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Katy Property Taxes

Katy Property Taxes–Unfortunately, property taxes in Texas are among the highest in the country. But before you panic, just remember that we don’t have a state income tax in Texas…so one sort of offsets the other. I tell my out-of-state clients to find out the state income taxes they paid last year and add that to their property taxes, and then compare that number to the property taxes here.

Each Katy subdivision (and there are over 200!) has different property tax rates…and they can change from year to year. Subdivisions in our newest neighborhoods, like Firethorne and Tamarron, tend to have the highest property tax rates (3.2 to 3.6) and subdivisions in our older neighborhoods, like Kelliwood or Nottingham Country, tend to have the lowest tax rates (2.2 to 2.8).

Older homes within the same neighborhood
may have lower tax rates than newer homes in newer sections.

The tax rate in a subdivision tends to go down over time. That doesn’t mean your taxes go down over time, because the home value is probably increasing, but your tax rate will probably decline with time.

One thing I like to point out though…our newer homes tend to be much more energy-efficient than our older homes; so you will save money in energy costs when you buy a newer home. That may help partially offset the higher taxes.

There are tax benefits and other benefits in owning your own home (which can make up for the high Katy property taxes). Please read The Benefits of Home Ownership to learn more. 

Something else you need to know…the tax appraised value on a home does not usually equally the market value of the home in Texas. If a home is older, it’s tax appraised value may be significantly lower than it’s market value. So don’t use those numbers when calculating a sales price!

⇒ See How to Price a Home Correctly

Unlike many other states, your home’s tax appraised value cannot increase more than 10 percent in a single year:

      property tax limits

        Source: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/valuing-property.php

 

You can read more about Texas property taxes so you are well-informed. 


Homestead Exemption

As a home owner in Texas, your Homestead Tax Exemption is a large exemption to reduce the amount of Katy property taxes that you pay. Applying for a Homestead Tax Exemption (info) is a one-time activity in Texas that home owners need to do the first year they buy a home…not something you do every year. The deadline is typically April 30 each year and you can’t apply until you have lived in the house on December 31st. 

Your application must include a copy of your Texas Driver’s License or DPS Identification Card and the address on the driver’s license or identification card MUST be the same as the address on which you are filing an Application for Residence Homestead Exemption (because you can only get this exemption on ONE home you live in).

Download the form to fill out and send in. You can get the appraisal district’s name and number here: Fort Bend County Appraisal District
 
If you have questions, please call the Tax Assessor-Collector Office at 281-341-3710 or go to: https://www.fbcad.org/homestead-filing-requirements
 
 
More info…
katy taxes homestead exemption
 

Subdivision Property Taxes

To get up-to-date Katy property tax rates, search for the subdivision (or the neighborhood name) below. When you view a neighborhood page, look at the “Subdivision Tax Rates” section and add up the five or six different tax types (city, school, drainage, levee, etc.) to determine the overall tax rate for the subdivision.

NOTE: This tool works best on a desktop…not a smart phone.

NOTE: If this tool (widget) doesn’t work correctly, please go to: Subdivision Lookup

 

katy neighborhoods map

Katy Master Planned Communities

Katy TX is a unique area that consists mostly of “master planned communities.” We typically refer to these Katy master planned communities as “neighborhoods.” Most neighborhoods are further divided into subdivisions. There are over 200 subdivisions in Katy! Some neighborhoods like Cinco Ranch and Kelliwood are divided into many subdivisions. Here’s how this happens…

When a developer decides to create a planned community, it doesn’t develop the entire plot of land all at once. It opens a section or two at a time. Each section typically has 2 to 5 different builders who are building homes within a certain price range. So one subdivision may contain homes in the $200-400K price range, and another may contain homes in the $400-600K price range, and yet another may contain homes $750K and up.

So within one Katy master planned community you may have home prices from $200K to over $1 million, but they would be subdivided so that you should never see a $200K house next to a $900K house. Also some subdivisions may have different features than surrounding subdivisions such as a water front section, gated section, golf course section, etc.

For the larger Katy master planned communities you will notice that various subdivisions may be zoned to various elementary schools–and maybe even different middle schools and high schools–all within the same neighborhood. So it is very challenging for newcomers to get a handle on where to live!

