable expense. If you are in a flood plain, that is a different story. But there is a recourse to a potentially expensive insurance premium. It depends on where the house sits on the property and the actual elevation of the home.

Two months after moving into a new home I was notified by my lender that I was in an "A" rated flood zone and insurance was mandatory (within 45 days) based on my loan (I guess the monies charged at closing for a flood certification didn't mean much [junk fee?]. I thought it was no big deal until I called my insurance company for a quote. Was I wrong! The premium quoted was in excess of $5,000 per year for the structure and contents.

To make a long story short, I had to get an elevation survey (the current FEMA maps do not use topography to determine an actual flood zone) at a cost of $850 and submit it to FEMA for a variance. As this process can take over 3 months, I had to pay the insurance premium and wait for the results. It was determined that the structure was not in the flood zone and my insurance company refunded the total premium (I guess it pays to be with the same company for quite a number of years).

This is not an isolated situation. If you are purchasing near a body of water or stream, investigate the issue carefully.

[teebopop]

When you purchase a home, shouldn't disclosure regarding previous floods in that area be made BEFORE you sign on the dotted line?

Or is this something that is totally up to the buyer?

Thanks.

[Belmarin]

Originally Posted by teebopop

When you purchase a home, shouldn't disclosure regarding previous floods in that area be made BEFORE you sign on the dotted line?

Or is this something that is totally up to the buyer?

Thanks.

You are absolutely correct that the disclosure should indicate any knowledge of a structure being in a flood zone. In my case, the seller had no knowledge that the home was in a flood zone because the survey (they had) indicated it was in a "C" area. Unfortunately this was not supported by an elevation survey on file with FEMA. When the bank checked the FEMA maps it appeared that we were located in a flood zone and we needed insurance. They would not accept the existing survey and we had to follow the route I described in my previous post. "Guilty until proven innocent"!

Fortunately the lowest point of the structure was one foot above the flood plain. I wonder what would have been the result if they built an addition that extended slightly into the flood zone?

As I deal a lot in waterfront property, this has become a "red flag" to me. In addition to the normal due diligence when buying a home, if there is any doubt, I also recommend an elevation survey .

In my case, the seller acted in good faith and the burden fell on my shoulders. I guess "Buyer Beware" also comes into play.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Originally Posted by teebopop

.....
Is it tough to get flood/tornado/hurricane home insurance?

.......
Thanks in advance.

Flood insurance is very easy to get and IMO never hurts to have. Especially if you are not on top of a hill LOL. That said, when I moved to Utah, I didn't get it - but I always had it in Louisiana and Mississippi. It's a antional program and isn't expensive unless you live near the coast or in a flood plain. Buying it just might tell you something your developer didn't!

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

[quote=Belmarin;3810481].......
To make a long story short, I had to get an elevation survey (the current FEMA maps do not use topography to determine an actual flood zone) at a cost of $850 and submit it to FEMA for a variance. As this process can take over 3 months, I had to pay the insurance premium and wait for the results. It was determined that the structure was not in the flood zone and my insurance company refunded the total premium (I guess it pays to be with the same company for quite a number of years).

.......
Just my opinion, but being 1 ft. above the line isn't enough, I would get that flood insurance. At your "new" elevation, it should not be expensive and can literally save your investment in the worst case scenario. I know, I know, that's what the elevation is supposed to tell you. IMHO, better to be safe than sorry!

[Belmarin]

[quote=SouthernBelleInUtah;3834648]

Originally Posted by Belmarin

.......
To make a long story short, I had to get an elevation survey (the current FEMA maps do not use topography to determine an actual flood zone) at a cost of $850 and submit it to FEMA for a variance. As this process can take over 3 months, I had to pay the insurance premium and wait for the results. It was determined that the structure was not in the flood zone and my insurance company refunded the total premium (I guess it pays to be with the same company for quite a number of years).

.......
Just my opinion, but being 1 ft. above the line isn't enough, I would get that flood insurance. At your "new" elevation, it should not be expensive and can literally save your investment in the worst case scenario. I know, I know, that's what the elevation is supposed to tell you. IMHO, better to be safe than sorry!

I totally agree. Didn't include in the previous scenario that they refunded my original premium (thousands of dollars) and I purchased flood insurance based on the new zone (approximately $300 per annum).