My House is Flooded What do I do?

Hi Kashif, First let me tell you how bad I feel for what you are going through. I know from my home flooding in 2001 what a headache it is. It feels overwhelming. There will be good days, and there will be bad days. I truly sympathize with you.
You have been given a lot of great answers, so I can only add a couple of ideas. If I repeat something already written, I apologize. For repairs, make sure that permits are obtained from the city. Also, using a reputable repairman/contractor is really important. Again, I'm saying this from experience (unfortunately). There is no easy way to know the quality of work they will do, unless you can get a referral from someone who has used them, and you have seen their work.
Yvonne is absolutely correct about not making hasty decisions. I wish you all the best!

Good morning Kashif Sharif,
I want you to know that I empathize with everyone affected by Harvey. And I understand why so much confusion. A good starting point is for you to get estimates for labor and repairs in conjunction to speaking with a Realtor. Companies will provide estimates free of charge. Not sure where you are in the process, but I am happy to speak with you and share my testimony as well as others who have come out on the other side of this situation with great joy.
Feel free to contact me at your convenience.
Book, Your Realtor
Booker Terrell
281 467 8111

The answers above all contain very good information. One more additional piece of information you may want to consider is the Disaster Victim Mortgage Loan available to flood victims of Harvey that would help you get into a new house now (if that is a choice that would be good for you). The FHA 203(h) loan does not require you to sell your flooded house in order to close on the new home. It gives you time to deal with the flooded house while moving you forward to having your own place to live again.

This is only available for a period of one year after the disaster occurred. It is a zero down loan and also offers a 1% credit toward your closing costs. Of course, you still have to do something with your flooded home, and all of the advice already given by the other Realtors is good advice to follow regarding FEMA relief, insurance payouts, and either selling As Is or repairing it and renting it out. Make sure to choose a reputable loan officer if you pursue this option. Most good Realtors can refer you to several. I have worked with Will Fitts of First Imperial Mortgage to help other flood victims purchase a new home with this loan. He did a fantastic job. Here is his email: will@firstimperialmortgage.com.

All the Best,
Andrea Cloud Wagner
Cloud Realty
281-359-9999

Hi Kashif,
I address this topic in my blog: www.har.com/francois-delille/agent_FDel
You are not the only one in this situation.
You have three options essentially:
1) Sell it as is to a cash investor
2) Fix it up yourself and sell it on the market.
3) Fix it up and rent it until the market recovers
In Texas, there is no need for a license to be a general contractor. Hence, selecting a good general contractor is key.
Please call us at your convenience to review your options.
francois@cozy-homes.com

Hello Kashif,

So sorry to hear about your loss. This can be a confusing time.

If the house did get some water inside, you must have started the remediation process immediately. Otherwise mold can be a big problem.

You should have contacted your home insurance company and FEMA to get help with insurance and disaster recovery help.

There are two options you have:

1. Contact a wholesaler. We know several wholesaler who can provide quote quickly and close in 7-10 days. Contact me for more information.

2. Contact a general contractor and get a quote for remodeling. Most of the general contractors are very busy right now and the construction cost have gone up significantly.

Ryan Modi
Pattern Realty
Ph: (281) 236-4040
RyanM@PatternRealty.com

Hello Kashif,

So sorry to hear about it. You should have had many things rolling by now.

1. Contact your insurance company - They may pay or may not depending on the insurance you are carrying.
2. Registered for FEMA help
3. Should have started on basic remediation process like cutting off wet sheetrocks and hauling other wet stuff out

Coming to selling your house, you have two options - Reaching out to realtor or wholesaler. Wholesaler will buy your house as is and they can close the transaction in a very short period of time. Realtors can put your house on the market and wait for it to be sold through normal process or through their network of investors.

If you need help, reach out to me.

Chris
Coldwell Bankers
www.ChrisRealEstatePro.com
832.859.8698

Asalamalikum/Hello ! Kashif
So sorry for all your loss! Stat a new chapter Kashif! a quick question to you did you have flood insurance ?
I am sure by now you must be already progressed too far. If you have not please get intouc with your realestate answers that lie with
Imrana Hamdi
Realtor Keller Williams
7654909206
No fees charged !

Kashif,
I am so sorry about you and other homeowners, such as yourself are going thru. I can also see how this would be totally overwhelming and absolutely heartbreaking.
Take it one step at the time and put one foot in front of the other.