» See How to choose the right Katy neighborhood for you for help

HOA (Home Owner’s Association) Fees

Another complication is that various subdivisions may have different HOA (home owner’s association) maintenance fees…even within the same neighborhood. This is because various subdivisions may have different amenities and features from surrounding subdivisions. For example, Avalon Seven Meadows is actually an upscale subdivision in the Seven Meadows planned community, but is treated as if it is its own neighborhood. 

The HOA fees in Katy master planned communities (sometimes referred to as maintenance fees) are annual fees that cover the cost and upkeep of the neighborhood’s shared amenities such as street lights, sidewalks, common areas, park, swimming pool, tennis courts, etc. There are Pro’s and Con’s for having home owner associations but if you want to live in Katy, you might as well resign yourself to the fact that you are probably going to have to deal with one because there are very few parts of Katy that are not covered by an HOA.

HOA fees are typically paid annually and, as specified previously, they can vary from house to house within the same subdivision, so always check with your real estate agent before purchasing a specific home. These fees can change (slightly) from year to year as well. Some HOAs also have transfer fees (applied each time you buy or sell a home that is within an HOA) that may be paid by either the Seller or the Buyer. There can also be compliance inspections and certificates during home sale transactions, depending on the HOA, which is another cost when purchasing or selling a home. These fees are all typically under $200 each (transfer fee is separate from the compliance certificate fee). You need a good real estate agent who can guide you through all of the requirements during a real estate transaction so you don’t end up with a home that hasn’t met its HOA compliance, and then have to (unexpectedly) pay more money to get it up to compliance after you move-in! Inexperienced agents or agents from other areas may not know and understand these complicated HOA requirements.

 

katy real estate guide

DOWNLOAD FREE GUIDE

“Best Places to Live In Katy Texas”

This is the ultimate guide about Katy TX! It has all the information on Katy, demographics, things to do, schools and up-to-date ratings, maps, detailed neighborhood comparison charts, and information on the top 20 (or so) neighborhoods…all in one place!

 

Katy Master Planned Communities

The following alphabetized list shows the top Katy master planned communities. Click a neighborhood to see a detailed description including the schools, maps, commute times, amenities, home values, and more. You may want to go to Katy neighborhoods to see these neighborhoods organized by the type of neighborhood: new construction, best schools, top 10, etc.

seven meadows featured

Avalon Seven Meadows

Price Range: Home prices range from $430K to $1.3M with $842K the median home price in 2022. Description Avalon at Seven Meadows Katy is located on the west side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to the northwest corner of Grand Parkway and Westpark Tollway. Primarily built in the mid 2000s, most of the 296 homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional or Mediterranean in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 3+ baths, and approximately 4200sf ... [Read More]
Camillo Lakes

Camillo Lakes

Price Range: Home prices range from $215K to $389K with $289K the median home price in January 2022. Description Camillo Lakes Katy is located on the northwest side of Katy (77493) in Harris County…close to the 99 Grand Parkway and Morton Rd. This is a “new construction” neighborhood, and most of the approximate 635 homes in this neighborhood are traditional in style with smallish lot sizes. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 2.5 b baths, and approximately ... [Read More]
Cane Island

Cane Island

Price Range: Home prices range from $263K to $1.3M with $505K the median home price in January 2022. Description Cane Island Katy is located on the northwest side of Katy in Harris County…close to the I-10 Interstate. Primarily built since 2015, most of the approximate 1000+ homes in this neighborhood are traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and approximately 3100 sf with 2-car garages, and a median lot size of 8556 sf ... [Read More]
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Cardiff Ranch

Price Range: Home prices range from $340K to $767K with $520K the median home price in 2022. Description Cardiff Ranch Katy is located on the far-west side of Katy in Fort Bend County, close to FM1464 and in between I10 and Westpark Tollway. Primarily built since 2010, most of the 230+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and approximately 3800sf with 2-car garages, and a median ... [Read More]
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Churchill Farms

Price Range: Home prices range from $295K to $644K with $383K the median home price in 2022. Description Churchill Farms is located on the far-west side of Katy in Fort Bend County, close to FM1464 and in between I10 and Westpark Tollway. It actually has a Fulshear, TX, address. Primarily built since 2013, most of the 300+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and approximately 3280sf ... [Read More]
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Cimarron

