One would have to assume that this includes all claims for sinkholes as opposed to just actual sinkholes. This “article” is just propeganda for Riskmeter.
Their sinkhole database has proven to be erroneous before and they are using proven to be inadequate data from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. I have run reports and questioned their data many times.
Frank – Do you question their data because you are a geology expert? Just curious as to your background.
March 30, 2011 at 4:18 pm
Harry says:
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The article states that RiskMeter gives the number of sinkholes within a given radius or multiple radii, the distance to closest sinkhole and the date of the closest sinkholes. That’s where the top 10 comes from.
The sinkhole claims database, or clearinghouse, appears to be a separate database.
So I guess the question is, if you want to remain in Florida which I do, where is the best area with the lease amount of sink holes or sink hole claims?
I always knew that Pasco and Hillsborough Counties were right up there, because in the past they have been extremely difficult to write, save Citizens. The ground has a lot of limestone, and makes it prone to sinkholes. In all reality, all of Florida is prone to sinkholes, and clients should be aware of adding the sinkhole endorsement for no more than $10 extra. If inspection needed, that’s fine. It’s better to have it and not need it.
Was just looking at sinkhole insurance in Citrus County and was told $2,000-4,000 per year. Will just have to take my chances and hope they never find my body if there is a sinkhole. Save on funeral expense at the same time.
where can I move am buying a house soon need a house in a city that is more country like, with about an acre land, that is the safest place in central Florida in regards to crime, floods, sinkholes, hurricane at least 30+min far from ocean or lake ?????
I am trying to find best place to buy a house what cities in what county Please Help.
Just don’t take our water. The developers are still rampant in The Cape area and the salt water intrusion if vile. The more water they take, the more likely you’ll get sinkholes and your well will dry up, not to mention the nitrogen in the water is reaching carcinogenic levels due to fertilizer and animal and human waste.
We are hoping to move to Spring Hill this summer. With all the stress of moving 900 miles, sink holes can’t be another stressor for me. If you look at the map , it seems you can have a sink hole anywhere in the state. I’m going to live by the old adage, you pay your money, you take your chances!
My friend likes Gainsville and surrounding areas. They have more of a country setting not overpopulated. They have beautiful state parks for camping and fishing.
We are planning to buy a house in Spring Hill but as I looked up the map , it seems near the Hernando County. I just want to make sure that Spring Hill is no risk of sinkholes & according to your statement , that SpringHill is ground zero for sinkholes . Do you mean that it is safe or something else? Please explain , I really need your candid opinion on this . Thank you .
I lived in NY most of my life. I moved to Spring Hill in 2003. My house was finished by 2004. After living there for 4 years my home was checked for sinkhole activity after seeing cracks which were more than settling cracks. My homeowners insurance cost me 3600.00 per year. If you move to Spring Hill you will need to have that insurance on your home. One company said I had no activity, another said I did. This went on for almost 7 years because insurance company kept delaying court proceedings. The insurance company sent me a letter stating if I dropped the case against them they would pay all my attorney fees. I took the offer, sold my home and got the hell out of there. I’m back in NY and can now breath easy. It was very scary when in the night you here noises in your home…sounds that made me jump. Think twice before moving there…rent first…don’t build or buy. Learn from my mistake.
We have some kin in Spring Hill area, blogs show 2300 cases of sinkhole reportage. One said the home insurance rider is only 10 per year. Maybe that is a state rep or home insurance rapier ? Maryann above says 3600 per year, can they both be correct? Maybe the 10 per year relocates the mailbox?
Maryanne ….. I’m from the Syracuse area and I’m looking to buy in FL, actually was looking in the Spring Hill area. I’ve been concerned about sink holes since there’s been a lot of activity in FL. I think I may start looking farther north in the panhandle or GA. By the way, there are sink holes in NY. Areas along the southern side of the Erie Canal are prone to sink holes. My 5 yr old home would make sounds as well …. big bangs. I always thought there was something wrong with that. Sold last year. NY is a beautiful state, much prettier than most of FL , but can’t deal with the snow belt any more.
I saw a gorgeous house in Spring Hill & really love it but after reading some reviews & especially yours, I think I have to discuss it further to my husband since he’s the one who’s interested in moving to Florida. Thank you .
