Several areas of flood hazard are commonly identified on the DFIRM and IRM. One of these areas is the SFHA, which is defined as the area that would be inundated by the flood event having a 1 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.

From Acquisition to Disposition, the real estate due diligence process has a lot of moving parts. Add in an ALTA Survey and a few Table A Items and you've possibly stirred up some confusion. 

Real estate transactions. Due diligence. ALTA Surveys. Zoning Reports. Sometimes the process is easy, sometimes it can be quite complex.

Since the adoption of the 2016 ALTA/NSPS Minimum Standard Detail Requirements, one of the most confusing changes is Optional Table A Item 11. I will try to clarify some of the more common misconceptions on this issue. Most clients want/need some aspect of utilities to be shown on a survey.

The 2011 ALTA/ACSM Minimum Standard Detail Requirements wetlands are addressed in Table A Item 19. It read as follows:

“Location of wetland areas as delineated by appropriate authorities.”

Some of the changes to the 2016 ALTA/NSPS Minimum Standard Detail Requirements served as clarification to the previous (2011) Standards. Some unfortunately, caused more questions. Although, that might just be attributed to things changing after we had been used to it being a certain way for years.