This is the exact document you get — for a real address we checked
Every card, source link and limitation below is produced by the same pipeline that will run on your address. Nothing is prettied up for the demo.
4802 BRAESVALLEY DR, HOUSTON, TX, 77096
- Flood & water: Get a real flood insurance quote (NFIP + private) before making the offer; premiums vary widely under Risk Rating 2.0.
- Disaster history: Treat the repeated hazard as this purchase’s central insurance question — get quotes with the relevant peril spelled out.
- Wildfire: Get an insurance quote early in the process — moderate wildfire scores already affect pricing with some carriers.
- Wetlands & protected waters: Confirm whether the parcel boundary reaches the mapped feature — lot lines matter more than the house location here.
- Drinking water context: Confirm which utility serves this address from a water bill; if it’s a small local system, look it up in EPA ECHO by name.
This report describes what was found in the checked official sources on the date above. It is not a home inspection, environmental site assessment, legal opinion or insurance decision, and a clear category never means the property is “safe”.
Site map — flagged features
Distances to scale · north is up · not a survey- 4802 BRAESVALLEY DR — the property
- 1Riverine (nearest edge) · 0.1 mi see card ↓
Points mark registry coordinates of flagged sites from the cards below; each links to its evidence. Zone-type findings (flood zones, wetlands polygons, county context) are described in their cards rather than drawn here. Verify positions in the primary sources linked on each card.
Flood & water
Red — materialThe property is inside a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area (Zone AE) — flood insurance will be required on a federally backed mortgage.
- FEMA flood zone
- Zone AE
- Special Flood Hazard Area
- Yes — 1% annual-chance flood area
- Ground elevation (USGS 3DEP)
- 48 ft
- Nearest mapped stream/river (USGS NHD)
- Brays Bayou, ~0.1 mi
Why it matters
Inside a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, lenders on federally backed mortgages require flood insurance, and flood damage is excluded from standard homeowners policies everywhere. Zone and elevation drive both insurability and price.
What to do next
- Get a real flood insurance quote (NFIP + private) before making the offer; premiums vary widely under Risk Rating 2.0.
- Request the seller’s flood disclosure, claims history and elevation certificate; consider ordering a new elevation certificate.
- Do not waive contingencies until the quote and disclosure are in hand.
What to ask
- · Ask the seller for the flood disclosure, any past flood claims and an elevation certificate if one exists.
- · Ask an insurance agent for an actual flood quote (NFIP and private) before the offer — not an estimate.
- · Ask the local floodplain administrator about drainage complaints and pending map revisions for this street.
Wildfire
Yellow — reviewWildfire exposure requires review: Houston, TX is rated "medium" for risk to homes.
- Wildfire hazard potential at the site (USFS)
- non-burnable / developed
- Community risk to homes (Houston, TX)
- medium
- National percentile (risk to homes)
- riskier than 63% of US communities
Why it matters
Wildfire exposure decides whether standard insurers will write the home at all — in high-risk areas of CA, CO and elsewhere buyers end up on state FAIR plans at much higher cost. Mitigation requirements can also mean real money after closing.
What to do next
- Get an insurance quote early in the process — moderate wildfire scores already affect pricing with some carriers.
- Check the state hazard map (e.g. CAL FIRE FHSZ in California) for parcel-level severity zoning.
What to ask
- · Ask an insurance agent whether this specific address is insurable on the standard market and at what premium.
- · Ask the seller about defensible-space compliance, roof class and any past wildfire insurance non-renewals.
- · In California, ask for the AB 38 defensible-space inspection documentation.
Earthquake & ground shaking
Green — no flag foundNo earthquake flag found: mapped peak ground acceleration is 0.03 g and no M4.5+ earthquakes are on record within 100 km since 1976.
- Peak ground acceleration (2% in 50 yr, USGS/ASCE 7)
- 0.03 g
- Seismic design category
- A
- M4.5+ earthquakes within 100 km since 1976
- 0
Why it matters
Earthquake damage is excluded from standard homeowners insurance — it needs a separate policy. In higher-hazard areas, the age of the structure and whether it has been seismically retrofitted (bolted to the foundation, braced cripple walls) materially changes both risk and price.
