[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by Jim 9922

Only lenders require flood insurance, if applicable to the property's location. Otherwise it is your option to purchase it.

To answer your specific question; there are some areas designated as flood plains in The Villages. A realtor should disclose this if asked and there are maps available from government agencies. That said, you might still consider flood insurance to cover you from "floods" caused by unusually heavy rains, poorly designed run-off gradings done by the developer/contractors, etc. Some specific factors to consider might be; where are the nearest storm drains, general slope of your neighborhood, grade of streets nearby and in front of your property, does your property border a swamp, pond or other type of lowland, nearby parking lots, etc.
Keep in mind, what may officially not be a flood plain may be a time-bomb waiting to happen because of what the developer did to the surrounding land. A good common eye-balling of the area and some common sense many times is helpful in determining a flood potential.

I have been a real estate agent for over 30 years and have NEVER given flood zone information to anyone.
One house could be in a flood zone and the house next to it might not be.
Real estate agents do not have the knowledge or background
to give out that kind of information and could be held libel for doing so.
In addition, if a person has access to the flood maps, the average homeowner would probably not fully understand them.

The factors you mention are well taken but will never serve as a way to determine
if a property has the potential for what flood insurance covers.
No one really ever knows.
Just as a sidebar, I find that many of the properties here,
although you see a noticeable swail between houses,
the ground the house sits on is so flat that the lots do not drain well.

In my adult life I have never lived anywhere without flood insurance.
Even having lived in Las Vegas which you think of as very little rain and dry, we had it.
Flash flooding can come almost out of nowhere and a homeowner's policy doesn't cover you.

Personally, I think it's very foolish not to have flood insurance,
particularly in Florida with all the rain.
In addition, in this area, I also think sinkhole insurance is a good idea.
There is no way to guess if you will ever need flood or sinkhole
protection, but you will never be sorry for having both of them.