Flood Zone

[Mike Ault]

I sometime asked occupant/owner if he/she experienced any flooding during their period of stay/ownership.
Statement from occupant/owner in report, not quoted from me.

You do realize, of course, that properties flood all the time which haven't been identified as being in a special flood hazard area. You should never take the owners word on anything like that. If you want to reference what they know about detrimental property conditions, read the sellers disclosure. They can be held legally responsible for those statements. "Statements to Fernando", not so much. I would never volunteer to people that my experience indicates they don't need flood, landslide, earthquake or zombie insurance. If they are with me during my inspection & ask me, I will tell them what I know at that point, along with all the caveats and disclaimers appropriate to such information. But to just insert an unsolicited statement such as that into the report is much worse than making no statement at all.

 

[Fernando]

You do realize, of course, that properties flood all the time which haven't been identified as being in a special flood hazard area. You should never take the owners word on anything like that. If you want to reference what they know about detrimental property conditions, read the sellers disclosure. They can be held legally responsible for those statements. "Statements to Fernando", not so much. I would never volunteer to people that my experience indicates they don't need flood, landslide, earthquake or zombie insurance. If they are with me during my inspection & ask me, I will tell them what I know at that point, along with all the caveats and disclaimers appropriate to such information. But to just insert an unsolicited statement such as that into the report is much worse than making no statement at all.

I never suggest no need for flood insurance. That's for lender and FEMA to decide. I just state what I and occupant/owner know from past experience (and internet research on the area).

 

[Mike Ault]

I never suggest no need for flood insurance. That's for lender and FEMA to decide. I just state what I and occupant/owner know from past experience (and internet research on the area).

Stop that. Give people good information or none at all.

 

[Fernando]

Stop that. Give people good information or none at all.

Lenders know FEMA gets final say or the third party source they hired.
I just add my knowledge best I know. Don't see anything wrong with that.
AI can't do that.

 

[Mike Ault]

Lenders know FEMA gets final say or the third party source they hired.
I just add my knowledge best I know. Don't see anything wrong with that.
AI can't do that.

Don't you think you might be imparting a "false sense of security" to people who are making decisions on insuring their home? You've never seen fires in LA like you had last year either. Atmospheric rivers hit California periodically causing floods far and wide which aren't contained within the FEMA designated floodplains as well.

 

[Fernando]

Don't you think you might be imparting a "false sense of security" to people who are making decisions on insuring their home? You've never seen fires in LA like you had last year either. Atmospheric rivers hit California periodically causing floods far and wide which aren't contained within the FEMA designated floodplains as well.

If a property has a canal in the back and not under FEMA, wouldn't you want to know if the canal ever flooded from occupant/owner's experience.
When not in FEMA flood zone, I always ask to "verify" that FEMA was right... or wrong. Unlike appraisers who don't bother to inquire.

 

[Mike Ault]

If a property has a canal in the back and not under FEMA, wouldn't you want to know if the canal ever flooded from occupant/owner's experience.
When not in FEMA flood zone, I always ask to "verify" that FEMA was right... or wrong. Unlike appraisers who don't bother to inquire.

Yes I would, and if it was answered in the affirmative then I would certainly disclose, and have. But I wouldn't make a statement attesting to 30 years of knowledge about those canals never flooding the property I was appraising, no matter what the owner says. I have been flat out lied to by Q1 liars and unless I can verify information like that it doesn't go into my report. I suggest you operate in a similar manner.

 

[Tom D]

I would never request a zombie free zone cert in our highest drug use zip code in the country. That would be racist and injurios to our outdoor neighbors, as stated by our wokie mayor.

 

[Fernando]

Yes I would, and if it was answered in the affirmative then I would certainly disclose, and have. But I wouldn't make a statement attesting to 30 years of knowledge about those canals never flooding the property I was appraising, no matter what the owner says. I have been flat out lied to by Q1 liars and unless I can verify information like that it doesn't go into my report. I suggest you operate in a similar manner.

Many appraisers and AI don't have Fernando's appraiser intuition. I can sense if owner is lying to me. Just like when I get response from AI and I know it's not right and then I have to investigate more.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

I'm stating a fact based on my knowledge of such events.
In the past like over 30 years,

What about the era prior to 30 years ago? I mean a landslide isn't that obvious if 100 to 10,000 years old. We used to do landslide studies and still missed some old scars on the landscape. Any slope that is water-soaked and more than a few degrees in steepness can give away. I'd rather state I was unaware of any RECENT landslides in the area but the determination of landslide potential is beyond my expertise and a professional should be consulted if the client believes it is a concern. How many landslides do you see here? I see 3 obvious ones, and one was created 20 years ago. I know because I consulted to the Insurance company that denied the claim.