Its obvious that there is no available and reliable locator of sinkholes in Florida due to the real estate interests. With today’s
gps technology a sinkhole like any golf shot can be located instantly within 2 feet . Then recorded and chronicled in a publication for the benefit of existing and potential home owners.
PS. hopefully in a legible format unlike the current deceptive maps
Florida has no real bedrock, except for the far northern panhandle. The state is really one big limestone reef with sand over it. The major determiner of future sinkholes is going to be the thickness of the sand above that limestone. The thicker the sand, the less likely there will be sinkhole activity. Population density compounds that because groundwater helps hold up the ground, and the more groundwater that gets pumped out the more likely there will be sinkhole activity. Look at the soil densities and the population density at the areas you are looking to move to. There are county by county maps that show either. Generally, the west coast of the state has the highest population density and least amount of soil over the limestone and have the highest incidence of sinkhole activity. Keep in mind that houses here ALL will have some settling and cracking, since every home is built on a slab – no basements, and on sand. But don’t let a real estate agent fool you with that info. Minor settling is different than huge stair stepping cracks. It’s critical all homes have gutters and good drainage to move water away from foundations – many Florida homes don’t. And a word on insurance – it’s expensive just for basic coverage; much more than you paid up North – $2000 a year or more. Figure on DOUBLING that amount to add sinkhole coverage. Your basic insurance coverage will cover your home if the home is declared condemned by the county due to a sinkhole. Additional sinkhole coverage covers repairs due to settling and cracking from sinkhole activity. Keep in mind that an un-repaired sinkhole home is generally worth 25 cents on the dollar – repaired it’s worth 50 cents on the dollar. If you still have a mortgage your bank may force you to repair it. And depending on the repair estimate your insurance company may choose to buy out the home/policy if it’s cheaper than repairing. Don’t count on the counties or realtors to give you the straight story on sinkhole activity – neither makes tax or commission money shying prospective buyers away. I’ve seen Levittown-type developments springing up all over the worst sinkhole counties in Florida for the last 20 years, it’s happening TODAY, and nothing is stopping them.
Wow! You sure opened my eyes and answered every question I had about sinkholes! I have been giving serious thought to moving to Florida and now I am not so sure….
Thanks!
I agree! Thank you for that information. Although, the DH and I are still considering moving. But, as Pat said, we are also giving it serious thought. Thank you!
I’d wanting to know the same thing regarding St. Augustine / Jacksonville area. From the Sink Hole maps I found it seems to be in the less active areas than Sink Hole Alley and other areas in the state…..personally if the state is going to split in half (as per one of the sites I found) I’d rather be in the North and not stuck in the south til some kind of bridge gets built ….. can’t even believe I’m considering this with all the bugs I’ve seen w/ my trips to Fla over the years….including my boot camp in Orlando. But I survived Guam so I guess anything is possible. LOL
It seems like some of the sinkhole activity follows the development patterns for an area, say along Hyw. 98 near Crystal River area, is it that the addition of houses using groundwater, and subsequent run off, possibly leaking sewers et…is that a pattern that you see. I would like to move to the sugarmill woods area, but I am not sure if I can risk that. Though I noticed as you move west from hyw 98 there is an area that has no recorded sinkhole activity, is that because more sand exist in the center of Citrus county…. or is held in place better…
One of the reasons sinkholes appear to follow development is because in undeveloped areas there is no one impacted, or no one around to report small sinkholes. The large and very large sinkholes “may” still get reported, but smaller ones less than 10 or 20 feet wide probably don’t. When was the last time you heard a news report that a 10 foot sinkhole occurred in the woods, or a pasture, and no one was impacted? We typically only hear about them when they affect a road, a house, or some other structure. With that being said, roadways, and development change drainage patterns and disturb soil that could aggravate and contribute to the occurrence of sinkholes.
Gainesville is not a country town, though. It is built around UF and 80% of the population is students. It’s not over populated but it’s expanding like crazy.
