The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued revised Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for all of Santa Clara County that become effective on Monday, May 18, 2009. These maps show areas that are considered to be in a floodplain, and therefore may require homeowners to obtain flood insurance. Flood zone disclosure is a statutory requirement in California real estate transactions.
The revised FEMA maps will expand the 100-year flood zone and affect residential parcels in Palo Alto near Foothill Expressway, in Cupertino near Heney Creek Place, and in San Jose near Zanker Road and Component Drive, and Kingston Way and Manitoba Drive. In some areas, the 100-year flood zone will be reduced in size and parcels will be removed.
Prospective home buyers may wish to check with their insurance agent to see if the property's flood zone, and insurance requirements, will be affected by the map changes. To comply with federal law and to obtain the lowest available rate, owners drawn into a higher-risk zone must purchase flood insurance before the new maps become effective on May 18, 2009.
NOTE TO AGENTS: Where escrows are currently open in the affected areas, agents may wish to consider the impact that added flood insurance costs may have on the borrower's loan qualifications. In addition, where properties are drawn into a high-risk flood zone, building permits for future construction may require design standards that minimize flood risk, which could increase project cost. This development impact, and the insurance requirement triggered by the new flood zones, are material facts in real estate disclosure where properties are affected.
More information about...
- the flood map changes and how they may affect your clients
- insurance requirements which these changes may trigger
- opportunities that may benefit your clients with lowered flood insurance costs
- disclosure compliance
- how to view the new FEMA maps online
...is at the link below:
http://www.fanhd.com/Portals/0/fanhd/pdf/SantaClara_FEMAmaps_May2009.pdf
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