Q: We found a beautiful home a few blocks from the water and are ready to make an offer. Friends keep warning us about flood zones and insurance, and one even mentioned something called an elevation certificate. We don’t want to talk ourselves out of a house we love, but we also don’t want a nasty surprise. What should we check before we buy? — Diane

A: Buying near the water can be wonderful, but it does require a few extra steps before you commit. You will want to know exactly what it will cost to insure and protect the home, so there are no surprises after closing.

Start with the flood zone itself. Almost every property appears on a federal flood map, and homes in high-risk zones, such as zones labeled A or V, have a roughly 1% annual chance of flooding. Check the map for the specific property, not just the neighborhood, because a single lot can sit partly in and partly out of a high-risk zone.

The zone matters most for two reasons: your lender and your insurance. If the home is in a high-risk zone and you are financing it, your lender will likely require you to carry flood insurance for the life of the loan. Even if you pay cash or the home is in a lower-risk area, seriously consider flood coverage because a sizable share of flood claims come from outside high-risk zones. Get a written insurance quote early, while you can still walk away, since the premium can be the difference between a home you can afford and one you cannot. Fortunately, these premiums are generally reasonable considering the coverage they provide.

Flood insurance is priced largely on a home’s specific features, such as its elevation and construction, rather than on the zone alone, so two nearby houses can carry very different premiums.

Ask the seller whether you can transfer an existing flood policy, because if you can, it may preserve a lower rate and avoid a new waiting period. While an “elevation certificate” is no longer the deciding factor in federal flood pricing, ask the seller for a copy if they already have one, since a private insurer or your local permitting office may still want it. If none is available, you can typically get one with your survey at an additional cost.

What a seller must disclose about past flooding varies by location, so do not assume silence means the home has stayed dry. Ask directly about any history of flooding, water intrusion, or insurance claims, and try to verify the flood zone and claims history yourself rather than taking anyone’s word for it.

Like any major purchase, a home near the water rewards buyers who do their homework first. By being diligent, you can avoid having your dream home turned into a nightmare.

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