The Village of Estero encourages real estate professionals to help educate buyers and sellers about local flood risks, flood insurance requirements, and the importance of floodplain awareness during real estate transactions.
The Village has developed a Real Estate Flood Disclosure Program to assist real estate professionals in providing flood risk information to prospective buyers and sellers. To participate in the program, real estate agents should complete the Real Estate Disclosure brochure for the properties they are representing, provide the completed brochure to their clients, and submit a copy to the Village of Estero.
Real estate agents are in a unique position to inform potential buyers whether a property is located within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), has a history of flooding, or may require flood insurance as a condition of a federally backed mortgage.
The Village of Estero participates in FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS), a voluntary program under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) that recognizes communities for implementing floodplain management activities that exceed minimum federal requirements. Estero currently holds a CRS Class 6 rating, which provides flood insurance premium discounts for many policyholders within the community.
By providing flood disclosure information to clients, real estate professionals help support community awareness, improve flood preparedness, and contribute to the Village’s ongoing participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Community Rating System (CRS). CRS participation helps residents and businesses qualify for discounts on flood insurance premiums.
Property owners, buyers, and real estate professionals are encouraged to review FEMA flood maps and local floodplain information before purchasing or developing property within the Village of Estero.
Download and Print the Real Estate Disclosure Brochure
Real estate professionals may download and print the Village of Estero Real Estate Flood Disclosure Brochure for use during real estate transactions.
Printing Instructions
For proper formatting and folding of the brochure, use the following print settings:
· Paper Size: Legal (8.5” x 14”)
· Print Double-Sided
· Scale Setting: Actual Size
· Orientation: Flip on Short Edge
Using these settings will ensure the brochure prints correctly for distribution to clients.
Submitting the Real Estate Disclosure Brochure
To participate in the Village of Estero Real Estate Flood Disclosure Program, submit the following items:
· A completed participation letter
· A copy or photo of the completed Real Estate Flood Disclosure brochure showing the information filled out on the back page
Submission materials should be emailed to:
Completed brochures do not need to be submitted individually each time one is provided to a client. Real estate professionals may submit multiple completed brochures together periodically as they are distributed over time.
These submissions help document participation in the program and support the Village’s continued participation in FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS), which helps provide flood insurance premium discounts to residents and businesses.
Understanding Flood Zones
Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)
- Flood zones beginning with the letters “A” or “V”
- Represents the 1% annual chance floodplain (commonly referred to as the “100-year floodplain”)
- Flood insurance is required for structures with federally backed mortgages
- Subject to additional floodplain development and building requirements
- Typically shown on FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)
Non-SFHA Areas
Non-SFHA areas are considered moderate- to low-risk flood zones.
- Commonly identified as Zone “X” or Zone “D”
- Flood insurance is strongly recommended even if not federally required
- Shaded Zone X areas represent the 0.2% annual chance floodplain (“500-year floodplain”)
- Unshaded Zone X areas are considered lower-risk areas
- Zone D indicates areas where flood hazards are possible but undetermined
Even properties located outside of high-risk flood zones can experience flooding during heavy rainfall events, hurricanes, storm surge, or drainage system failures.