Any advice on fighting Incorrect Flood Map Cert.

[Codie]

A Flood Map Certification company contacted my Mortgage company and informed them that my property was in a flood zone, causing them to send me a letter requiring that I purchase flood insurance. Of course when I call them they say that FEMA is where they get their information from (which is a lie). It took me a whopping 5 minutes to get on the FEMA website and see that my property is still just outside of the recently updated flood zone. I am doing a dispute with FEMA, but that will take a good 3 months to get and answer on and I am required to have the flood insurance within 45 days or they will purchase it for me at a rate about 10 times what I can buy it for and then send me a bill for it. I have contacted my mortgagee again and requested again that they give me the contact for the Flood Map Cert Company that is claiming that my property is within the flood zone to hopefully prove to them that it is not, but my mortgage company says the only thing I can do is dispute it through FEMA - FEMA has a HUGE pile of hoops for me to jump through just to even take a look at it.

[Txjourneyman]

Have a real estate attorney contact your mortgage company. That is the only way they will listen.

[Shane]

You could refinance.

[Skeetman]

I ran across a similar situation like this not too long ago. We had to get a elevation certificate to prove we weren’t in the flood plain the flood cert said we were in. I don’t know if that is something that would help you in your situation, but it’s an idea.

[Bilbo]

We have helped folks on this issue before. Let me know if you want me to look into it. kels@williamssurveying.com

[Cam-Mac]

^ i would think a survey co might be of some help...

[Cam-Mac]

Or sounds like time to lawyer up! Unfortunately

[k9trainer]

We have helped folks on this issue before. Let me know if you want me to look into it. kels@williamssurveying.com

didn't know you worked with ole Jimbo!

[Captrix]

Good luck, I have to pay $1200 more a year because my neighbors house flooded a few years ago.

[Bilbo]

I ran across a similar situation like this not too long ago. We had to get a elevation certificate to prove we weren’t in the flood plain the flood cert said we were in. I don’t know if that is something that would help you in your situation, but it’s an idea.

Actually, you can't get an elevation certificate if you are in fact outside the flood zone.

didn't know you worked with ole Jimbo!

LOL. Work with him, heck. He's my dad.

[Codie]

You could refinance.

I am seriously considering it. I can get one of the other Loan Officers here at the bank to close it in house for me and not have much in the way of closing cost and SADLY it would be less complicated and time consuming than doing what FEMA is wanting from me

[k9trainer]

Actually, you can't get an elevation certificate if you are in fact outside the flood zone.



LOL. Work with him, heck. He's my dad.

Did not know that! Tell him Paul said hey! Sorry for the hijack Codie.

[Codie]

Did not know that! Tell him Paul said hey! Sorry for the hijack Codie.

not a problem

[bjg]

My advice is to contact your local surveying company. This situation is common in the "real estate world" and I think your surveyor would be in the best position to help you out.

[Atfulldraw]

Actually, you can't get an elevation certificate if you are in fact outside the flood zone.

I'm pretty sure you can in situations where the property touches the flood zone and the house itself is out of the zone.
I've run into it twice with houses I owned in Louisiana.

Call your title company that closed the loan originally. The attorney there will be a good source of info.

however, if the map shows the AE zone isn't on your property, what exactly is there to dispute with FEMA?