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Rainmaker
1,286,098
Peter Mohylsky, Destin BeachPro
PMI. Destin - Miramar Beach, FL
Call me at 850-517-7098

the water table in most cases is too high to have a basement. 

And Florida is not storm central for the US despite what the news is reporting.  Lets hear from those folks in Calif who suffer thru wild fires, the tornadoes in our mid west and the blizzards that hit the northern US during the winter months.  

Another question to ask is why some of these areas continue to support manufactured homes,  I do not understand this. 

Oct 11, 2024 07:29 AM
Rainmaker
695,835
Leanne Smith
Dirt Road Real Estate - Golden Valley, AZ
The Grit and Gratitude Agent

Florida lacks a lot of subsoil to have basements. And as others mention a high water table.  Most Homes here in Mohave County, AZ do not have basements as the ground is beyond rocky along with rock shelves that require blasting. As Michael Jacobs said "everything is local."

Oct 11, 2024 08:28 AM
Rainmaker
659,634
Buzz Mackintosh
Mackintosh REALTORS - Frederick, MD
“Experience, reliable, leadership”

In many areas the soil and high water table is not conducive for a basement.

Oct 11, 2024 08:23 AM
Ambassador
3,420,409
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

 

It looks like you have the answer from on Florida resident. 

 

Oct 11, 2024 09:52 AM
Rainmaker
5,175,089
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Has to do with the water table.  It could be a indoor swimming pool fast.

Oct 11, 2024 08:37 AM
Rainmaker
4,719,822
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

As Peter Mohylsky, Beach Broker shows, "local" can matter in real estate as well as in everyday life.  

Oct 11, 2024 07:58 AM
Rainmaker
2,509,371
Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

I imagine it's due to a high water table Michael Elliott . No one wants a basement full of water all the time.

Oct 11, 2024 07:45 AM
Rainmaker
613,296
Lew Corcoran
Better Living Real Estate, LLC - East Bridgewater, MA
Expert guidance. Exceptional results.

2 reasons: 1) Homes in Florida typically don't have basements due to the state's high water table and soil conditions. The region's geological makeup makes it challenging to dig deep without encountering groundwater, which can lead to flooding and structural issues; and 2) the warm climate minimizes the need for basements as storage or living space, making slab-on-grade construction more practical and cost-effective.

Oct 11, 2024 09:45 AM
Rainmaker
1,252,783
Doug Dawes
Keller Williams Evolution - 447 Boston Street, Suite #5, Topsfield, MA - Topsfield, MA
Your Personal Realtor®

I would suspect water table.

Oct 11, 2024 08:51 AM
Ambassador
2,116,648
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home again, home again...

There are lots of regions where basements are not common.  I entertain buyers from California all the time who don't understand why we have basements.

Oct 11, 2024 08:16 AM
Rainmaker
615,043
Shayne Stone
HomeSmart - Fulshear, TX
"Your Rock Solid Choice Realtor" RETIRED

Only way to have a Basement in Texas is to either Build House on Hills or like we do for Beach Houses, build them on Pylons / Telephone Polls!

 

I can only imagine what HUGE Sub Pump one would need if we built below - LOL

Oct 11, 2024 10:09 AM
Ambassador
6,089,387
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Michael- FL has as Peter Mohylsky, Beach Broker said a high water table. Same thing in Texas. Texas also has clay soil in many areas and bedrock which would make it difficult and expensive to build a basement. 

Oct 11, 2024 10:32 AM
Rainmaker
1,430,742
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

In many places, if you have a basement you also have a sump pump running full time to pump out the invasive water.

Oct 11, 2024 10:30 AM
Rainmaker
2,245,407
Michael J. Perry
Fathom Realty - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist

There might be a lot of wet basements with the soil in FL 

Oct 11, 2024 08:12 PM
Rainmaker
871,954
Brenda Mayette
Miranda Real Estate Group, Inc. - Glenville, NY
Getting results w/ knowledge & know-how!

High water table is usually the issue...