Top 6 Things About Cimarron: Convenient location Good schools Affordable prices Nearby shopping Low annual HOA fee Not located in a high-risk flood zone  Description Cimarron is located on the east side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to I10 and Grand Parkway (southeast corner). Primarily built in the late 1970s, most of the 1500 homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are one-story ranch-style homes. On average, these homes have 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and approximately 1700sf with 2-car garages, and ... [Read More]
cinco ranch featured

Cinco Ranch

77450 77494 Home prices range from $223K to $1.0M with $390K the median home price in 2022. Home prices range from $240K to $1.5M with $392K the median home price in 2022. Description Cinco Ranch Katy TX is a very large master-planned neighborhood that spreads across both the east and west sides of Katy’s Grand Parkway and across two ZIP Codes (77450 and 77494). Parts of Cinco Ranch are gated, on the Cinco Ranch Golf Course, or have water views ... [Read More]
cross creek ranch featured

Cross Creek Ranch

Price Range: Home prices range from $2483K to $1.16M with $490K the median home price in 2022. Description Cross Creek Ranch is located on the southwest side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to FM1093 (Westpark Tollway). In fact, Cross Creek Ranch is actually located in Fulshear TX 77441. Part of the neighborhood (the east side) is zoned to Katy ISD, so it is included as a Katy neighborhood. The west side of the neighborhood is zoned to the Lamar Consolidated ... [Read More]
Elyson

Elyson

Price Range: Home prices range from $255K to $753K with $434K the median home price in January 2022. Description Elyson Katy is a “new construction” neighborhood located on the northwest side of Katy in Harris County…close to 99 Grand Parkway and FM 529 (Freeman Rd). This is about 10 minutes north of Interstate I-10. Primarily built since 2016, most of the approximate 1500+ homes in this neighborhood are traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, ... [Read More]
falcon point featured

Falcon Landing

Top 6 Things About Falcon Landing: Convenient location High performing schools Affordable prices Nearby shopping Lower property taxes Not in high-risk flood zone Description Falcon Landing  is located on the west side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to the southwest corner of Grand Parkway and I10. Primarily built in the late 1990s, most of the 600+ homes (approx.) in Falcon Landing are Traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and approximately ... [Read More]
falcon point featured

Falcon Point

Top 7 Things About Falcon Point: Convenient location High performing schools Affordable prices Nearby shopping Golfcourse homes available Lower property taxes Not in high-risk flood zone Description Falcon Point Katy is located on the west side of Katy TX 77494 in Fort Bend County…close to the southwest corner of Grand Parkway and I10. Primarily built in the late 1990s, most of the 500+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional in style and many are located on the Falcon Point ... [Read More]
falcon ranch featured

Falcon Ranch

Top 5 Things About Falcon Ranch: Convenient location High performing schools Affordable prices Nearby shopping Not in high-risk flood zone Description Falcon Ranch  is located on the west side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to the southwest corner of Grand Parkway and I10. Primarily built in the late 1990s, most of the 850+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 2+ baths, and approximately 3000sf with 2-car ... [Read More]
firethorne featured

Firethorne

Price Range: Home prices range from $273K to $875K with $441K the median home price in 2022. Description Firethorne Katy is located on the far-west side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to I10 and FM1463. Primarily built since 2008, most of the 3000+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 2+ baths, and approximately 3300sf with 2-car garages. This newish neighborhood does not have mature trees but ... [Read More]
Fulbrook on Fulshear Creek

Fulbrook on Fulshear Creek

Price Range: Home prices range from $355K to $744K with $5230K the median home price in January 2022. Description Fulbrook on Fulshear Creek Katy is located in 77441 in Fulshear Texas, which is on the southwest side of Katy and in Fort Bend County. Many people choose this neighborhood when they are looking for a new construction home and want good schools with a “country living” flair. It is close to the new Texas Heritage Parkway and Westpark Tollway (FM 1063) ... [Read More]
governors-place-featured

Governors Place

Top 5 Things About Governors Place: Convenient location Good schools Affordable prices Nearby shopping Not in high-risk flood zone Description Governors Place is located on the east side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to I10 and Grand Parkway (southeast corner). Primarily built in the 80s and 90s, most of the 500 homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are one-story ranch-style homes. On average, these homes have 4 bedrooms, 2+ baths, and approximately 2500sf with 2-car garages, and a median lot ... [Read More]
grand-lakes-featured

