Flood Mapping on Redfin? (investment, properties, Realtor, state)
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Looking at some raw land in the northern AZ area, I see on Redfin they have a little icon for "Flood Factor" in the listing that shows the (alleged) flood zones affecting the property and it's propensity for being flooded. No mention of such on other listing sites.
If I look on the official county flood maps which are drawn directly from FEMA the property is not in the flood zone shown on Redfin.
If I went by the reference on Redfin's site one parcel is a "9/10" "Flood Factor". The same parcel on the county's flood zone map shows a tiny portion of the corner of the lot to be in an "AE" zone. No LOMA on file, the parcel has been untouched by any development.
There are two properties across the street with homes built on them and both of those are depicted as being in a flood zone as well on Redfin, but again, not on the county maps.
How could they be so far off? If I was a seller I would be pretty unhappy about this.
Link us to what you are looking at? Hard to visualize otherwise.
Our MLS has flood mapping, it's helpful as a guide, but not real precise. If it's close and it matters, I'd try to get a real flood survey.
Redfin has a new feature based on FEMA maps and some other data and they created a "flood factor" scale from 1-10. The higher the number, the more likely it is to flood.
Major Risk of flooding because of the creek. We have a creek on the lower property that does flood, but what they aren't measuring is that there's 75 feet of elevation between the creek and the house/barn and other structures.
I certainly wouldn't take their word for it whether a home needs flood insurance. Ours doesn't but their algorithm says it does.
Flood factor is like FEMA on steroids. It is better at taking into consideration torrential rains that may be due to climate change. FEMA focuses more on proximity to waterways. FEMA is going to matter more for flood insurance, but I would want all the tools I could get.
All those bits of info mean is that you should look into the risk yourself before buying. Find a topographical map. Use a county or state map to see how much of the property is in protected wetlands. Determine if a dam controls water flow 50 miles upstream. Look at whether water quality changes due to upstream factories. Are you worried about ticks, biting flies, and snakes?
The Redfin data is just a pointer that you might want to explore whether there is anything that would bother you. If you look and there is no problem for what you want to do then you are better off than the out of vicinity guy who is buying sight/site unseen for an investment and who immediately skips over it.
I do agree that more information is better. We are often looking at rural agricultural properties and many of them do flood. It’s not a question of if it’s a question of how high. And I’m always shocked at how many of the property descriptions don’t mention that fact at all!
I do agree that more information is better. We are often looking at rural agricultural properties and many of them do flood. It’s not a question of if it’s a question of how high. And I’m always shocked at how many of the property descriptions don’t mention that fact at all!
Agreed, but the information they're supplying is not consistent with the FEMA maps, and that's what's puzzling to me. From the few samples I've looked at, they're overestimating the risk.
Agreed, but the information they're supplying is not consistent with the FEMA maps, and that's what's puzzling to me. From the few samples I've looked at, they're overestimating the risk.
RM
It isn't consistent with FEMA maps, nor does it seem to take into topography or city drainage projects. It has a street in my neighborhood in a "one foot flood area" based on their color section but that isn't true at all because of two large holding basins the city put in a few years ago. It did pool up on that street before, but now it is totally dry. So it would have been correct about 10 years ago, but not today.
I appreciate what they are trying to do, but I think it will cause problems where none need to be caused.
Redfin has a new feature based on FEMA maps and some other data and they created a "flood factor" scale from 1-10. The higher the number, the more likely it is to flood.
Realtor.com has the same feature as well now.
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I went and looked at our own property.... 