Oct 11, 2024 01:22 PM
Rainmaker
516,044
Matthew Sturkie, CRS, GRI 909-969-3805
Action Realty - Apple Valley, CA
CRS, GRI 909-969-3805

Basements would be the first to flood. If it keeps getting hotter, we'll all be going underground soon.

Oct 11, 2024 11:10 AM
Rainmaker
820,078
Abby Stiller
TOP SELLING REALTY - Cape Coral, FL
SW Florida (239) 284-8637

Because some Cities in Florida are below sea levels, so there is too much water underground to make basements construction feasible. 

Oct 11, 2024 10:38 AM
Rainmaker
5,285,676
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

Good morning, Michael Elliott. I would guess it's due to the soil. Here in Greater Charlotte we have virtually no in-ground basements due to our red clay soil, which is not stable.

Oct 12, 2024 04:02 AM
Rainer
453,439
J.R. Schloemer
Kentucky Select Properties - Louisville, KY

Well I believe it has to do with their relation to sea level and not wanting a pool in their basement. But I do not live in FL, and I think Peter Mohylsky, Beach Broker's answer sums that up too.  

Oct 11, 2024 07:40 PM
Rainmaker
1,764,353
Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089
Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI
Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info

Likewise in HI.  Basements are an expense and if the ground doesn't freeze then why bother?  Hardly anyone has a basement here.

Oct 11, 2024 01:39 PM
Rainmaker
919,963
Olga Simoncelli
Veritas Prime, LLC dba Veritas Prime Real Estate - New Fairfield, CT
CONSULTANT, Real Estate Services & Risk Management

Cheaper to build without basements, plus they might be prone to getting flooded. Coastal areas are rather encouraged to elevate their homes. 

Oct 12, 2024 06:52 AM
Rainmaker
5,456,999
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Oswego, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

The water table in Florida would make a basement a below ground swimming pool of contaminated water with no view, ha, ha. When active on Florida's East coast did list some properties with bomb shelters from the 50's. They still existed because they were too expensive to tear down.

Oct 12, 2024 04:47 AM
Rainmaker
5,085
CHRIS FALCONE
X-Factor Home Inspections - Williams Township, PA
ASHI Certified Home Inspector-ACI

Prior to massive development Florida had and continues to have large swaths of wetlands ands swamps which have created giant aquifers.  Water in Florida is commonly found around 3 feet below the surface (and can be as shallow as 6 inches depending on where you dig) which is not conducive to building foundations as they can often require 8 feet of excavation or more to build a full size basement for which the excavated area would flood before finishing the digging portion.   

Even if you find a location that doesn't have water this close to the surface the combined factors make the water table high which means that water/moisture occupies the space between sediments and rocks.  This can change geographically and even seasonally and with the expansive soils in Florida the soils will swell when holding moisture and retract when losing water or the moisture content is low.  Expansive soils are not friendly to subgrade foundations.    


The combined factors make basements a rare find in Florida.  Although I say never say never it can be done with proper design and pumping systems but costs become prohibitive and are significantly reliant on all systems to be operating properly like mechanical pumps and drainage system/designs. 

Oct 12, 2024 09:32 AM
Ambassador
6,659,060
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

High water table, very wet basements.

Oct 12, 2024 11:52 PM
Rainmaker
786,794
Tony Lewis
Summit Real Estate Group - Valencia, CA
Summit Real Estate Group Valencia & Aliso Viejo

I wouldn't want a basement in an area with a high chance of flooding.

Oct 12, 2024 01:20 PM
Rainer
411,039
Don Baker
Lane Realty - Eatonton, GA
Lake Sinclair Specialist

They would be wet.

Oct 12, 2024 01:11 PM
Rainmaker
940,972
Carla Freund
Keller Williams Preferred Realty - Raleigh, NC
NC Real Estate Transition & Relocation 919-602-848

High water table. If the area floods your basement might turn into an inground swimming pool.

 

Oct 12, 2024 11:10 AM
Ambassador
5,472,571
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Structural issues due to the high water tables there - same in LA, AL and MS, I believe. We have a LOT of red clay in our area so that limits our number of basements in the Charlotte area. 

Oct 14, 2024 08:49 PM