Grand Lakes

Price Range: Home prices range from $250K to $979K with $477K the median home price in 2022. Description Grand Lakes Katy is located on the east side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to Grand Parkway and Westpark Tollway. Primarily built from 1998 to 2008, most of the 2700+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional or Colonial in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and approximately 3500sf with 2-car garages, and a median ... [Read More]
grayson-lakes-featured

Grayson Lakes Katy

Price Range: Home prices range from $355K to $975K with $491K the median home price in 2022. Description Grayson Lakes Katy is located on the far-southwest side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to the I10. It may also be referred to as “Country Lakes at Grayson Lakes.” Primarily built in the mid-2000s, most of the 530+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 2+ baths, and approximately 3400sf ... [Read More]
Jordan Ranch

Jordan Ranch

Price Range: Home prices range from $219K to $7105K with $430K the median home price in January 2022. Description Jordan Ranch is located on the southwest side of Katy (actually Brookshire Texas in 77423) in Fort Bend County…close to the I-10 Interstate. Primarily built since 2016, most of the approximate 800+ homes in this neighborhood are traditional in style. On average, these are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, and approximately 2300 sf with 2-car garages, and a median lot ... [Read More]
Kelliwood-featured

Kelliwood

Price Range: Home prices range from $262K to $1.9M with $508K the median home price in 2022. Description Kelliwood Katy is a very large master-planned neighborhood that spreads along South Fry road on the far-east side of Katy TX…close to George Bush Park and the Energy Corridor. This neighborhood was built during the late 80s and throughout the 90s so the trees are mature and the scenery is beautiful. Parts of Kelliwood are gated, on the Willow Fork Golf Course, or ... [Read More]
Marcello Lakes

Marcello Lakes

Price Range: Home prices range from $319K to $565K with $388K the median home price in January 2022. Description Marcello Lakes Katy is located on the northwest side of Katy in Harris County. Primarily built since 2017, most of the approximate 300 homes in this neighborhood are traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and approximately 2600sf with 2-car garages, and a median lot size of 7150sf. In Marcello Lakes, every home has ... [Read More]
nottingham-country-featured

Nottingham Country

Price Range: Home prices range from $185K to $579K with $360K the median home price in 2022. Description Nottingham Country Katy is located on the east side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to I10 and the Energy Corridor. Primarily built in the 70s and 80s, most of the 2500+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional or Colonial in style with some one-story Ranch homes too. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and approximately ... [Read More]
pine-mill-ranch-featured

Pine Mill Ranch

Price Range: Home prices range from $237K to $1.2M with $414K the median home price in 2022. Description Pine Mill Ranch Katy is located on the far-west side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to FM1463. Primarily built since 2008, most of the 1400+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 2+ baths, and approximately 3200sf with 2-car garages. This newish neighborhood does not have mature trees but it ... [Read More]
Polo Ranch

Polo Ranch

Price Range: Home prices range from $210K to $490K with $283K the median home price in January 2022. Description Polo Ranch Katy is located on the southwest side of Katy in Fulshear, TX, Fort Bend County. Primarily built since 2019, most of the approximate 300+ homes (so far) in this neighborhood are traditional in style. On average, these homes are one-story homes with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and approximately 1800sf with 2-car garages, and a median lot size of 7000sf. Two-story ... [Read More]
seven meadows featured

Seven Meadows

Price Range: Home prices range from $270K to $995K with $469K the median home price in 2022. Description Seven Meadows Katy is is located on the west side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to the northwest corner of Grand Parkway and Westpark Tollway. Primarily built in the mid 2000s, most of the 1700+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 2+ baths, and approximately 3100sf with 2-car garages, ... [Read More]
silver ranch featured

Silver Ranch

Price Range: Home prices range from $2656K to $640K with $373K the median home price in 2022. Description Silver Ranch Katy is located on the far-west side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to FM1463. Primarily built since 2008, most of the 640+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 2+ baths, and approximately 2900sf with 2-car garages. This newish neighborhood does not have mature trees but it does ... [Read More]
tamarron featured

Tamarron

Price Range: Home prices range from $223K to $628K with $329K the median home price in 2022. Description Tamarron Katy is located on the far-west side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to FM1463. This is a new neighborhood that just started in 2014 and currently has several hundred homes built with plans to have a total of 4000+ homes (approx.) when completed. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 2+ baths, and approximately 2900sf with 2-car garages ... [Read More]
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West Memorial Katy

