For the majority of real estate agents, floods and hurricanes can be disastrous in this line of work. For the usual home proprietor, a flood can cause dramatic losses on the home’s property value. Most cities have lost millions in value appreciation due to damages from hurricanes, storms, and flooding.
Contrary to what most people think, most of the structural damage caused by weather conditions aren’t caused by storms and hurricanes but is usually caused by flooding. In the nine years, an average flood can cause an insurance firm around $3.5 billion per year just from insurance claims. If this is the case, an average flood will cost around $700 per year for an average-sized household placed in a low-lying area.
Naturally, some things can’t control like. Weather conditions are one of the major contributing factors that can affect flooding.
If you’re planning on selling your house, getting flooded can cause a wide variety of complications that you can’t just ignore. For the real estate industry, protecting these assets is paramount in ensuring that value isn’t lost and appreciation is preserved.
Does This Affect Property Value?
Based on several sources that report flooding on much of the east coast areas, real estate damage has been focused much on high-figure losses, which often happens in urban centers in big cities.
A comprehensive tally was done in 2019 regarding the damages caused by coastal flooding in the area. Most experts have found that there is a total of $15.67 billion losses from 14 different cities that dot that tranquil coast.
Compared to properties in highly-urbanized sizes, the highest losses were found in smaller communities, usually found in towns on the outskirts of the city. Several factors affect losses:
- Lower housing inventories will have a longer period attracting investors and developers in construction projects, especially when flooding will make the future quite uncertain.
- In some areas, flooding insurance costs will usually take a good chunk of the yearly budget for housing, which can be an added cost to overall expenditure for most individuals. That said, it’s more convenient for potential clients to buy homes that are outside flood-prone areas rather than spending more on flood-prone properties.
In summary, it’s not necessarily flooding that can affect losses, but most are influenced by the decision of prospectors who would choose other opportunities. The span of 12 years of flooding has cost the real estate industry on the east coast alone $16 billion from the states of Maine towards Texas. If it weren’t for flooding, these properties would be worth $16 billion more.
Floodproofing a Home
Now that you know the amount of damage flooding can cause to most properties and homes, it’s only logical to address parts that can protect. Even though you might not be able to control weather conditions, it is still possible to control your home’s design.
So what can we do to floodproof our home and minimize the impact of flood damage?
Elevation
Typically, flooding happens in low-lying regions. The elevation is the best solution to existing structures in the area. Government organizations would suggest raising your home and structure at least two feet above flood levels to ensure optimal results.
In addition to preserving your home’s assets, this will help increase your home’s value.
Dry Floodproofing
This method requires sealing any entryway inside your structure so that floodwater won’t be able to enter. It includes installing watertight shields on these entryways, and sealants and rubber membranes should be used on your roof and walls.
Walls will also need to be reinforced, especially when withstanding the pressure of accumulating floodwaters.
Wet Floodproofing
If ever your home cannot withstand the pressure of floodwaters, having uninhabited parts of your structure resistant to flooding can lower the risk of damage. Effective means of floodproofing means that floodwaters enter and exit home without damaging most of the interiors. Most homeowners will incorporate the use of flooding vents, flooding-resistant construction materials, and services. Anticipating were water will go to can stop flooding.
Professional Help
If you’re in doubt about your ability to protect your assets, you can hire professional contractors to protect your home’s value. Some organizations specialize in consultation, building evaluation, maintenance, wet floodproofing, and dry floodproofing are just some services that these contractors offer.
Even if your home or property is situated in a flood-prone area, it is still possible to protect it from flooding. Although flooding can always happen, protecting valuable parts of your home can mitigate any value that might be lost from structural damages. It might seem like a daunting task to prepare homes from losses, but it can be done with the right supervision.
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