Buyer Advice

What Flood Disclosure Must a Naples Home Seller Give a Buyer?

Charlemagne MarbanNovember 2, 20262 min read

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Since Oct. 1, 2024, Florida law has required sellers of residential property to give buyers a written flood disclosure at or before contract signing (Chapter 2024-215, Laws of Florida).

What the form covers

Under Section 689.302, Florida Statutes (2026), the seller states whether they know of flooding that damaged the property during their ownership, have filed a flood insurance claim, or have received flood-damage assistance. The ownership and any-source assistance language came from a 2025 update effective Oct. 1, 2025.

What it leaves out

The form does not list the home's flood zone. Its flood-damage question covers only the seller's ownership, so someone who bought after Hurricane Ian in 2022 would not be answering about earlier owners' Ian damage. Case law also requires sellers to disclose known, non-obvious material facts, per the Florida Senate's April 2, 2025 analysis.

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What it means for Naples buyers

Collier County's March 2026 floodplain newsletter says large portions of the county are in a high-risk flood zone. Homes in a Special Flood Hazard Area with a federally backed mortgage must carry flood insurance.

In Pelican Marsh or North Naples, check each address, not just the neighborhood. The county's flood map took effect Feb. 8, 2024, so compare any older paperwork with its online map. Ask the county's Flood Info Hotline, 239-252-2942, about an elevation certificate on file. Get a flood quote early; coverage typically starts after a 30-day wait.

How Naples compares with Cape Coral

The disclosure rule is the same in both markets because it is state law. Collier County reports 25% off eligible federal flood insurance premiums, and Cape Coral reported the same on Sept. 10, 2025.

A FEMA review that began in March 2024 raised floodplain management concerns in Cape Coral, including development since Ian, and the city announced on Nov. 21, 2024 that it had kept its rating. In Naples too, ask for permit records on any home repaired after Ian. In Collier's high-risk zones, the 50 percent rule can require a below-standard building to be elevated when repair costs reach half its market value.

Coastal Care Realty, brokered by Key & Legacy Realty LLC, works with buyers and sellers across Southwest Florida, including Naples. Learn more at coastalcarerealty.com. This post is general information, not legal or insurance advice.