Top 5 Things About West Memorial: Convenient location Affordable prices Nearby shopping Lower property taxes Not located in a high-risk flood zone Description West Memorial Katy is located on the east side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to I10 and the Energy Corridor. Primarily built in the 1970s, most of the 1100+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are one-story Ranch homes. On average, these homes have 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and approximately 1800sf with 2-car garages, and a median ... [Read More]
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Westheimer Lakes North

Top 5 Things About Westheimer Lakes North: High performing schools Affordable prices New construction homes available Energy-efficient homes available Not located in a high-risk flood zone Description Westheimer Lakes North is located on the southwest side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to FM1063 (Westpark Tollway). Primarily built in the late 2000s, most of the 1100+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and approximately 2500sf ... [Read More]
windsor-park-estates-featured

Windsor Park Estates

Top 10 Things About Windsor Park Estates: Convenient location High performing schools Lower property taxes Beautiful neighborhood with lakes and mature trees Luxury homes available Not located in a high-risk flood zone Description Windsor Park Estates is located on the far-east side of Katy in Harris County (77094)…close to I10 and the Energy Corridor. Primarily built in the early 1990s, most of the 100+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are large estate homes on an average of 18,000sf lot with ... [Read More]
windsor-park-lakes-featured

Windsor Park Lakes

Top 9 Things About Windsor Park Lakes: Convenient location High performing schools Lower property taxes Beautiful neighborhood with lakes and mature trees Neighborhood amenities Fishing and boat access available Not located in a high-risk flood zone Luxury homes available Manned gate for access Description Windsor Park Lakes is a gated community located on the far-east side of Katy in Harris County (77094)…close to I10 and the Energy Corridor. Primarily built since 1996, most of the 340+ homes (approx.) in this ... [Read More]
woodcreek reserve featured

Woodcreek Reserve

Top 5 Things About Woodcreek Reserve: High performing schools Nearby shopping Neighborhood amenities Beautiful neighborhood with mature trees Not located in a high-risk flood zone Description Woodcreek Reserve Katy is located on the far-west side of Katy in Fort Bend County…close to the I10. Primarily built in the mid-2000s, most of the 380+ homes (approx.) in this neighborhood are Traditional in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and approximately 3800sf with 2-car garages ... [Read More]
Young Ranch

Young Ranch

Price Range: Home prices range from $285K to $591K with $430K the median home price in January 2022. Description Young Ranch Katy is located on the southwest side of Katy in Fort Bend or Waller County…close to the I-10 Interstate. Primarily built since 2016, most of the approximate 600+ homes in this neighborhood are traditonal in style. On average, these homes are two-story homes with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and approximately 2942sf with 2-car garages, and a median lot size of ... [Read More]
cross creek ranch polishing pond2

Katy Flood Zones

People moving to the Katy area are often concerned about Katy flood zones. The good news is that, for the most part and with a few exceptions, most Katy neighborhoods are located out of Special Flood Areas. There are a few areas that are in 500-year Floodplain (yellow zone) and a few more that are near creeks, bayous, and low-lying areas that put them in the 100-year Floodway (purple).

Beware of new construction neighborhoods that are located in 100-year and 500-year flood zones! If you are buying a home, get my report for Katy flood maps.

To understand the flood lingo, a home in a 100-year flood zone has a 1 percent chance of flooding every year. If you are located in the 500-year flood zone, that likelihood is reduced to .2% every year.  But keep in mind that natural disasters rarely follow the rules of probability to the letter. Instead of thinking of this as a fast and hard rule, it is simply meant to be a guideline for builders, homeowners, and community planners.

percent chance flooding
Source: https://www.proplogix.com/blog/how-elevation-certificates-help-determine-your-property-flood-risk

 

I’m not a flood expert, weather expert, engineer, surveyor, etc…I’ve just lived on the Texas Gulf Coast for over 40 years and experienced many floods, hurricanes and tropical storms. Here’s my opinion based on what I have experienced…

texas flood guagePretty much all areas of the United States (and the world) have to deal with natural disasters. In California it’s earthquakes, mudslides, and wild fires. In the Midwest it’s tornadoes. In the Northeast it’s winter storms and blizzards. Many parts of the country deal with flooding…especially near rivers. Other parts deal with severe droughts. The fact is, you can’t completely avoid natural disasters anywhere…so you need to minimize your risk and prepare for them as best you can.