What to do next
- No earthquake-specific action needed for most buyers in this hazard band.
What to ask
- · Ask the seller whether the home has been seismically retrofitted, and for documentation.
- · Ask your inspector to evaluate foundation bolting, cripple walls and the water heater strapping.
- · Ask an insurance agent to price a separate earthquake policy (e.g. CEA in California).
Landslide & slope
Green — no flag foundNo landslide flag found: no recorded events within 3 mi and the tract rates "Very Low" on FEMA’s landslide index.
- Mapped landslide areas within 0.3 mi (USGS inventory)
- 0
- Recorded landslide events within 0.6 mi
- 0
- Recorded events within 3 mi
- 0
- FEMA National Risk Index — landslide (census tract)
- Very Low
Why it matters
Landslide and slope-movement damage is excluded from standard homeowners insurance and is expensive to remediate. On susceptible slopes, drainage changes or grading by neighbors can trigger movement years after purchase.
What to do next
- No landslide-specific action needed for a typical flat-lot purchase.
What to ask
- · Ask the seller about any slope movement, retaining-wall repairs or drainage work on the property.
- · Ask your inspector to note cracked foundations, tilted retaining walls and hillside drainage patterns.
- · On or below a steep slope, ask a geotechnical engineer what a site review would cost before waiving contingencies.
Wetlands & protected waters
Yellow — reviewMapped riverine lies about 0.1 mi from the property (1 mapped feature(s) within 0.3 mi).
- Riverine
- NWI R2UBHx · 117.1 acres · ~0.10 mi
Why it matters
Filling or building on federally regulated wetlands requires a Section 404 permit from the Army Corps of Engineers; violations can mean restoration orders. Mapped wetlands on or beside a lot constrain additions, pools, septic systems and drainage — and often correlate with wet basements.
What to do next
- Confirm whether the parcel boundary reaches the mapped feature — lot lines matter more than the house location here.
- Ask about local wetland buffer ordinances (often 50–150 ft) that may restrict improvements near the boundary.
What to ask
- · Ask the seller whether a wetland delineation has ever been done, and for any Corps or state permit records.
- · Ask the local zoning office about wetland buffer setbacks that apply to this parcel.
- · If you plan any addition or outbuilding, ask a wetland consultant what a delineation would cost.
Contaminated land & cleanup sites
Green — no flag foundNo contamination flag found: no Superfund, brownfield or hazardous-waste disposal sites within the checked radii (1–3 mi).
- Superfund NPL sites within 3 mi
- 0
- Other Superfund-inventory sites within 1 mi
- 0
- Brownfield properties within 1 mi (EPA ACRES)
- 0
- Hazardous-waste TSD facilities within 3 mi
- 0
- Large-quantity hazardous waste generators within 1 mi
- 0
Why it matters
Proximity to Superfund and hazardous-waste cleanup sites can mean groundwater contamination plumes, vapor intrusion into basements, use restrictions and a measurable effect on resale value. Status matters as much as distance — an active cleanup is a different risk than a completed one.
What to do next
- No site-contamination action needed for a typical purchase at this address.
What to ask
- · Ask the seller and agent what they know about the nearby site(s) and whether any environmental testing has been done on the property.
- · Ask the EPA site profile (linked in this card) whether groundwater is affected and in which direction it flows.
- · Ask an environmental consultant whether a residential Phase I ESA or vapor screening is warranted here.
Industrial releases & regulated facilities
Green — no flag foundNo industrial flag found: no toxic-release reporters within 1 mi, and no open tank leaks or active fuel tanks in the immediate area.
- TRI-reporting facilities within 1 mi
- 0
- Tank-leak (LUST) cases within 0.5 mi
- 10 total · 0 open
- Tank facilities within 0.25 mi
- 3 total · 0 with open tanks
Why it matters
Facilities that report toxic releases, and leaking underground fuel tanks, are the everyday version of environmental risk: odors, air quality, groundwater petroleum plumes near old gas stations, and stigma at resale. Unresolved tank leaks next door are a genuine due-diligence item.
What to do next
- No facility-related action needed for a typical purchase at this address.
What to ask
- · Ask what the nearest listed facility actually does and what it reports releasing (the EPA link shows chemicals by year).
