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Would you buy a house that flooded during Harvey?

12,327 Views | 43 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by OnlyForNow
drumboy
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Foamcows said:

Let's not forget resale value. It's going to be much less for a home that flooded and is located in or near a flood plain.
OP asked about buying a hours that flooded so purchase price should be lowered accordingly.
TexAg2001
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If I were looking at a home that flooded in Harvey, I would also be looking at drainage improvements, if any, have taken place in that area since Harvey.

The capacity of Braes Bayou in the Meyerland/Bellaire area has increased quite a bit since Harvey by making it deeper, wider, etc. I don't know the exact change in capacity, but I drive by it every day and it seems like a substantial amount. It feels like the chance of flooding in some parts around Meyerland/Bellaire (at least those adjacent to Braes Bayou) have been reduced.

I live in Maplewood (adjacent to Meyerland) and, fortunately, didn't flood during Harvey, but many friends did. I spent countless hours helping those friends clean up immediately after Harvey and wouldn't want to have to live through that myself. That being said, they all ended up with much nicer homes once it was all said and done.
Diggity
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Not an expert opinion by any means, but I feel like the widening projects will help the parts of Meyerland further from the bayou, but if you're a few blocks from Braes and haven't been elevated, it's just a matter of time.
Rustys-Beef-o-Reeno
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I think there is a difference between those events and 50 -60 year old houses in 77079 that only flooded during harvey.
aTm2004
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How is there a difference? Prior to Harvey, my mom's house had never flooded. My step-dad built the house new 35 years ago and never even got close. But then it flooded during Harvey and again during Imelda. The house wasn't far from my childhood home that flooded in '88 and '94.

My brother's house in Conroe got 2' of water during the Tax Day floods in 2015 and had water to the roof during Harvey. The current running through the house ripped the brick off of one side of his house. He thought he wouldn't get flooded again as well after the Tax Day floods due to neighbors being in the area being there 30+ years with no flooding, but things changed. I should ask him if he knows whether or not the house flooded during Imelda. I'd guess it did. He's now high and dry on the top of a hill in some fancy gated community in Willis and my mom is high and dry on a hill as well.

My point is, thinking that just because a house only flooded once (or during Harvey) is not a good way to look at it. IMO, once a house floods, the odds of it flooding again are good. More and more trees are being leveled, concrete being poured, and water routed to places that just can't take much more. Flooding in this city is getting worse whether or not we want to admit it. It's only a matter of time before development reaches a point that the houses in the area the OP is asking about flood more frequently with lighter rains. Sly, Dora, and everyone else in the city say they want to address the issue, but it's not getting done at the pace it needs to. Don't expect that to change.

So, for me, I would not buy a house that flooded after going through it personally more times that I would like. It sucks right after it happens and it sucks living with the worry of "is this the time" when a heavy storm/TS/hurricane passes through.
Rustys-Beef-o-Reeno
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It's different because Harvey is a completely different level than Imelda or really any other storm that ever hit houston.
Speaking from someone who flooded during harvey, I wouldn't buy a house that flooded during memorial or tax day floods and especially Imelda. Harvey I probably would based on the circumstances because you had house that had no business flooding during harvey. The other storms if you flooded it was just a matter of time and it will probably happen again. Harvey I'd be willing to bet a lot it doesn't in my lifetime.
Chaca
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The question was would you buy a house that flooded only from the dam release. That means it did not flood from 50+" from Harvey.
If the house made it through Harvey and only flooded due to the dam release, I'd feel better about buying the home. Could it flood again? Sure. I'll play the percentages that favor not flooding.
Ag_07
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Like I said earlier I don't think the question should be 'Is it gonna happen again' but more 'Ok...It happened. Now what was ruined and how was it fixed'.

Approach it like buying a car with a totalled title. You know it had significant damage but was it fixed correctly and will they be a concern for you the future owner.
mortal
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There are very few reasons to buy a house that flooded (and there has been no upgrade to the drainage). If you just "have to have" a particular (flooding) area, buy the teardown and build on piers. And it needs to be piers, not raising the lot. Raising the lot just sets you up for lawsuits when the neighbors flood.

Don;t get tunnel vision. There are too many "perfect" neighborhoods out there with great homes.
OnlyForNow
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All new builds and any substantial changes to existing houses in the 500 to 100 will have to consider themselves in the 100 yr.

Upgrading will probably be considered depending on the permits that have to be pulled. Or like businesses if they aren't ADA compliant and update then they have to become ada compliant.
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