[LoriAnn]

The entire state of Florida is a flood zone. Clearly, some areas are at higher risk to flood more frequently than others. Get flood insurance and live your life.

[oldtimes]

Originally Posted by biker1

Well, that is simply not true. There were a few homes in the northern part of The Villages that experienced some flooding. The vast majority of The Villages was fine as the water management system, which includes the retention ponds and golf courses, worked as designed. The golf courses are designed to take up the overflow.

We are south of 466 and many of the tunnels were flooded and impassable. The golf courses did take up the overflow and were closed for quite a while because they were so saturated.

[SharonW]

There are some home policies that will include flood endorsement on policy. Do you know what flood zone you are in?

Call Clifford Insurance at 352-245-5455 or Frank Slaughter Insurance at 352-748-2221 in Wildwood.

[biker1]

The connotation of the word “flooding” is often damage. There was essentially no damage to homes and businesses. The golf courses, which did their job, needed cleanup to be playable again.

Originally Posted by oldtimes

We are south of 466 and many of the tunnels were flooded and impassable. The golf courses did take up the overflow and were closed for quite a while because they were so saturated.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by LoriAnn

The entire state of Florida is a flood zone...

I'll assume you're exaggerating to make a point. It's not even close to being literally true.

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

in rural florida, what's the difference between swamp land and farm land?

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about 3 feet of dirt

Slightly off topic but I just have to....
we once upon a time had a home built on a "Marsh Site" in SC, absolutely beautiful views.....an old timer landscaper said to me....I remember when this was just a swamp!!!!

[asianthree]

Didn’t have to have anyone inform us when we looked at a lot in CC, it was clear that until there was a track record it’s a flood zone. The entire area is built between wetlands. The cost of flood was not a big deal, the bugs for the first few years was the bigger problem

[blueash]

Originally Posted by Dana1963

Your real estate agent should have disclosed this to you.
Property Disclosure Statements: Duty to Reveal Hazards in Florida Must Be Disclosed to Home Buyers | About Florida Law

Read your link more carefully. The requirement to inform the buyer about flood risk seems only in Broward County not statewide.

Here is an article from the Tampa Bay Times written 14 months ago titled

"In Florida, home sellers don’t have to disclose a history of flooding
Texas now requires sellers to disclose past flooding when marketing their house. Florida has no such law"

[villagetinker]

I had an interesting thought, the "flood plain maps" are probably a few (several) years old, depending on what the developer di with landscaping the current elevation may actually be a few feet higher and could make all the difference. The OP might be able to get a surveyor to determine the exact CURRENT elevation of the land and then compare that to what is reported in the flood plain maps, he may be able to make a case that the maps are out of date.

[dadoiron]

Originally Posted by cj1040

No one disclosed to us when we selected a pond lot in Chitty Chatty that this could be an issue. After our planning meetings, payment of 20 % we spoke with the bank about a mortgage and were told that we would have to carry flood insurance which DOUBLES our home insurance cost. We are very angry about this. We could have chosen a different lot if we had known. We were told that in a couple of years the area may be resurveyed and that FEMA would send a letter if it is no longer classified this way. Then we have to fight with the mortgage company to have this requirement dismissed. As for now it states "for the life of the loan ". Watch out if you are purchasing a pond lot. Has anyone else had this experience?

Our lot also had no mention of being in a flood plain. Pond a few houses away. Searching history of the land I discovered this. The villages had it resurveyed it and had the flood language removed. Surprise. We paid in full.

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

I had an interesting thought, the "flood plain maps" are probably a few (several) years old, depending on what the developer di with landscaping the current elevation may actually be a few feet higher and could make all the difference. The OP might be able to get a surveyor to determine the exact CURRENT elevation of the land and then compare that to what is reported in the flood plain maps, he may be able to make a case that the maps are out of date.

Good point, the maps will likely change for the better once the flood control improvements are taken into account.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by oldtimes

I can’t imagine buying a lot in Florida near a pond and not thinking it could flood. After hurricane Irma a lot of The Villages had flooding.

I was impressed by the fact that most of The Villages did NOT have flooding during Hurricane Irma. All of the things put in place worked. They lowered the ponds by running the sprinklers in the common areas and they then deliberately allowed their own golf courses to flood to save people's homes. I thought it worked like a CHARM. I was even astonished the golf courses recovered after a month or two.

[Snowdancer]

Chatty chatty, Bradford, etc are all built on a swamp..they just used fill dirt...flood area absolutely...that area was great bore hunting

[elevatorman]

The agent should let you transfer the 20% to a different lot, just ask.

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by cj1040

No one disclosed to us when we selected a pond lot in Chitty Chatty that this could be an issue. After our planning meetings, payment of 20 % we spoke with the bank about a mortgage and were told that we would have to carry flood insurance which DOUBLES our home insurance cost. We are very angry about this. We could have chosen a different lot if we had known. We were told that in a couple of years the area may be resurveyed and that FEMA would send a letter if it is no longer classified this way. Then we have to fight with the mortgage company to have this requirement dismissed. As for now it states "for the life of the loan ". Watch out if you are purchasing a pond lot. Has anyone else had this experience?

The Villages has amazing engineers who calculate elevations and water flow and sculpt new living areas so the homes will remain dry. What was previously flat is recontoured so it has higher places and lower places. The flood zone maps are at least several years old and reflect the area before contouring. When the maps are updated, chances are that your home will be a hundred feet from a flood zone, but not in it. Is it possible that the engineers or surveyors could provide your insurance company with an accurate elevation for your home that could put you in a different category? It might be worth asking.

My home isn’t in a flood zone, but there is one a hundred feet away. I carry flood insurance. That and hurricane insurance nearly doubles the cost of my insurance, but it makes me feel safer. Buying it makes more sense than buying a home alarm system.