First- get estimates on repairs. To answer your questions as it relates to contractors- yes, they have to be licensed, bonded and insured.
Do not hire a contractor you don't trust. Get at least 2-3 estimates and compare them, as well as timelines. I can provide you with a list of trustworthy contractors.

Once you have an estimated cost of repairs, your next step will be to determine the estimated market value of your house after repairs- and yes, a Realtor can run comparative market data report for you and provide a price for which your house can sell.
When you have that number- you'll know if it's financially worth it to fix it or not.

The same goes for providing market data and an estimated price for which your house can sell as-is right now.

Once you have these numbers, look into your mortgage- determine how much you still owe. This will help you determine if you will make profit or a loss during sale. A Realtor can prepare a net sheet for you as well.

Kashif- if I may add something- don't make hasty decisions. Take your time and look at the numbers once you have them. Take advice from someone you can trust, who will have your best interest at heart.

Have you filed with FEMA and have you filed a claim with your insurance company? There are a lot of available resources for homeowners affected by flood:
https://texashelp.tamu.edu/hurricane-harvey-disaster-recovery

If you'd like more information, feel free to email me at: yvonne.chauvin@yvonnechauvin.com.

Hang in there.
Sincerely,

Yvonne Chauvin, REALTOR
MCNE
281-686-0143
YvonneChauvin@YvonneChauvin.com

Kashif,

In addition to the great suggestions Ryan made, you also need to contact your insurance company if you have not already and get them out to see what kind of claim dollars you have to work with. You can then put this in the mix of rebuild, remodel or sell as is Your insurance company cannot dictate what contractor you use, but often they have a list of contracts they have worked with in the Houston area that have a good reputation. The BBB also will have a list of A+ rated contractors. (https://www.bbb.org/en/us/local-bbb/bbb-of-greater-houston-and-south-texas).

You can also check with your HOA. They have a whole section on their website about flood recovery. (https://savannahestates.wordpress.com/).

Texas does not license General contractors at the state level. However, many municipalities do require licenses. Check with local city/county requirements and regulations. Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Asbestos abatement and other specialty trades require a state license.

HAR also has home listed where the owners are renting cheap or free for flood victims for up to 13 weeks. Check out the link below. (http://www.har.com/temporaryhousing).

I also included a list of resources. Check it out. There is a ton of great information. (https://texashelp.tamu.edu/hurricane-harvey-disaster-recovery/)

The bottom line is not to panic and to start taking one step at a time. Information is key to helping make a good decision you can live with. Just remember... If it sounds too good to be true; it most likely is too good to be true and should be avoided.

Michael Jobin, SRES, TxCG
C&K Properties

Dear Khasif,

Sorry to hear that you are being effected from this big disaster. Coming to your questions. If you have the finances to fix it, you can check with the contractor the cost of fixing and with Real Estate Professional to provide you the home value after repair then decide accordingly. If you do not want to take the remodeling cost, you can sell it "as is". I know the situation harder than words while everything is about your finances and your decision. Most contractors can give you free quotation, check their previous works and ask references. There can be several contractor involved according to what you want to do at your home. Example: Tile Flooring, Wood Flooring, Granite, Painter. You can ask their documentation whether they are license or unlicensed.

You can call me text me or email me. If you have further questions or need to know about my favorite contractors.

Regards,

Cagdas Acar
Msc PSA Realtor
Mobile: 832-283-1091
Email: acarster@gmail.com
Website: www.cagdasacar.kw.com

Good morning Kashif,
I am so sorry to here of you delima. I know this flooding has affected many. The answer to you question is not an easy one and it depends on many factors. The best option would be for you to get some estimates for repairs and begin talking to a realtor. I have looked into your neighborhood and there are several homes active and sold since the hurricane in various stages of distress and rebuild. The option to sell as-is or rebuild will depend entirely on your capabilities as well as mortgage status and weather it makes since to rebuild or not. A qualified realtor should be able to give you an idea of home value in respect to either way you go. My broker also has a home building and remodeling company and we can provide a written estimate as well as repairs from the ground up. This will provide you with a value for repairs that can be completed or give us a ground point for the work needed if selling as is. I also do short sales if necessary as well as have multiple contacts that could buy as-is willing to perform the repairs needed with a quick close. Your neighborhood also consist of several flood plains, do you know if you are in one and if you have flood insurance?
Please feel free to contact me, I would be more than happy to help you get through this stressful time so you can begin moving forward.
Ryan Kohn
281-636-8179 Call or Text
ryank@rykohnrealty.com