If you want to live anywhere on the Gulf Coast (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida) or anywhere in the Houston region, then you will need to be prepared for hurricanes and flash flooding. One thing history has shown us regarding flooding…history means nothing! Each time we experience a major flood, you will see many flooded home owners on the news saying something like, “We’ve lived here over 30 years and never flooded before.” Last year (2019) there was a major flash flood and the new thing we heard afterwards was, “We didn’t flood in Harvey, but we flooded this time.”

So just because a home has never flooded before, does NOT guarantee it will not flood in the future. It just means it has a lower risk for flooding. Likewise, just because a home flooded during Hurricane Harvey, does NOT mean it will ever flood again. That was a historical storm that, most experts believe, is unlikely to occur in Katy again in our lifetime.

So, if you are buying a home in most parts of Katy Texas that do not back to a natural water source, then your risk for your home flooding is relatively low, especially compared to the rest of the Houston area. However, I still recommend you buy flood insurance! Trust me, it’s worth your “peace of mind” when hurricane season rolls around.

NOTE: In my definition of “flooding” I am referring to the interior of your home being infiltrated with flood/surface water. This does not refer to typical street flooding, since our streets are part of the designed drainage system in our area.

 

Flood Facts for Houston Area

Risk

  • Floods are the #1 natural disaster in the United States.
  • Just an inch of water can cause costly damage (est $25,000) to property. As little as six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet or move your car.
  • Everyone is at risk.
  • Most homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage.
  • More than 50 percent of properties in high-risk areas remain unprotected by flood insurance; all properties in high-risk areas need to be protected with flood insurance.
  • Between 20 and 25 percent of all flood insurance claims are filed in low-to moderate-risk areas.
  • New construction can increase flood risk, especially if it changes natural runoff paths.
  • More than 5 million Americans are protected with flood insurance but millions more are unaware of their personal risk for property damage or options for protection.
  • For building in high flood risk areas, there is a 26 percent chance of experiencing a flood during the life of a 30-year mortgage, compared to a nine percent chance of experiencing a fire.

Impact

  • Flood losses in the United States averaged $2.4 billion per year for the last decade.
  • The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has paid nearly $16 billion in flood insurance claims to policyholders during the 2005 hurricane season (as of August 31, 2006.)
  • Federal disaster assistance is usually a loan that must be paid back with interest and is only available when a disaster has been federally declared.
  • In the last 52 years, nearly 1,000 flood events have been designated as federally declared disasters.
  • Nearly 75 percent of all federally declared disasters over the past five years involved flooding.

 

Source: https://www.eng.hctx.net/Consultants/Floodplain-Management/Floodplain-Information#FloodFacts

 


What Katy Areas Flooded After Hurricane Harvey?

During Hurricane Harvey, two unprecedented things occurred that caused a few homes in Katy to flood (less than 8 percent, and that’s including businesses and retail establishments). The areas around the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs had the most severe issues, but some flooding occurred around natural bayous, creeks, and other low-lying areas.

Hurricane Harvey dropped a record-breaking amount of rain in the Houston region…over 50 inches (“only” 31 inches in Katy). The amount of rain that fell cause the Addicks-Barker Reservoirs to overfill.

harvey-rainfall

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-harvey-2017-rainfall-map-2017-8

 

While Katy flood zones are typically rated as 100-year or 500-year, Hurricane Harvey is being described as a an unprecedented, 1,000 year or even 3,000 year event (read more)! This means that homes that flooded during that once-in-a-life time weather event may never flood again.

katy flood zones
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wettest_tropical_cyclones_in_the_United_States

 

addicksbarkerreservoirs_release_finalrvsd
Source: https://www.hcfcd.org

 


What to Watch for When Buying a Home

Less than 8 percent of Katy homes and businesses (approximately 7,209) were flooded during Hurricane Harvey…so don’t let what you see on TV give you the wrong impression…most of the homes in Katy TX do not flood on a regular basis and did not flood even during this HISTORIC hurricane. The water got high and some of the roads were flooded for a few days (mostly around Fry Rd, east of Grand Parkway), but this was an unprecedented weather event which may never occur again. 

