Once again, I wonder if my blog readers think Vince and I get up every morning with some crazy idea and act on those ideas without any research. One thing you can always know is that we don’t do anything big without knowing all there is to know about whatever we might be going to do.
As far as rivers, there are some that flood often and some that rarely flood . . and everything in between.
Another thing you may or may not know is that we’re the kind of folks who believe we should be responsible for ourselves and our actions and we will never buy flood insurance. Our thoughts are that if we buy a property that’s going to flood, that’s our problem, not the federal government’s and not the taxpayers’ job to bail us out (literally).
I’m not sure about all areas but in the most recent states where we’ve lived (Louisiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Texas), you do not have to do much research at all to find out if a piece of property is in a flood plain. I don’t know this for sure but I’m thinking that a whole lot of the properties nowadays that are in a flood plain have no potential at all to flood, but if you’re buying a property in a flood plain and getting a mortgage, you will have to buy flood insurance. Different places call it different things but usually a call to the county management office can get you on the right track to finding out if a property is in a flood plain.
A whole lot of information is available on the internet about rivers that have flooded. A good realtor will know all that info before we ever ask, and neighbors are a good source of info . . especially if you can talk to 3 or 4 different ones.
Here in our town, and maybe across the entire nation, the flood plain maps have been re-drawn. Folks who have never had so much as a standing puddle in their yard are now having to buy flood insurance if they have a mortgage.
The bottom line is . . we’re never going to be in the position of having our home or camp flood. We’re careful about where we buy . . as far as the history of the river flooding and the height of the spot where the house would be. Can you imagine . . all the “stuff” we have . . if ever we had to clean up after a flood. Not gonna happen unless it’s something like what happened in Noah’s day.
Diana in RR Texas says
I thought about that but also knew that would be something you would check into. We have Brushy Creek across the road from the lower end of our sub division and there are some really cute houses along it. We have now seen it flood alot of those homes 4 times in the 14 years we have been here. Each time higher up on the one home. they are rentals and I often wonder if that fact is disclosed. Central Texas has been named the flash flood capital and we have seen some bad ones.Our HOA got into an argument with the LCRA and city when they were planning on building a big box store not far from us-paved over alot of ground so now that water all runs into Brushy Creek instead of being absorbed into the ground. I keep thinking lake home! Creeks around here can come up way to fast and furious!
Carolyn says
I was thinking that too but knew you would check it out. Of course w all that batting we ALL have stored it would just suck the water up out of the river. LOL that is not a nice thought is it???
Helen M Poole says
Judy, you and Vince could always buy a Motor Home or a fifth wheel camper, take it to the river and spend as many days as you like, return to the property you currently have or will have. This way you have the best of both worlds.. We have a motor home as I can drive it if I want to go somewhere and Floyd isn’t home (OTR truck driver) and we love to go on weekend trips, and we do get together with family and friends once a year to camp and enjoy all the food and local site see’ n, gossip, we usually go to the Smokey Mtn area, this year it will be Paducah in June for a week. Just another thought….oh, the men do the cooking while we are at the ‘get together’ , they set up all their ‘stoves’ at the shelter house , and we usually have it reserved for the whole week. If someone we do not know comes by,, they are invited to eat also. Lots of fun, relaxation, and visitation ..
Kathleen says
I heard you just fell off the turnip truck. Unfortunately I don’t know a whole lotta stuff. So good luck.
scrappyhappystarfishy says
I think they redrew the flood zones to force more people to buy flood insurance to give the insurance companies money to bail out all the currently flooded owners they have. I hate to see multi-million dollar houses built on the beach – you just know what is going to happen. Seriously – some of these people should not be allowed to buy insurance because you are right – it is usually the tax payers or other insurance payers who have to foot the bill for their fool hardiness.
Linda Steller says
Don’t you love it when folks think you’re totally stupid? And then think about the fact that they came here because they think you’re pretty smart and want to see what you’re up to today! Oh well, it takes all kinds. When I bought my house, the first thing they told me was that I needed flood insurance because I was in the flood plain. WHAT? My house’s elevation is over 500′ and the entire Eugene downtown would need to be under water before I would flood (well, except for the crawlspace under the house). I did tell them to put a sock in it, and I won. ;D
Brandy M. says
I’m sure people have your best interests in mind when doling out tons of advice, but…. LOL – they must think you just graduated from high school and bought your first house, right?! With everything you post about doing around your current home, it’s obvious you two research & look into stuff before you “dig in.”
Thanks, yet again, for always writing and sharing about things you’ve got so much knowledge about so that the rest of us can benefit from it!
🙂