You cannot tell whether a Houston house has flooded by looking at it. Fresh paint and new baseboards hide a lot. Before you offer, you need three things lined up: what the seller disclosed, what the maps say, and what the seller will answer when you ask directly.
Here is the order we use, and what each step can and cannot tell you.
It asks several direct questions, and you should read every one. The notice under Property Code 5.008 asks about present flood insurance coverage and about previous flooding from a reservoir failure or a controlled or emergency release. It asks about past water entering the structure from a natural flood. It also asks whether the property is wholly or partly in a 100 year floodplain, a 500 year floodplain, a floodway, a flood pool or a reservoir.
Two more items matter. The form asks whether the seller has ever filed a flood damage claim with any insurer, including the National Flood Insurance Program. It also asks whether the seller has received FEMA or U.S. Small Business Administration assistance for flood damage.
The flood questions came from HB 3815, which took effect September 1, 2019 and applies to contracts entered into on or after that date. HB 697 replaced the form effective September 1, 2023 and restates the flood items. The seller answers yes, no or unknown from actual knowledge, and the form is not a warranty.
No, and mixing them up is the most common mistake we see. Floodplain status is the FEMA map zone for the spot. The 100 year floodplain has a 1% chance of flooding in any year, and the 500 year floodplain has a 0.2% chance. Flood history is a separate question about what has actually happened to this house.
A house can sit outside every mapped floodplain and still have taken on water. FEMA says nearly one third of National Flood Insurance Program claims come from outside high risk flood areas. A house can also sit inside a floodplain and never have flooded. You need both answers.
Use two free tools and compare. Harris County Flood Control District offers a Flood Education Mapping Tool at harriscountyfemt.org. It shows FEMA’s effective 2007 flood map plus later map revisions, and the district itself says it is not the effective FIRM.
For the official map, enter the address at FEMA’s Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov and print a FIRMette. Keep that printout with your offer paperwork. If the two tools disagree, the FEMA printout is the one to rely on.
Ask plain questions and ask for documents. This is advice, not a legal rule, but it works.
Read the answers against the disclosure form. A “no” on the form and a hesitant answer in person is a reason to slow down. Your agent can ask these on your behalf, and an inspector can look for signs of past water that a walkthrough misses. If you are shopping a new subdivision, also read our post on Houston MUD taxes, because drainage is paid for through that line on the bill.
They are drafts, so treat them as a preview and not a ruling. FEMA delivered draft maps to county floodplain administrators in early February 2026. Officials say they are draft, not final and not regulatory, and nothing changes now for insurance or development rules.
You can still look up an address on the draft map at maapnext.org to see where a house may land. Virtual public meetings were held on June 8, June 23 and July 1, 2026. If you plan to own the house for years, the draft result is worth a question to your insurance agent today.
Plan the policy before closing day, not after it. A new National Flood Insurance Program policy normally takes effect after 30 days. No wait applies when you buy the policy in connection with a loan. In that case coverage can begin at closing if you apply and pay the premium at or before closing. This comes from FEMA’s agent pages, so confirm the details with your insurer.
Homes in high risk zones with a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender must carry flood insurance, and FEMA encourages it elsewhere. Our Houston buyer page lists what to line up before an offer. For money help with a first purchase, see our post on Houston first time buyer programs.
The Agency Team is a Houston brokerage led by Broker and CEO Waldina Galeano, TREC Broker License #665052. Call (832) 207-3277 with an address and we will walk through these checks with you.
Have a question about a specific address? Call (832) 207-3277 or send us a message and an agent will get back to you.
Yes, within what the seller knows. Property Code 5.008 asks about previous flooding from a reservoir release and about past water entering the structure from a natural flood. HB 3815 added these questions for contracts on or after September 1, 2019. The seller answers yes, no or unknown from actual knowledge, and the form is not a warranty.
No. Floodplain status is a FEMA map zone, not a record of what happened. The 100 year floodplain has a 1% chance of flooding in any year and the 500 year has a 0.2% chance. FEMA says nearly one third of National Flood Insurance Program claims come from outside high risk flood areas, so check history separately.
Enter the address at FEMA's Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov and print a FIRMette, which is the official map for that spot. Harris County Flood Control District also runs a free Flood Education Mapping Tool, but the district says it is not the effective FIRM, so use it for context and FEMA for the official zone.
No. Draft maps went to county floodplain administrators in early February 2026, and officials describe them as draft, not final and not regulatory. Nothing changes now for insurance or development rules. You can look up an address on the draft map to see where it may land, and then ask your lender and insurer.
A new National Flood Insurance Program policy normally takes effect after 30 days. No wait applies when you buy the policy in connection with a loan. Coverage can then begin at closing if you apply and pay the premium at or before closing. Confirm timing with your insurer.
Tell us what you are buying or selling and we will walk you through the numbers for your address. No pressure, no obligation.
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