You’ve stumbled upon your ideal house. Is that beautiful babbling creek in the backyard going to prove to be a major heartache during storm season?
Before you sign on the dotted line, it is well worth jumping online and doing a Brisbane flood map search or an Ipswich flood map search. These flood maps will allow you to pinpoint your location and show you historical water levels. Whilst they predominantly relate to the flood levels of 1974 and 2011, having your pride and joy inundated with floodwaters can be devastating. When buying in a flood-prone area, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Buying a house in a Brisbane flood zone
Buying a property in a known flood zone area in Brisbane isn’t ideal, however, it doesn’t mean you should turn your back on what could be your dream home. The view down the river from the balcony may be just too good to turn down.
Impact on house prices: Be aware that the selling price of flood-affected properties tends to drop, often quite significantly, due to the concern people have over the recurrence of possible future flooding. However, prices do bounce back quite quickly as time progresses. It is worth taking this into account before buying, as when the time to sell arises in the future, this could potentially limit your market. It therefore becomes even more important to weigh up the pros and cons of buying in a flood-affected suburb.
Impact on insurance: Another aspect to consider is the cost of insurance. It would be advisable to contact a reputable insurance company regarding your intended home to enquire about flood insurance and related costs. Excessive premiums might be an outcome you have not factored into your budget.
Purchasing a previously flooded house
It is important to find out if your intended purchase has been previously flooded. The primary concern of most homeowners is how much structural damage has occurred to the house due to the flooding, and if the flooding will cause ongoing future expenses. The reality is that most flood-affected properties recover quite well. Under normal circumstances, depending on the level of water inundation, all materials vulnerable to moisture damage would have been repaired or replaced; however, an exterior building inspection will confirm this.
Plasterboard wall linings would have been removed, electrical power points would have been re-certified, cupboards constructed out of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) that were swollen would have been replaced, and any timber floorboards that deteriorated due to moisture swelling would have been attended to. The structural components of houses are usually very sound without any evidence of structural damage, only occurring if debris coming downstream impacts the property. Visible evidence of cracking within masonry walls is usually a result of construction issues completely unrelated to the flooding and may have even been in existence before the flood.
Regardless of the situation, it is always recommended to organise a pre-purchase Brisbane property inspection with an independent building inspector to ensure that all repair works have been satisfactorily completed and there is nothing about the home that is going to surprise you in the future.
Where to get information when it starts to flood
If your dream home is located in the South East Queensland region, make yourself familiar with your local council’s Disaster Dashboard, which contains a lot of helpful information, including which areas are currently under flood threat, where to find sandbags, and what to do in the case of a flood emergency. Keep the State Emergency Services (SES) phone number on hand, 132 500 and if needed, log a SES request online. For more information, view the dashboard in your area.
Brisbane City Council Disaster Dashboard
