First Street flood factor revision
Happy Fourth!
I noticed that the "Flood Factor" computed for our home by this company First Street jumped from 1/10 to 6/10! I checked that there have been no changes to the FEMA flood maps.Their FAQ says their flood risk model takes into account "climate change factors" that the FEMA models do not among other things.
This company seems scammy. They are basically lead generators to companies selling flood insurance. Zillow was forced to remove this data from home listings in 2025. Redfin still carries this information.
Our home in the South Bay sits on high ground and is in FEMA Zone A. There is a seasonal creek in the area (Saratoga Creek) that has never flooded the surrounding area as far as I remember. The home has never flooded in all the years it has stood (since 1956) AFAIK.
First Street mentions that they will respond to homeowners disputing the score only if accompanied by a FEMA LOMA letter which requires a land topographical survey etc, and could be expensive. Has anyone gone through the process and how much did it cost ?
We aren't planning to sell - we just don't want scammy con artists to fool homeowners into buying flood insurance.
Has anyone else noticed this change in flood factor scores ?
Do people even care about the flood factor or FEMA flood zones when buying homes in the Bay Area ?