Just "F" it all

[SofiasMami]

I've moved twice in the past two years, the second move was last spring. I thought "great, this will be the last move for awhile for my daughter and me". I feel like I need to have some semblance of stability at least while she's young and in school.
Well there is a creek behind our rental property that has been bone dry since we're in a major drought here. I've been nervously watching it since the rainy season started here a week or two ago. Will it flood my place? Who the hell knows. I asked a neighbor who lives directly next door if the creek floods. She said she's lived here two years and it overflowed once and "made the grass wet" but didn't flood the property.
I thought about moving again but we're in a good neighborhood with good schools. So what to do? Take my chances (I have flood insurance) or move yet again? I'm on the verge of just saying "f*ck it" and I'll take my chances until I'm good and ready to move again.
Life sucks sometimes, why can't it be easy!

-Teresa

 

[Solivagant]

If it were my decision I would stay and take my chances, especially if you're in a good location. I'd be loathe to give it up. But it's hard to say for sure without being there, and you have to do what seems best for you. Good luck with it!

 

[lifestream]

I would stay, Teresa.

You have insurance and flood damage can be repaired. You're in what sounds like a perfectly lovely house in a nice part of town, and things are stable for you and the little one. The rain has to stop sometime.

 

[SofiasMami]

Thanks for your responses
Since I moved here, I've felt pretty good. I've even had a few moments of thinking "life is good". I hate feeling anxious - it seems I can work myself into a lather pretty fast. My neighbors don't seem too terribly worried about things. And that is true, lifestream, flood damage can be repaired. I suppose life is unpredictable either way.

-Teresa

 

[kamya]

I would stay as well.

 

[Tiina63]

I would stay as well, though you could see what possible precautions you could take to best protect your possessions and property if worst come to worst. Taking action often relieves anxiety.

 

[Peaches]

Thanks for your responses
Since I moved here, I've felt pretty good. I've even had a few moments of thinking "life is good". I hate feeling anxious - it seems I can work myself into a lather pretty fast. My neighbors don't seem too terribly worried about things. And that is true, lifestream, flood damage can be repaired. I suppose life is unpredictable either way.

-Teresa

well, what are the actual possibilities with a flood? And can you take a second insurance, if you think the one you have is not sufficient?
Do you know anything about the previous owners/renters of the house? How many floods did they experience?

 

[ladyforsaken]

I'd have to say I agree with the others and say I'd stay put. Like you say it's a good location and neighbourhood. Perhaps what you can do is get yourself prepared for instances where there could be flooding. I know that these things are sometimes unpredictable but at least you know to expect it and have insurance to cover. I hope it doesn't ever flood while you're there though - I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

[9006]

Well you have flood insurance, so I'd stay. But if it happens at least you'll get some stuff back or payback from the insurence, THEN I'd move because it's likely it'll happen again.

 

[SofiasMami]

I called the property manager today who's worked there for 10 years and she said she's never seen it flood. The creek can get high but not up to the property. So I suppose we'll see what happens. Meanwhile, irreplaceable items will go on high shelves. Maybe I should get a pair of rubber boots too!

-Teresa

 

[LonelySutton]

She said she's lived here two years and it overflowed once and "made the grass wet" but didn't flood the property.
-Teresa

I would take your chances. I have a similar issue. I found the perfect place only to move in and find out I might have a structural issue. Basically possibly weak beam. I wanted to move but looking at real estate was hard. Almost no place I looked at didn't have its problems. Why can't I just find a place without an issue.

I used to live near a creek and it weirdly would overflow but in a strange way and not actually flood my house. Even though it was decently close. So you never quite know.

 

[SofiasMami]

She said she's lived here two years and it overflowed once and "made the grass wet" but didn't flood the property.
-Teresa

I would take your chances. I have a similar issue. I found the perfect place only to move in and find out I might have a structural issue. Basically possibly weak beam. I wanted to move but looking at real estate was hard. Almost no place I looked at didn't have its problems. Why can't I just find a place without an issue.

I used to live near a creek and it weirdly would overflow but in a strange way and not actually flood my house. Even though it was decently close. So you never quite know.

Thanks for responding, LonelySutton

I guess no place is ever quite perfect. Moving is a big pain. The thought of moving again stresses me out. I own a condo that I bought in 2003. The neighborhood went bad during the Great Recession and the schools nearby aren't so good. But I can't sell at the moment because I have negative equity so I'm now an unwilling landlord. At least the condo is on the 2nd floor, so no flooding worries there

-Teresa

 

[kamya]

This might seem like a dumb question, but how is it even possible to have negative equity in a house?

Edit- nvm, figured it out. That sucks

 

[Tiina63]

Negative equity happens when you buy a place on a mortgage whose value later goes down (because of falling property prices) and you are stuck paying the original higher price which you bought the house for even though, if you sold it, you would get much less.

 

[SofiasMami]

Negative equity happens when you buy a place on a mortgage whose value later goes down (because of falling property prices) and you are stuck paying the original higher price which you bought the house for even though, if you sold it, you would get much less.

Yes, also known as owing more on the property than its value. It's been a huge problem here in California.
A common shorthand term is "underwater" - kind of funny given my worries about real water at my current home.

-Teresa

 

[constant stranger]

I called the property manager today who's worked there for 10 years and she said she's never seen it flood. The creek can get high but not up to the property. So I suppose we'll see what happens. Meanwhile, irreplaceable items will go on high shelves. Maybe I should get a pair of rubber boots too!

-Teresa

You live in Sacramento right? CA's Central Valley isn't known for heavy rainfall even in a time of "normal" precipitation. So if you must worry about something, worry about what's more likely to go wrong. Like runaway fire or earthquake. And if that doesn't help, invest in sandbags and arrange for a truckload of sand to be delivered. Get a pair of shovels if you don't have them already. There's always a way.......

 

[Nicolelt]

Check the vegetation around the creek, are there trees? Lots of tall vegetation or is it short? Short grass and plants means it has flooded there in the past that plants could not grow and that is bad news. But if the plants are tall, and strong looking, it doesn't flood enough to really harm your home. Even in a drought, you can tell these things.

I would just say whatever to it, a good neighborhood, and good schools is worth it.

 

[SofiasMami]

constant stranger,
Yes, I'm in Sacramento. There have been some floods here in this general region but the bad ones are quite rare. There was some concern about one area of town (far from me) after Hurricane Katrina and they have been shoring up the levies there.
Actually the worst and most dangerous weather we get is extreme heat in the summer - up to 105 on a regular basis that time of year

Nicolet,
That is interesting about the vegetation near the creek. There are a number of tall, mature trees nearby. So that is a good sign

-Teresa