There used to be a great site, Earthnet.com that all you had to do was type in the address of a house you were interested in and it would tell you within 8 miles where sinkholes were found.. They took down the page this week… Wonder why? lol
Newt Houser has made some good points and some bad points. As a real estate Broker in Florida licensed since 1982 I resent his implications that Realtors don’t have the customers’ best interests in mind. If a Realtor has any knowledge of sinkhole activity in the vicinity of the house they are showing, they MUST DISCLOSE the information. Sellers are also REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE any information about problems that may or may not be visible to a buyer. A Realtor is governed by strict state laws and regulations. If you think your Realtor isn’t giving you the consideration you deserve, then go find another Realtor.
I doubt realtors can be completely relied upon to tell all of the truth to inquiring, prospective buyers. Human nature being what it is, I seriously doubt that ALL realtors will volunteer info re: sink hole activity near any house which they are trying to sell, because realtors, like the rest of us, need the income to feed their families. Some might answer your questions but if you don’t ask “sinkhole questions”, they might not bring up the subject of sinkholes. You already know that sinkholes are in lots of areas in Florida, so it’s best to do your own research regarding every location you are considering… and be diligent about it. The map shows that there still are good places in Florida to move to. .
Going back in time Florida was swamp land, over time humans have moved in and destroyed the natural habitat. When Florida was a swamp, the vegetation held the place together as is the case with the Everglades ! Look at the map, the Everglades show ZERO Sinkholes….
The answer is stop building and charge high environmental fees only to be used for putting Florida back to its Origins. Cause they could pass a US law making child birth illegal and let humans die out….
Marilyn, I am a Realtor and I research EVERY SINGLE property that I show. If it is in a FEMA flood zone… I disclose it. If it is showing sinkhole activity…. I disclose it. If it HAD sinkhole remediation… I disclose it. Yes my income is needed to feed my family, but I’ll be darn if I would ever put that on the line by not being ethical about anything. I would not put myself or my broker in any danger of losing our licenses or getting fined or sued. If a buyer is concerned about sinkhole activity I refer them to the FL sinkhole map and give them other sites to research. They should be able to make up their own mind about it. I am not the expert and I would never try to be.
Jodi,
I saw your comment about the sinkhole activity. Can you tell me what areas you work in? My husband and I are investors looking to expand our portfolio in Florida.
Thanks.
Suzanne
DO NOT MOVE TO SPRING Hill IT IS LOADED WITH SINKHOLES I USED TO LIVE THERE AAND MY SISTER IS THERE HER NEIGHBOR HAS A SINKHOLE You SHOULD LOOK ON THE SPRING HILL DATA BASE IT IS SINKHOLE ALLEY
I am maybe considering moving to outside of the Tampa area for work from VA… now I am second guessing myself and thinking maybe I should stay in VA with all this talk about Sink holes, and I’ve been reading some info, and it is a bit scary to say the least. One never knows… and I’ve seen the videos on Youtube also. Can’t imagine, going to work for example and coming home to find you have no house… what a nightmare that could be.
Some areas had sink holes more than others but it is not an every day occurrence. Florida is beautiful and don’t let this scare you. If you change your mind and decide to move here, I am a realtor and can assist you.
Thank you so much for the detailed info . You have opened my eyes & will print your comment & will let my husband read it , hoping he will agree with me not to move to Florida.. Thank you again .
Are they true sinkholes or sinkhole claims? I didn’t see that it specified that these were actual sinkholes.
One would have to assume that this includes all claims for sinkholes as opposed to just actual sinkholes. This “article” is just propeganda for Riskmeter.
…it might be PROPAGANDA as well…guess I’m not on my game today.
Their sinkhole database has proven to be erroneous before and they are using proven to be inadequate data from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. I have run reports and questioned their data many times.
Frank – Do you question their data because you are a geology expert? Just curious as to your background.
The article states that RiskMeter gives the number of sinkholes within a given radius or multiple radii, the distance to closest sinkhole and the date of the closest sinkholes. That’s where the top 10 comes from.
The sinkhole claims database, or clearinghouse, appears to be a separate database.
So I guess the question is, if you want to remain in Florida which I do, where is the best area with the lease amount of sink holes or sink hole claims?
Key West has no sinkholes so you may want to move there. But then your home may get demolished by a hurricane and/or flood instead so never mind…
Southeast and Southwest.
thats what i want to know, where should i go?
If I want to move to Florida what counties or city has the least number of sinkhole reports?
