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Last updated on February 3rd, 2021 at 11:20 am
A home facing the beach is such a dream for everyone. Serene ocean view from your living room is a view to behold. Everything about the sea is lovely.
But living near the water comes with some very real risks: the ongoing threat of destructive storms and regular flooding that can range from costly to catastrophic. And the worst of these dangers seem to be escalating.
On Wednesday Hurricane Sally struck the Gulf Coast from Mississippi to the Florida Panhandle as a Category 2 storm.
It was expected to dump a devastating 20 inches of rain as it continues moving over land more slowly which is about 3 miles per hour.
Similarly last month Hurricane Laura struck southwest Louisiana and Texas, trotting onshore at 15 mph as a Category 4 storm that rapidly lost steam once over land.
In the past two months alone, the nation has been hit by not one but two major storms: Hurricanes Laura and Sally bringing destruction and death to large swaths of the coastal U.S.
And there were five more storm systems moving through the Atlantic Ocean as of Friday, only the second time in history that so many have been tracked at the same time.
While these areas are often rich in natural beauty and other attractions, those considering buying homes in these places should understand how their properties could be affected, so the team at realtor.com decided it was time to take the high ground to find which counties in the U.S. have the greatest flood risks.
Danny Brouillette, a research climate scientist at Pennsylvania State University in State College said, “Climate change is causing tropical cyclones to be more slow-moving.
Paired with the increased water content in the air, as it grows warmer, it’s a recipe for more [storms] that produce extremely prolific rainfall that causes flooding, both at the coast and inland.
And increased sea levels due to climate change will tend to worsen flooding from storm surge near the coast.”
According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, Floods are the most common weather-related natural disaster in the U.S. Despite the increasing risks, homeowners continue to be drawn to homes in some of the most flood-prone areas, such as beach communities on the shore of the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico.
According to a recent realtor.com report on flood risk, over half of home shoppers would still consider buying a home in spite of knowing it is in a flood zone. But about 40% of those buyers expect a discount on the home price.
Danielle Hale, chief economist at realtor.com says, “It’s a risk that an inexperienced buyer could easily overlook, such as in a home that is relatively lower-lying than its neighbors, but nowhere near a body of water.”
A nonprofit research and technology group, First Street Foundation launched an interactive website offering flood risk data on more than 142 million homes and properties across the country in June.
Now Realtor.com, one of the nation’s largest home listing sites, will put those scores on all of its listings. The team analyzed factors that contribute to flooding, including tides, rain, and storm surge.
It also looked at the impact of environmental changes, like sea-level rise, changing precipitation patterns, and warming atmospheric temperatures.
First Street, worked with more than 80 scientists and researchers, to remap America’s flood risk in an effort to educate homeowners, buyers, and the greater real estate industry.
It assigns a flood score to every property, that calculates the past, present, and future flood risk for every home in the country.
Realtor.com recently teamed up with First Street and selected one county per state with the most major to extreme flood risk and included only the counties with at least 100,000 residents.
Charlotte County, in southwestern Florida on the Gulf Coast, attracts a variety of homeowners, including full-time residents and snowbirds, which flock there in winter months.
It is the country’s most desirable place to live with 663 miles of beaches. Though the whole of Florida is technically in a high flood risk zone.
In 2004 Hurricane Charley devastated the Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda areas, wiping out about half of Charlotte County’s roughly 12,000 homes.
The county was hit with flooding and damage again in 2017’s Hurricane Irma.
Known as Louisiana’s “Bayou Country” on the Gulf of Mexico.
A little over an hour southwest of New Orleans, the county is home to vast wetlands, lakes, bays, bayous, and canals, along with wildlife preserves, oyster beds, and a rich Cajun culture.
With the highest point just 13 feet above sea level. The coastal parish is regularly in the path of major storms, including Katrina in 2005.
Most recently, Hurricane Laura last month caused damage and flooding.
It is well known for its sandy beaches, resorts, a multitude of golf courses, and subtropical heat. It has a booming tourism industry that inspires many visitors to invest in vacation homes.
As it is located in the state’s Low country, every few years, a hurricane makes landfall along this part of the coast, often causing damage from storm surges.
And the low-lying landscape makes the county frequently vulnerable to floods. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew caused more than $57 million in damages.
Located in southeastern Texas along the Gulf Coast, Galveston County often takes the brunt when a major storm hits.
The area was devastated in 1900 by the deadliest hurricane in American history, which left 6,000 people dead. More recently, the city saw flooding from Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
Still, Galveston is a “dreamy” place to live with friendly people, beaches, great nightlife, and beautiful weather.
Katrina and its damaging storm surges caused catastrophic damage to Jackson County, located along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
This June, Hurricane Cristobal brought 11 inches of rain, 46 mph winds, and storm surges of 5.5 feet. It left low-lying areas flooded.
Jackson County’s landscape is mostly marshlands and bayous, but it is home to several beaches, too, and boasts a bustling tourism industry.
Beach towns like Ocean Springs and Pascagoula are popular with visitors and residents, and nearby Biloxi draws a crowd with its large casino resorts.
It is home to the state capital of Charleston. However, due to its location on the Kanawha River, Charleston and the surrounding areas are vulnerable to floods, especially after heavy rainfall.
In 2016, West Virginia saw one of the worst floods in its history, after about 10 inches of rain fell within 24 hours.
The flood caused extensive damage. The National Weather Service referred to it as a “one in a thousand-year event.” In spite of the flood risk, residents enjoy the suburban vibe of Charleston and its very low cost of living.
Earlier this year, the California Department of Water Resources awarded Merced County a $9.7 million grant to help reduce flooding. The money will go toward a new 300-acre flood detention basin to add an extra layer of protection.
Savannah is the largest city in Chatham County—and the one most at risk of flooding. Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Irma in 2017 both hit Savannah, causing evacuations, flooding, and millions of dollars in damage.
Despite the disasters, Savannah’s beauty makes it a popular destination for visitors and homebuyers. It is said as having the best of all worlds, with urban living, coastal living, and country living.
In 2012, Hurricane Sandy left about 80% of Atlantic City underwater at one point, and the year before, Hurricane Irene caused extensive damage and flooding.
Still, the housing market in Atlantic County has a lot to offer. It is the most preferred place because it has beaches, boating, and very diverse geography within driving distances of Philadelphia and New York.
North Carolina has become a popular destination for those working in finance and tech as well as baby boomers looking for warmer weather and a lower cost of living without having to move all the way to Florida.
New Hanover County, on the coast about an hour and a half north of Myrtle Beach, SC, is particularly popular due to its scenic shorelines.
North Carolina sees an average of 54 inches of rainfall in its coastal areas each year and 16 inches of snowfall in the mountains, so flooding is a big deal for the state. It also saw flooding and other damage from Hurricane Isaias last month.
Buyers should be looking at flood maps and really understand which properties are at the greatest risk of flooding, and they also need to know the elevations of the homes they’re considering.
New flood scores may lower the value of certain homes. The higher the flood risk is, the more it costs to insure the home, which then detracts from its value.
Homes with higher flood risk may also not sell as quickly as others with lower risk in nearby areas. This new information is likely to change a lot of factors for homeowners, from mortgages to insurance to the very value of their homes.
Reference Source: MarketWatch
