Realtor.com® Flood Risk Data Tool
Louisiana REALTORS • September 14, 2020
For REALTORS®, more knowledge is more power.
Realtor.com® recently released a new tool on its platform - an addition that enables you to see the flood risk of both for-sale and off-market properties. The tool combines data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the First Street Foundation's Flood Factor™
feature to produce a risk score ranging from 1 (minimal risk) to 10 (extreme risk) and an indication of whether that risk is increasing, decreasing or constant over the next 30 years.
This new tool allows REALTORS® to:
In addition, a graph shows the cumulative risk of flooding for a property over the typical 30-year period of ownership, along with the FEMA-categorized flood zone for the property, and whether flood insurance is required.
This information can be used by REALTORS® to provide additional context, guidance and insights to your buying and selling clients.
This new tool allows REALTORS® to:
- Make this risk an early part of the home search discussion.
- Enable buyers to factor this risk into their evaluation of a property.
- Incentivize owners to make necessary home improvements to mitigate flood risk.
- Help buyers and owners ensure they have adequate insurance coverage.
- Reduce the likelihood that a home sale is derailed by unexpected flood risk information late into a transaction.
Here's how the data from both sources (FEMA and Flood Factor™) will work together to help you as a trusted REALTOR®:
| Flood Factor™ | FEMA |
|---|---|
| Provides accurate, property-level flood risk information | Provides detailed, community-wide flood risk information |
| Incorporates current and future environmental changes | Maps the 100-year flood zone and indicates whether a property is "in or out" of this zone |
| Maps multiple flood zones and risk levels | Does not provide information specific to individual properties |
| Includes more flood scores, such as heavy rainfall | Based on site-specific, engineering studies, but limited to two risks (riverine and storm surge) |
| Nationwide coverage and updated quarterly | Used by community regulators, banks and lenders |
| Assesses historic flood patterns and projects future risk | Assesses historic flood patterns |
Check out these helpful NAR resources:
- Is My Home in a Flood Zone?
- Don't Fear Flood Data; Here's How It Helps Clients
- Pivot in Place (a 3-minute video of NAR's 2020 VP of Association Affairs discussing the new feature)
2026 Louisiana housing market outlook for agents. Learn how local data, pricing strategy, and negotiation tactics shape success in a balanced market.
From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple announced today that the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) continues its work to develop a regulation creating benchmark discounts for Fortified roofs in Louisiana. The LDI is working with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to develop the benchmark discounts using Louisiana-specific data, hurricane modeling and actuarial considerations. “With over 11,000 Fortified roofs in Louisiana and two years-worth of insurer experience with rating for those roofs in our state, now is an appropriate time for the LDI to establish benchmark discounts for homeowners insurance companies operating in our market,” said Commissioner Temple. “These benchmarks are being thoughtfully developed to help consumers receive the discounts they deserve for fortifying their homes while making sure insurers know the benchmarks reflect how much Fortified roofs actually mitigate their exposure to risk across Louisiana.” Like in Alabama’s Fortified benchmark discount structure, the LDI regulation would require Louisiana insurance companies to either meet the minimum benchmark discount established by the LDI or provide actuarial justification for why the company’s discount does not meet the benchmark. Louisiana is the fastest growing state for Fortified roofs in America. To date, over 11,000 Fortified roofs have been installed in Louisiana, including over 4,100 through the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program.
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