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Provided by: Keith Griffith
Realtor.com
March 21st, 2025
Flooding isn't just a risk for those living near hurricane-prone coastlines or riverbanks—floodwaters can rise almost anywhere, including areas where homeowners least expect it. Even a single unexpected flood event can lead to significant financial losses, with just 1 inch of water potentially causing up to $25,000 worth of damage, according to FEMA.
That's why understanding your home's flood risk is essential, whether you're currently a homeowner, planning to buy, or preparing to sell.
In this article, we'll show you exactly how to check flood maps, decode your home's flood zone classification, and evaluate whether flood insurance is a smart choice—even if you're confident your home isn't at risk.
Is my home in a flood zone?
There are a few ways to determine a home's flood hazard status. A good starting point is the Realtor.com® flood risk tool, a one-stop portal highlighting two distinct flood risk ratings for a property.
The Realtor.com flood risk tool connects you directly to the Federal Emergency Management Agency site, where you can enter a property's address and view a map showing flood zones in the area.
FEMA has a little over a dozen flood zone classifications based on the estimated frequency of storms that could cause flooding in an area. High-risk zones are known as a Special Flood Hazard Area. According to FEMA, SFHAs have a 1% annual chance of flooding, "also referred to as the base flood or 100-year flood."
Moderate flood zones are labeled with a B or X and reflect a 0.2 % annual chance of a flood (also considered a 500-year flood). The areas with the lowest chance of flooding are labeled with a C or X. These areas are outside the SFHA zones and are at higher elevations.
How do I read a flood zone map?
While FEMA flood maps are a trusted government resource on flooding, many of the maps are decades old, according to Dean Tarulli, a certified flood plain manager with Tidal Basin Group. That means your home may be at risk, even if the flood zone map doesn't reflect it.
To shore up this shortcoming, the Realtor.com flood risk tool also features data from Flood Factor, a tool created by the nonprofit First Street Foundation. While Flood Factor works in conjunction with FEMA, this tool uses more current data based on changing climate conditions to forecast a particular home's probability of flooding in the future.
Additionally, Tarulli recommends checking in with your county's hazard mitigation plan.
"That's going to have the most up-to-date information about flooding problems in that area," he says.
While these tools can certainly help you get a sense of a property's flood risk, these numbers are only a start and are by no means a crystal ball showing you a property's future risk of flooding with 100% certainty.
Aside from flood maps, other resources to check include tax record databases and title searches, both of which should indicate a property's flood risk.
"You can also ask your home insurance agent," says real estate agent and attorney Bruce Ailion, of Re/Max Town and Country.
What should I know before buying a home in a flood zone?
Most home insurance policies don't cover damage or other losses caused by flooding. If you're going to buy a house in a high-risk area, be prepared to purchase additional flood insurance—in many cases, it's required.
The federal government offers subsidized flood insurance to property owners through the National Flood Insurance Program. The average cost of flood insurance through the NFIP is around $700 per year.
Of course, the amount you pay will vary based on your property's flood risk and where you are in the flood plain, as specified on the flood insurance rate map.
If you are in a high flood-hazard zone, flood insurance can be significantly more expensive, says Johnny Harper, owner of J and J Home Inspections in Nashville, TN.
Flood insurance costs will also depend on the house, including factors like years of construction, number of floors, location of the lowest floor (in relation to the base flood elevation on a flood map), building occupancy, location of contents, and your deductible.
Is a property's flood zone status disclosed to home shoppers?
While all states have laws regarding property disclosure, the specific laws regarding FEMA flood zone status vary from state to state, says Harper.
Federal laws don't require disclosure of previous flooding. But in states such as New York, sellers are required by law to disclose to a potential buyer whether the property is in a flood plain or has previously flooded.
However, regardless of state laws, "Full disclosure is certainly the ethical responsibility of the seller and the listing agent," Harper says.
As a homebuyer, you should research the property and flood maps (or have your real estate agent check) to see if it's in a flood hazard area. If you're obtaining financing, the mortgage company will also investigate the most updated flood zoning as well.
"If the property is found to be in a flood zone, the mortgage company will require flood insurance," says Adam D'Annunzio, a real estate agent with Keller Williams in New Jersey who sells real estate in flood zones such as the Jersey Shore.
Do you need flood insurance outside flood-prone areas?
If you live in a moderate- to low-risk area—perhaps near but not directly within a designated flood plain—should you still consider flood insurance? Absolutely.
Homes outside official flood zones can still be vulnerable, especially to flash flooding triggered by inadequate drainage systems or flawed urban planning.
Tarulli recalls a recent homeowner he'd helped secure a grant after a flood event: "His home was right in the middle of a community you'd never think had flooding issues. He thankfully got flood insurance, and his house would get about 2 feet of water when it was heavy, heavy rains."
Does being in a flood zone affect a home's price?
Whether you're a seller or a buyer, keep in mind that a home's price is likely to be affected if it is in a flood plain.
"Sellers know the cost of yearly flood insurance could affect what buyers can afford," says D'Annunzio. Sellers should probably take those extra expenses into account when pricing their home.
The property could also be seen by buyers as less desirable if the risk of damage from future flooding is high, so a highly motivated seller might list the home a bit lower as a result.
As a buyer, if you feel a home's price is high related to its flood risk, this is certainly a negotiation point.
How to minimize your losses from flood
If your home is in or near a flood zone, Harper advises taking these steps:
- Maintain proper grading, where the ground around your house slopes slightly downward to keep water seeping outward rather than in. In fact, a flood insurance policy typically won't cover you if your house floods due to improper grading. A landscaper can remedy this problem by adding soil around your home's foundation.
- Elevate your furnace, water heater, and electric panels to protect them from possible floodwaters.
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Keep storm drains and gutters free of debris, and install check valves (or one-way valves) to keep floodwater from backing into your drains.
- Seal your basement walls with waterproofing materials.
- Store your valuables and legal documents on your upper floors.
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