National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Re-authorization
Amy Fennell • July 24, 2017
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
is set to expire on September 30th without Congressional action. NAR estimates that past lapses of the NFIP have delayed or cancelled 1,400 transactions a day. NFIP was created in 1968, and has about 5 million active policies in existence in all 50 states and over 21,0000 communities. Louisiana has the third most policies active with over 450,000 properties covered following Florida with around 1.8 million policies and Texas with just over 600,000 policies in force. The program presently is in debt to the United States treasury by approximately $25 Billion. This certainly creates a concern for the sustainability of the program.
During the past month, there has been a lot of activity on Capitol Hill. NAR has been actively engaged in trying to shape various pieces of legislation in accordance with NARs flood insurance policy principles.
Louisiana has been very well represented by the Congressional delegation along with broker David McKey of Coldwell Banker One in Baton Rouge who currently serves as the Chair of the NAR Insurance Committee. His committee along with NAR staff have been rallying the key people in Washington toward the program's re-authorization. View the following video for a great recap of where we stand and what will be happening as we near the re-authorization deadline.
As previewed last week, NAR is pleased to share the latest consumer guide focused on buying land and building a new home. This guide covers how to find land for sale, explains construction loans, and weighs the pros and cons of building a custom home. As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow a few days for the Spanish version of the latest resource to be translated and uploaded. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: Buying Land and Building a New Home Deeds and Titles Alternative Listing Options Navigating Multiple Offers Homeowners Associations Thank you for continuing to engage with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with prospective clients to ensure they have the information they need to find success in their homebuying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Be on the lookout for next week’s guide on Wednesday, which will cover property title theft.
Negotiating a real estate deal can be overwhelming, especially for buyers who don’t have experience with the process. Here are five key negotiation strategies smart buyers use—and how working with a REALTOR® provides a competitive edge.
As previewed last week, NAR is pleased to share the latest consumer guide focused on deeds and titles. This guide covers the difference between a deed and a title, common types of deeds, and title searches and insurance. As a reminder, all guides in this series are available for download—in both English and Spanish—on facts.realtor . Please allow a few days for the Spanish version of the latest resource to be translated and uploaded. For ease of reference, below is a list of the most recent guides: NEW: Deeds and Titles Alternative Listing Options Navigating Multiple Offers Homeowners Associations Marketing Your Home Thank you for continuing to engage with the “Consumer Guide” series and for sharing the resources with prospective clients to ensure they have the information they need to find success in their homebuying or selling journey. Remember that these guides are for informational purposes only and are not meant to enact or change any existing NAR policy. Be on the lookout for next week’s guide on Wednesday, which will cover buying land / constructing a new home.