I always knew that Pasco and Hillsborough Counties were right up there, because in the past they have been extremely difficult to write, save Citizens. The ground has a lot of limestone, and makes it prone to sinkholes. In all reality, all of Florida is prone to sinkholes, and clients should be aware of adding the sinkhole endorsement for no more than $10 extra. If inspection needed, that’s fine. It’s better to have it and not need it.
There is a company that offers full sinkhole coverage for just $10? $10 per what? every two weeks?
Was just looking at sinkhole insurance in Citrus County and was told $2,000-4,000 per year. Will just have to take my chances and hope they never find my body if there is a sinkhole. Save on funeral expense at the same time.
Worth noting SINKHOLE and CATASTROPHIC GROUND COLLAPSE are two different things.
This article appears to be a reprint from one published March 30, 2011. Isn’t there anything more recent available?
We are selling and getting out of Hernando county!
where can I move am buying a house soon need a house in a city that is more country like, with about an acre land, that is the safest place in central Florida in regards to crime, floods, sinkholes, hurricane at least 30+min far from ocean or lake ?????
I am trying to find best place to buy a house what cities in what county Please Help.
I am also looking to buy around the Cape Canaveral area in the next 30 days. Any recent information on sinkholes and the like is much appreciated :)
Just don’t take our water. The developers are still rampant in The Cape area and the salt water intrusion if vile. The more water they take, the more likely you’ll get sinkholes and your well will dry up, not to mention the nitrogen in the water is reaching carcinogenic levels due to fertilizer and animal and human waste.
We are hoping to move to Spring Hill this summer. With all the stress of moving 900 miles, sink holes can’t be another stressor for me. If you look at the map , it seems you can have a sink hole anywhere in the state. I’m going to live by the old adage, you pay your money, you take your chances!
Good luck. I sold my home in a Spring Hill and got out of a Florida.
Is it true, to collect a sinkhole insurance claim the missing ground problem must be Directly under the kitchen sink. Or is that a whole other loss?
My friend likes Gainsville and surrounding areas. They have more of a country setting not overpopulated. They have beautiful state parks for camping and fishing.
LOTS OF SINK HOLES IN GAINSVILLE SAW THEM MYSELF
The only place in florida that has no sinks holes is the florida keys
Key West may not have sinkholes, but hurricanes do hit the area- and evacuating from Key West is crazy bad!
Spring Hill is pretty much ground zero for sinkholes…
We are planning to buy a house in Spring Hill but as I looked up the map , it seems near the Hernando County. I just want to make sure that Spring Hill is no risk of sinkholes & according to your statement , that SpringHill is ground zero for sinkholes . Do you mean that it is safe or something else? Please explain , I really need your candid opinion on this . Thank you .
I lived in NY most of my life. I moved to Spring Hill in 2003. My house was finished by 2004. After living there for 4 years my home was checked for sinkhole activity after seeing cracks which were more than settling cracks. My homeowners insurance cost me 3600.00 per year. If you move to Spring Hill you will need to have that insurance on your home. One company said I had no activity, another said I did. This went on for almost 7 years because insurance company kept delaying court proceedings. The insurance company sent me a letter stating if I dropped the case against them they would pay all my attorney fees. I took the offer, sold my home and got the hell out of there. I’m back in NY and can now breath easy. It was very scary when in the night you here noises in your home…sounds that made me jump. Think twice before moving there…rent first…don’t build or buy. Learn from my mistake.
Thanks for moving out. the developers are still raping our state and the governor and the legislature along with them.
We have some kin in Spring Hill area, blogs show 2300 cases of sinkhole reportage. One said the home insurance rider is only 10 per year. Maybe that is a state rep or home insurance rapier ? Maryann above says 3600 per year, can they both be correct? Maybe the 10 per year relocates the mailbox?
Maryanne ….. I’m from the Syracuse area and I’m looking to buy in FL, actually was looking in the Spring Hill area. I’ve been concerned about sink holes since there’s been a lot of activity in FL. I think I may start looking farther north in the panhandle or GA. By the way, there are sink holes in NY. Areas along the southern side of the Erie Canal are prone to sink holes. My 5 yr old home would make sounds as well …. big bangs. I always thought there was something wrong with that. Sold last year. NY is a beautiful state, much prettier than most of FL , but can’t deal with the snow belt any more.
