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Inspecting River Front property

A recent inspection of a river front property has me puzzled. Look closely along the upper section of the garage door. That is a water line approximately 8 feet above the ground. It appears the pool table did not float.

Why would somebody want to live here?
Why would a bank loan on it?
Who would insure it?
Where do you secure your boat?

Risks with river front property

Posted by Paul Luczyk, ASHI on 03/12/2008 11:16 AM

Comments (5)

flooding

Post is included in group: Ethics and the home inspector
Post is included in group: Inspection & Real Estate Nightmares

5 Comments on Inspecting River Front property

MAR

2008

As to your last question, "Where would you secure your boat?" You simply put it in the garage and close the garage door. On a serious note, if the price is right, somebody could still go in there, gut it and still make a profit. But once again, if the price is right.

How did the drywall look? Was there a bad odor in the house? It must of been interesting, to say the least.

Joseph,

The lower level drywall & insulation already had been removed. No odor or mold. A mountain river flood like this is a huge surge of water that comes through and is gone in 2 to 3 days. Nothing like New Orleans floods which I toured in January. The LP composite siding had absolutely no swelling or damage. With well over average mountain snow this year its likely to flood again this spring. The normal river channel is maybe 50 ft behind the house and maybe 3 ft lower than the floor of the home.

Paul, that is a truely "messed-up" situation. People love to build in flood planes, and here we go again re-building New Orleans. Of course if global warming is real

there will be a lot of cities with dikes around them! As far as your last question goes---undo all the foundation bolts and you've got yourself a house boat!

MAR

2008

Paul - this is good reason I have never been interested in river front property. You just never know how long it will be safe.

MAR

2008

Hope they had good flood insurance. Either they paid cash or those floods didn't happen very often in the past.

Must have been an interesting inspection.

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