QLD QLD Realestate Agent Bull {cute little puppy} Beware

Discussion in 'Where to Buy' started by Tim86, 16th Aug, 2015.

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  1. Tim86

    Tim86 Well-Known Member

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    Just spotted this one: http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-salisbury-120225025

    The realestate agent loudly proclaims: "FLOOD FREE" in the ad, all capitals.

    Floodwise report states that the flood level is 17.3m with the minimum build height 17.8m. The lowest part of that block is 16.8m

    So apparently according to the realestate agents definition of "FLOOD FREE" half a meter of flood water doesn't count.

    Sure it's a 1 in 100 year flood zone. And it hasn't flooded lately. But there is a reason that house is on stumps. Back in the 74 floods that block had about 30cm of flood water on it.

    So it's very unlikely to flood. But if anyone plans on knocking that old house down and building a new house on a slab they are going to be in for a rude shock if they didn't do their DD because the new build would have to be 1m off the ground toward the back of the block.

    Not cool Ms Realestate agent... not cool.
     
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  2. KayTea

    KayTea Well-Known Member

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    Ouch!

    It certainly pays to ask questions and do your own DD doesn't it?!
     
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  3. Bran

    Bran Well-Known Member

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    Tim, it's FLOOD FREE right now isn't it?? What's the problem?

    ;)
     
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  4. KayTea

    KayTea Well-Known Member

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    Besides, a flood is only a 'swimming pool, with flexible borders', right? :rolleyes:

    It can be all in the marketing, surely…………….
     
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  5. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    I've never heard of any one paying for a flood, so the ad isn't lying, the flood is free!
     
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  6. Hanison

    Hanison Well-Known Member

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    Reverse psychology isn't it.

    I remember the old days when I would purchase second hand vehicles from the trading post.

    Statements such as, Starts first time, runs well,
    Interior in great condition etc.

    All smoke and mirrors for.

    Bucket of sh it e ! Never starts first time, runs like a pig, interior is result of a cleaned up murder scene.
     
  7. Azazel

    Azazel Well-Known Member

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    Well spotted, thanks for the heads up.
     
  8. Sackie

    Sackie Well-Known Member

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    I bet if the agent showed them this data from BCC flood risk the buyers would have thought twice perhaps. o_O

    2015-08-16 19.40.31.jpg
     
    Last edited: 16th Aug, 2015
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  9. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    Tim, why not send Leo's map to the agent and ask if they are letting buyers know?
     
  10. Sackie

    Sackie Well-Known Member

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    It does seem unlikely to be affected by a major flood but the other issue is that if you try to resell it, it will automatically have this major concern by other buyers and affect sales. Thats gotta be a big negative too. I think that red box should be on the lower right corner of that corner block. Been on the market in 2010 for 165 days and then in 2012 for 276 days. Not good.

    Edit: OK fixed the map
     
    Last edited: 16th Aug, 2015
  11. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Where on the block does the contour map show is above 17.8m? How much of the block is affected?
     
  12. Sackie

    Sackie Well-Known Member

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    More technical info here.
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Thanks @Leo2413. I wouldn't necessarily write off the block without a site inspection or site survey (contour mapping). Pardon my ignorance on this site but if part of the site (say rear corner) sits below flood contour then the remainder could be built upon. Conversely, a slab on ground over 500mm or so fill, with deep edgebeams to contain the fill would also work.
     
    Last edited: 17th Aug, 2015
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  14. Tim86

    Tim86 Well-Known Member

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    That's right I wouldn't write it off either.

    Most of my properties in Salisbury follow that stream and are classified as 1 in 100 year flood zones. I just put my houses 1.5m off the ground so they clear the 1 in 100 year flood level by 500mm.

    The issue for me though was that it was advertised as flood free when it wasn't, so there are solutions like you mentioned that would need to be put in place if it were ever to be built on again. And those things generally need to be priced into the offer on the property.

    And it is a 1 in 100 year flood zone which is very rare, and it didn't flood during 2011 floods or anything like that, and even when it does flood it only hits the lower half of the block and covers 30 cm... HOWEVER even with all that considered there are still implications that come with all of that and it was very wrong of the agent to say that it was "flood free".
     
  15. Perp

    Perp Well-Known Member

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    You generally have to go on piers rather than build up the ground, otherwise you're affecting the water flow around neighbouring properties, which can have all sorts of unintended consequences.
     
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  16. Tim86

    Tim86 Well-Known Member

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    Spot on! That's the exact reason a subdivision of mine got knocked back. In a flood event filling the block would put another 15cm of water on neighbouring blocks.
     
  17. Sackie

    Sackie Well-Known Member

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    I looked into it awhile ago and i vaguely remember the cost to go up on piers was no small amount... i could be mistaken here. Would be interested to know from someone who got approval and did it and how much it costed.
     
  18. Perp

    Perp Well-Known Member

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    I can't see how it can possibly be more expensive purely from a standpoint of labour and materials, but yes, it is. (We've just built high-set on a flood-prone block.) I suspect the issue is that project home builders are used to churning out brick and tile homes using standardised methods, so they can do it cheap. When you depart from their construction methods, there are no mass-produced options, and so it costs more.
     
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  19. Sackie

    Sackie Well-Known Member

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    Yeah i wouldn't be surprised. Do you think because they are not used to it they overcompensate in their costings for a larger margin of safety for them?
     
  20. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    BV homes aren't designed to be raised off the ground - they're for slab on ground construction - so you have to go back to traditional methodologies (or updated versions eg screwpiles or adjustible galvanised MS piers etc with timber framed flooring.
     
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