What Helene did here

Helene's storm surge in September 2024 came up the river and over the low ground west of U.S. 19, flooding homes across that part of the city. Some residents also dealt with sewage backing up as the system was overwhelmed. For many owners, the water was only the start: drywall, flooring, cabinets, air handlers, and wiring all had to come out.

The city's substantial damage decision

Because New Port Richey is an incorporated city, its own building and floodplain staff decide whether a flooded house in a flood zone is substantially damaged. If the repair cost reaches half of the structure's market value, the house generally has to be elevated or otherwise brought up to current floodplain requirements before it can be fully rebuilt. For a small block home on a slab, that can cost more than the owner wants to spend.

We buy homes before a determination, after one, and partway through repairs. A substantial damage letter doesn't stop a sale; it just becomes part of what the buyer takes on.

Bungalows near downtown, block homes beyond

Around downtown and Sims Park, near the restored 1920s Hacienda Hotel, are some of west Pasco's oldest houses: frame bungalows and Mediterranean-style homes from the city's early boom. Farther out, most of the housing is 1950s to 1970s block construction, much of it first bought by retirees. Both tend to need roofs, wiring, plumbing, and windows that satisfy today's insurers.

Riverfront and canal property

Homes on the Pithlachascotee, which most people here call the Cotee, and on the canals toward the Gulf come with docks, seawalls, and flood insurance requirements for any buyer using a mortgage. Seawall and dock repairs are expensive, and some were damaged in the surge. We factor them into our offer and don't ask you to repair them.

Reasons to consider a direct sale here

  • The house flooded and you don't want to manage a rebuild or an elevation project
  • A parent's home is sitting empty after a move to assisted living or a death in the family
  • Your insurer won't renew because of the roof or the flood history
  • You've inherited the house and live in another state

Frequently asked questions

Do you buy New Port Richey homes that flooded in Helene?

Yes, whether the house is untouched since the storm, gutted, or partly rebuilt. Share any claim, FEMA, or city paperwork, and we'll make an offer on it as it is.

My house got a substantial damage letter from the city. Can I still sell?

Yes. The determination stays with the property, and we factor the cost of elevating or rebuilding into our offer so you don't have to take it on.

Do you buy in Port Richey, Holiday, and Hudson?

Yes. We buy along the whole west Pasco coast, including Port Richey, Holiday, Hudson, Elfers, and Trinity.