Three Tips For Selling A Dry Home In A Floodplain

30 August 2017
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If you own a home in a floodplain, you might be apprehensive about being able to sell that home. Even if the home is structurally perfect and has not been wet since you've lived there, the idea that it is located in a floodplain can be off-putting to a lot of buyers. Here are some tips to help you make the sale.

Boast about the home's other features.

You do need to disclose that the home is in a floodplain. However, this should not be the predominant feature of your sales ad! Really use your advertisements and listings to highlight the home's strong suits. Have professional photos taken, and describe the homes's assets. Maybe it has a new furnace, a metal roof, and a newly remodeled bathroom. If a buyer reads through all of these assets before seeing a tiny note at the bottom that the home is in a floodplain, they may already be hooked and that note is less likely to deter them.

Highlight the "up side" about the floodplain location and make sure potential buyers know what a floodplain is.

Being located in a floodplain does not mean a home will flood. It just means there is a higher risk of your home flooding. If your home is dry now, then there is a good chance it will remain dry -- and even if it does flood, the damage probably won't be too extensive and will certainly be covered by flood insurance. (Flood insurance is usually required when you live in a floodplain.) Explain this clearly (or have your realtor do so) to anyone who comes to look at the home. Many house hunters will mistakenly think that if a home is in a floodplain, it will flood. Make sure they understand that there is a small risk of this happening if it has not happened yet.

Consider having the property re-surveyed.

If your home truly is dry and has never experienced any flooding, there's a possibility the area was mis-designated as a floodplain or is no longer truly at risk of flooding due to geological or structural chances. You could have a surveyor come re-inspect the land and determine if it truly is still a floodplain. They may be able to remove the floodplain status, in which case, you won't have to disclose this to potential buyers and will therefore have an easier time finding a buyer.

For more advice on how to sell your home, talk to a real estate agent in your area.