I saw a gorgeous house in Spring Hill & really love it but after reading some reviews & especially yours, I think I have to discuss it further to my husband since he’s the one who’s interested in moving to Florida. Thank you .
Comment removed for impersonation.
COME ON YOUR msp should br vieable with a zoom feature I can’t se a f in street name !!!!!!!!
Its obvious that there is no available and reliable locator of sinkholes in Florida due to the real estate interests. With today’s
gps technology a sinkhole like any golf shot can be located instantly within 2 feet . Then recorded and chronicled in a publication for the benefit of existing and potential home owners.
PS. hopefully in a legible format unlike the current deceptive maps
Florida has no real bedrock, except for the far northern panhandle. The state is really one big limestone reef with sand over it. The major determiner of future sinkholes is going to be the thickness of the sand above that limestone. The thicker the sand, the less likely there will be sinkhole activity. Population density compounds that because groundwater helps hold up the ground, and the more groundwater that gets pumped out the more likely there will be sinkhole activity. Look at the soil densities and the population density at the areas you are looking to move to. There are county by county maps that show either. Generally, the west coast of the state has the highest population density and least amount of soil over the limestone and have the highest incidence of sinkhole activity. Keep in mind that houses here ALL will have some settling and cracking, since every home is built on a slab – no basements, and on sand. But don’t let a real estate agent fool you with that info. Minor settling is different than huge stair stepping cracks. It’s critical all homes have gutters and good drainage to move water away from foundations – many Florida homes don’t. And a word on insurance – it’s expensive just for basic coverage; much more than you paid up North – $2000 a year or more. Figure on DOUBLING that amount to add sinkhole coverage. Your basic insurance coverage will cover your home if the home is declared condemned by the county due to a sinkhole. Additional sinkhole coverage covers repairs due to settling and cracking from sinkhole activity. Keep in mind that an un-repaired sinkhole home is generally worth 25 cents on the dollar – repaired it’s worth 50 cents on the dollar. If you still have a mortgage your bank may force you to repair it. And depending on the repair estimate your insurance company may choose to buy out the home/policy if it’s cheaper than repairing. Don’t count on the counties or realtors to give you the straight story on sinkhole activity – neither makes tax or commission money shying prospective buyers away. I’ve seen Levittown-type developments springing up all over the worst sinkhole counties in Florida for the last 20 years, it’s happening TODAY, and nothing is stopping them.
Wow! You sure opened my eyes and answered every question I had about sinkholes! I have been giving serious thought to moving to Florida and now I am not so sure….
Thanks!
I agree! Thank you for that information. Although, the DH and I are still considering moving. But, as Pat said, we are also giving it serious thought. Thank you!
I am looking at houses in St. Augustine. Is that area sinkhole prone? Any info?
I’d wanting to know the same thing regarding St. Augustine / Jacksonville area. From the Sink Hole maps I found it seems to be in the less active areas than Sink Hole Alley and other areas in the state…..personally if the state is going to split in half (as per one of the sites I found) I’d rather be in the North and not stuck in the south til some kind of bridge gets built ….. can’t even believe I’m considering this with all the bugs I’ve seen w/ my trips to Fla over the years….including my boot camp in Orlando. But I survived Guam so I guess anything is possible. LOL
It seems like some of the sinkhole activity follows the development patterns for an area, say along Hyw. 98 near Crystal River area, is it that the addition of houses using groundwater, and subsequent run off, possibly leaking sewers et…is that a pattern that you see. I would like to move to the sugarmill woods area, but I am not sure if I can risk that. Though I noticed as you move west from hyw 98 there is an area that has no recorded sinkhole activity, is that because more sand exist in the center of Citrus county…. or is held in place better…
One of the reasons sinkholes appear to follow development is because in undeveloped areas there is no one impacted, or no one around to report small sinkholes. The large and very large sinkholes “may” still get reported, but smaller ones less than 10 or 20 feet wide probably don’t. When was the last time you heard a news report that a 10 foot sinkhole occurred in the woods, or a pasture, and no one was impacted? We typically only hear about them when they affect a road, a house, or some other structure. With that being said, roadways, and development change drainage patterns and disturb soil that could aggravate and contribute to the occurrence of sinkholes.