With that in mind, I will say that it will be very important for home buyers to watch out for repaired homes and to make sure they have been repaired properly. The main thing that most people worry about is mold problems in homes that have flooded. Supposedly, once the homes have been properly dried out, then mold cannot grow. Mold requires moisture to grow. While mold spores are around us all the time,  they will not grow and become a problem when the source of the moisture is eliminated. It’s usually hidden leaks and on-going moisture that allows mold to grow. (read more)

By now, homes that were repaired after Hurricane Harvey, should be properly dried out and restored. If there are any concerns of mold issues, it’s easy to have an environmental air analysis performed by an expert and determine if the home has a hidden problem with high levels of mold spores. If it does, then move on to another home. If it doesn’t, then you get an updated home in a beautiful area of Katy (where the homes tend to be older and outdated).

sheila cox katy real estate agent

 

“I am highly allergic to mold and I always do an air analysis when I buy a home.
I paid for these tests on the last three homes I purchased, even though none
of them had ever flooded.” –Sheila Cox

 

The Texas Legislature passed a law, effective September 1, 2019, that now requires home sellers to fully disclose flood zones and flood history for homes. Section 5 of the Sellers Disclosure now looks like this:

new sellers disclosure

 

So this will be information you will receive when you buy a home in Texas. 

But beware of investors who have never lived in the home and can, therefore, avoiding reporting these issues. This is why you may want to avoid some investment properties. If a Seller company wants you to sign away your legal rights regarding Deceptive Trade Practices and their disclosure responsibilities (such as Zillow or OpenDoor), then BUYER BEWARE. (“Buyer Beware” is “code” for “don’t buy it!”)

> View a current list of Katy Homes for Sale in Low-Risk Flood Zones

 


How to Avoid Buying a Home in a High-Risk Flood Zone

If you want to watch out for homes in high-risk flood areas (and you should!), then hire a real estate agent who will watch out for you (Sheila Cox! 😀 ). Most home builders’ agents, in new construction neighborhoods, will NOT tell you that their neighborhood is in a 100-year flood plain. I have had to inform multiple clients about this over the years (and they were very grateful for me).

The year before Hurricane Harvey, I had a client who wanted to look at homes in a specific neighborhood, close to the Brazos river, that I knew had serious issues (although it hadn’t flooded yet). I informed her about the issues and prevented her from buying there. Guess what? Many homes in that neighborhood flooded during Harvey. It was a mess! My client was so grateful that I prevented her from buying in that neighborhood.

Unfortunately, the MLS does not provide a search field for “previous flooding” or flood zones. However, since I know the area so well, when I set up homes searches for my clients (request yours here), I can filter out the areas that I know are located in higher-risk flood areas. It’s not perfect, but it’s a good way to avoid risky areas. Then, when a client expresses interest in a specific home, I always double-check the flood map and the Seller’s Disclosure before I show the home. It’s really good to have someone looking out for your best interests!

 


About the New “Flood Factor” Website and Ratings

There’s a new information source on flooding that I am concerned about because it seems INACCURATE according to our actual real-world flood history and the FEMA flood maps. I highly recommend that you do NOT rely on the “Flood Factor” ratings in this area, or you may buy a risky home. Get more information in my report…

Get My Katy Flood Report
With Maps

(includes flood maps for new neighborhoods)

katy flood report

 

 


Flood Insurance Important for ALL Gulf Coast Areas

houston floodingAs a resident of the Gulf Coast, you should know that hundreds of homes in the Houston area that are not in high-risk flood zones and had never flooded before during any other flood or hurricane event, did flood during Harvey. So that means…you never know for sure and you had better carry Flood Insurance on your home at all times! In my opinion, a $400-500 flood insurance policy is worth the peace of mind you have from knowing you won’t be financially devastated if a storm sits on top of your neighborhood and drops 50 inches of rain! I don’t know of any areas in the country that can handle that much water…do you?

One of my biggest pet-peeves is hearing people in the Houston region say, “I don’t need flood insurance because my home has never flooded before.” Duh. Neither did approximately 85 percent of the homes that flooded during Hurricane Harvey! One thing I can guarantee you about flooding on the Gulf Coast…there are NO guarantees.

I live in a very low-risk flood zone X area and I have flood insurance!

 

 

 


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