- · For a nearby open tank-leak case: ask the state UST program about cleanup status and groundwater direction.
- · If the home has a private well, ask a lab which petroleum/VOC panel fits this situation.
Radon
Green — no flag foundHarris County, Texas is EPA Radon Zone 3 — low potential (predicted county average below 2 pCi/L).
- EPA radon zone (county)
- Zone 3 — low potential
- County
- Harris County, Texas
Why it matters
Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the US after smoking (EPA). It seeps from soil into homes and varies house to house — the only way to know a specific home’s level is a test, which fits neatly inside a standard inspection period.
What to do next
- Test during the inspection period anyway — the EPA recommends testing every home in every zone.
What to ask
- · Ask the seller for any previous radon test results and whether a mitigation system is installed.
- · Ask your inspector to run a 48-hour closed-house radon test during the inspection period.
- · If levels come back at or above 4 pCi/L, ask a mitigation contractor for a quote (typically $800–$2,500).
Drinking water context
Yellow — review15 of 735 community water systems in Harris County are designated serious violators — all smaller systems; the county’s major utilities are not on the list.
- Active community water systems in Harris County
- 735
- Designated serious violators among them
- 15
- CITY OF HOUSTON
- 2,970,543 people served
- CITY OF PASADENA
- 152,000 people served
- CLEAR LAKE CITY WATER AUTHORITY
- 89,702 people served
Why it matters
Public water systems are federally monitored; their violation history is public. A system designated a “serious violator” has significant unresolved compliance problems. Private wells are entirely unregulated — testing falls on the owner.
What to do next
- Confirm which utility serves this address from a water bill; if it’s a small local system, look it up in EPA ECHO by name.
What to ask
- · Ask the seller which utility serves the address (a water bill answers this in seconds) — or whether it’s a private well.
- · Ask the utility for its latest Consumer Confidence Report (annual water quality report).
- · For a private well: ask a certified lab for a standard purchase panel (bacteria, nitrates, arsenic, lead; radon where relevant).
Disaster history
Red — materialHarris County has a recurring disaster pattern: 9 major declarations in 15 years, including 4× hurricane.
- Destructive federal declarations, last 15 yrs (county)
- 12
- Major disaster declarations (DR)
- 9
- · Hurricane
- 4× declared
- · Flood
- 4× declared
- · Severe Ice Storm
- 2× declared
- · Severe Storm
- 2× declared
- Most recent
- Hurricane Beryl (2024); Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024); Severe Winter Storms (2021)
Why it matters
Repeated federal disaster declarations for a county are the clearest public signal of recurring hazard — they shape insurance availability and price, and they tell you which past-damage questions to ask about this specific house.
What to do next
- Treat the repeated hazard as this purchase’s central insurance question — get quotes with the relevant peril spelled out.
- Ask the seller about damage and claims from the named recent events specifically.
What to ask
- · Ask the seller directly: has this property ever been damaged in any of these events, and were insurance claims filed?
- · Ask your insurance agent how this county’s loss history affects premiums and which perils carry separate deductibles.
What to verify, matched to the moment of your transaction
Before the offer
Cheap checks that can change your number — or your decision.
- Get a real flood insurance quote (NFIP + private) and request the seller’s flood disclosure and claims history.
- Confirm wildfire insurability and premium with 2–3 carriers before committing.
- Check local wetland buffer ordinances against your plans for the lot.
- Identify the actual water utility from a bill and read its violation record.
- Ask the seller about damage/claims from the county’s recent declared disasters.
During the inspection period
Professional verifications to order while you still have contingencies.
- Obtain or order an elevation certificate if the quote depends on it.
- Have roof class, vents and defensible space assessed during the inspection.
- Order a wetland delineation before removing contingencies if you plan any site changes.
- Radon: test anyway — the EPA recommends testing every home in every zone.
Before removing contingencies
The last look — nothing unresolved should survive this line.
- Re-read every red and yellow card: confirm each “what to do next” item is either done or consciously accepted before contingencies come off.
After closing
Lower-priority mitigations that protect the investment.
- Maintain defensible space zones and consider ember-resistant venting upgrades.
- Calendar an annual insurance re-check; keep this report for your records and future disclosure.