I would like to know the street addresses of sink holes within 8 miles of Vero Beach Florida.
Gainesville is not a country town, though. It is built around UF and 80% of the population is students. It’s not over populated but it’s expanding like crazy.
There used to be a great site, Earthnet.com that all you had to do was type in the address of a house you were interested in and it would tell you within 8 miles where sinkholes were found.. They took down the page this week… Wonder why? lol
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Newt Houser has made some good points and some bad points. As a real estate Broker in Florida licensed since 1982 I resent his implications that Realtors don’t have the customers’ best interests in mind. If a Realtor has any knowledge of sinkhole activity in the vicinity of the house they are showing, they MUST DISCLOSE the information. Sellers are also REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE any information about problems that may or may not be visible to a buyer. A Realtor is governed by strict state laws and regulations. If you think your Realtor isn’t giving you the consideration you deserve, then go find another Realtor.
I doubt realtors can be completely relied upon to tell all of the truth to inquiring, prospective buyers. Human nature being what it is, I seriously doubt that ALL realtors will volunteer info re: sink hole activity near any house which they are trying to sell, because realtors, like the rest of us, need the income to feed their families. Some might answer your questions but if you don’t ask “sinkhole questions”, they might not bring up the subject of sinkholes. You already know that sinkholes are in lots of areas in Florida, so it’s best to do your own research regarding every location you are considering… and be diligent about it. The map shows that there still are good places in Florida to move to. .
Going back in time Florida was swamp land, over time humans have moved in and destroyed the natural habitat. When Florida was a swamp, the vegetation held the place together as is the case with the Everglades ! Look at the map, the Everglades show ZERO Sinkholes….
The answer is stop building and charge high environmental fees only to be used for putting Florida back to its Origins. Cause they could pass a US law making child birth illegal and let humans die out….
What about high rise condo buildings. Are those structures more secure ? Many of those buddings in Daytona are near the ocean and the Halifax river.
Marilyn, I am a Realtor and I research EVERY SINGLE property that I show. If it is in a FEMA flood zone… I disclose it. If it is showing sinkhole activity…. I disclose it. If it HAD sinkhole remediation… I disclose it. Yes my income is needed to feed my family, but I’ll be darn if I would ever put that on the line by not being ethical about anything. I would not put myself or my broker in any danger of losing our licenses or getting fined or sued. If a buyer is concerned about sinkhole activity I refer them to the FL sinkhole map and give them other sites to research. They should be able to make up their own mind about it. I am not the expert and I would never try to be.
i wish everyone was like you…..
spring hill is close to brooksville is it just as bad as spring hill?
Jodi,
Where are you located? Need an honest Realtor like YOU!!
I would like to buy a house in Florida without sink holes frightening issues.
Would you be of help to me. Preferably northern Florida.
Thank you,
Cameron
Jodi,
I saw your comment about the sinkhole activity. Can you tell me what areas you work in? My husband and I are investors looking to expand our portfolio in Florida.
Thanks.
Suzanne
DO NOT MOVE TO SPRING Hill IT IS LOADED WITH SINKHOLES I USED TO LIVE THERE AAND MY SISTER IS THERE HER NEIGHBOR HAS A SINKHOLE You SHOULD LOOK ON THE SPRING HILL DATA BASE IT IS SINKHOLE ALLEY
Are there any areas in the retirement community called “The Villages” that are more prone to sinkholes?
My toilet is plugged up
I am maybe considering moving to outside of the Tampa area for work from VA… now I am second guessing myself and thinking maybe I should stay in VA with all this talk about Sink holes, and I’ve been reading some info, and it is a bit scary to say the least. One never knows… and I’ve seen the videos on Youtube also. Can’t imagine, going to work for example and coming home to find you have no house… what a nightmare that could be.
Some areas had sink holes more than others but it is not an every day occurrence. Florida is beautiful and don’t let this scare you. If you change your mind and decide to move here, I am a realtor and can assist you.
Thank you so much for the detailed info . You have opened my eyes & will print your comment & will let my husband read it , hoping he will agree with me not to move to Florida.. Thank you again .