Non-flood residential areas close to 607 E. Sonterra Blvd? (Center, Blanco: insurance, mortgage)

[benandgrace]

I'm checking out the following two areas for a possible relocation spot for my family and I. I'm wondering which of the two areas if any would be safe from any flooding.

1222 CARMEL CHASE. I can't find hardly any flood info about this location.

22226 GOLDCREST RUN. If I'm not mistaken, according to the LOMC 05-06-0696P-480045 12/07/2005 link, anywhere in Stone Oak along Blanco rd. can become flood area, as well as where Blanco rd. and Heubner rd meet. I find this odd because there seems to be a lot of houses there. But I'm not from the area. Am I missing something?

" + theTitle + " (http://cip.sara-tx.org/website/cip/viewer.htm - broken link)

http://www.sara-tx.org/site/flood_control/flood_retention/flood-water-retention-dams.jpg (broken link)
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LOMC 05-06-0696P-480045 12/07/2005

from:

FEMA Map Service Center - Map Search=

[jwh97]

Generally the homes in the area there are newer, and would not have been allowed to be built in a flood zone by city/county government if one existed. The flooding in that area is usually confined to the dry creekbeds and drainage ditches. Occasionally the road may have some water over it during extreme events, but only for a few hours at most. Flooding would be flash flood in nature.

If you are considering a home there, have your agent ask the seller. They are required to disclose that information if the property is in a flood zone. As part of any mortgage, the mortgage company would have surveyor make a flood zone determination when and if you buy the home, because they would require flood insurance. So the previous owner would know as well.

[benandgrace]

Originally Posted by jwh97

Generally the homes in the area there are newer, and would not have been allowed to be built in a flood zone by city/county government if one existed. The flooding in that area is usually confined to the dry creekbeds and drainage ditches. Occasionally the road may have some water over it during extreme events, but only for a few hours at most. Flooding would be flash flood in nature.

If you are considering a home there, have your agent ask the seller. They are required to disclose that information if the property is in a flood zone. As part of any mortgage, the mortgage company would have surveyor make a flood zone determination when and if you buy the home, because they would require flood insurance. So the previous owner would know as well.

Thanks for the helpful info. I'll email a realtor soon. One question though. Those homes appeared to be outside the 100 yr flood markers but 500 yr flood markers were not shown. I've read in this forum that there have already been 2-3 "500 yr floods" recently. So I'd like to find out if those areas have already flooded and/or if they could, even if it's unlikely.

[mrstxcop]

while i cannot tell you if those areas have ever flooded, i can tell you that if those areas were ever sitting in a 100yr flood plain the builders would have gone in and built the entire area up above it --- all areas have what is called a base flood elevation --- a BFE --- for example, if the BFE of an area is say 10ft then the builders would have gone in and build up to say 15 or 20ft so that the homes are now sitting ABOVE the 100yr flood plain and are now considered to be sitting in a 500yr flood plain ---

the low risk flood zones, or the 500yr flood zones are the B, C, and X zones --- if a home is sitting in a flood zone it will be in either an A zone or a V zone --- the V zones are the worst and are typically found on the coastal plains, right up on water --- if any portion of the flood line is touching your property, even if just on the back portion of the property line, then the ENTIRE property is considered to be in the flood zone and flood insurance is required ---

if you saw my pictures on the other thread, the flood picture thread, you would see that even with my house being so close to what is typically a dried up creek bed, we still were NOT in the 100 yr flood zone --- our house was and still is considered to be in a 500yr flood zone, low risk, so our home would not need flood insurance --- the
flood that happened in 98 can easily be considered the worst flood that san antonio has had and our house was still far from being flooded or damaged --- it rained for 3 days straight and the water was still atleast 10-15ft from even touching our back fence and would still have had to have risen another 30 ft or more to even touch the house ---

so i really think you are safe --- if anything you can always purchase a low risk flood police for peace of mind --- the max coverage used to cost $220 for a year, not sure of the current premiums ---

flash flooding is just something that happens here --- it is not very common, atleast not as common as most think --- the low lying areas are what is typically affected when it does flood and that is mostly just in the street --- what happened in 98 is very very rare --- in the 11 yrs we have lived in the this house i have only seen the water rise up in the creek to massive extent apx 3 times, with 98 being the worst ---

i hope some of this info sets your mind at ease a little --- remember, ALL homes are in a flood zone, it's just whether or not you are in a low risk zone or a high risk zone --- that is what i used to tell all my customers when i sold flood insurance thru FEMA ---

[benandgrace]

mrxtxcop, thanks a lot! I'll use that info if I buy a house in SA. Do you happen to live anywhere near 607 E. Sonterra Blvd? Your street sounds very safe.

[Bo]

The Sonterra Parkway area has seen a huge amount of development in the last 5 years, including the years since 2005. This development has brought a tremendous increase in impervious cover (buildings, streets and parking lots), which increases flooding and drainage infrastructure (storm drains and spillways), which reduces it. Because of the constant change there in recent years, it's unlikely you'll be able to find a perfect tool that will tell you the current risk of flooding in that immediate area. The answer to whether a given area will flood depends greatly on the effectiveness of that new drainage infrastructure.

[mrstxcop]

no, i do not live near sonterra blvd, but honestly, most every street here in SA is safe --- honestly --- i know that to many who are not "local's" the sound of "flash flood" is scary but it does not happen very often at all --- and again when it does, for the most part, there is only enough rain to flood a few low lying roads --- and even at that they are mostly major roads not near homes ---

if you have been told that the home you are looking at is not if a flood zone, then it means that your home is in a low risk flood zone, the B, C or X i was talking about before --- and i would really not be worried at that point ---

just to feel on the safe side you can always find out how far your home sits from the A flood zone line --- if you are talking miles, i would not worry --- in our current home, the creek bed the runs behind our home, the very bottom of it has an A flood zone but our home sits up so high that we are not affected by it ---

really, i think you will be safe --- try not to worry too much!!!

i think i would worry more about my home flooding from sewage backing up into the home thru pipes or from the drainage in the street becoming obstructed and water coming into the home --- that can happen anywhere, regardless of your flood zone determination --- again, the purchase of a low risk flood policy would give you coverage for this, should it happen ---

[benandgrace]

Thanks again.