Before looking into purchasing a property in Florida Keys you need to be informed.  This email is about Flood and Flood Zone

If a property is in an AE zone its considered in a special flood hazard area and banks will require flood insurance to get a mortgage.

AE6 means that the top of the lowest finished floor must be 6’ above mean sea level  for homes built after 1-1-1975(post firm,post flood insurance rate map)

AE10 means top of lowest finished floor needs to be 10’ above mean sea level

There are a number of homes in the keys that were built before 1-1-1975 (prefirm)that are built on slab that are in an AE6 flood zone and meet the elevation requirements and therefore can get the lower rates that post firm buildings get

AE zones get significantly lower rates than VE zones

X,B, and C zones are not in a special flood hazard area and therefore banks do not require flood insurance to get a mortgage

Being in a special flood hazard area means the home has a 1% chance each year of being flooded by the storm level by that occurs once  every hundred year period

Please let me know if you have any further questions

Thank you for contributing this answer for my interested buyers out there.. B. Danaher 

If you have any question about taxes, zoning, building, vacation rentals, please email, call 305-395-0814 or lela@CBschmitt.com