If you are considering a purchase of an existing home or lot located in a Flood Zone area of the City of Naples, you should seek the counsel of The Floodplain Coordinator and work with an experienced local REALTOR and real estate Attorney. There are a number of rules and regulations that control what you can and cannot do to improve existing structures and vacant lots located within FEMA Flood Zones.
- FEMA = Federal Emergency Management Agency’s
- NFIP = National Flood Insurance
The 50% Rule is an NFIP regulation which states that structures whose lowest living floor does not meet or exceed the current required Base Flood Elevation (BFE) specified on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) may not be substantially improved.
Substantial improvement is any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or another improvement of a structure, the cost of which exceeds 50% of the market value of the structure before the start of construction of the improvement. Structures can be improved up to 50% every year.
Market value is the assessed value or properly depreciated appraised value of the structure. Historic Preservation and correcting code violations are situations in which improvements may not apply towards the 50% Rule.
For more detailed information about the 50% rule and how it can affect your real estate purchase in Naples please contact Trey Wilson, REALTOR at 239.595.4444 or [email protected]