An even stronger indicator is that I am getting more and more orders to do BPOs (broker price opinions) for "banks".

Rohmah, good to see you diving into this.

It would be so much more efficient if we made this small change.”

I've got about $525K in equity in the property, but lenders have told me that I cannot get a HELOC to access that equity for additional purchases because the duplex was financed as an investment - they have said TX law dictates that HELOC can only be used on primary residences.

(I assume trying to get free leads or market their name as the local expert.)If no one at your broker will help, reach out to new realtors.

This new rating system changed how FEMA determines flood premiums for the NFIP. - Phase 1 (October 1, 2021)Applied to new policies or existing policies that opted for early renewal under Risk Rating 2.0.- Phase 2 (April 1, 2022)Applied to all remaining existing policies, transitioning them to the Risk Rating 2.0 methodology upon renewal.The new system replaced the decades-old approach to calculating flood insurance premiums, aiming to provide fairer and more accurate rates based on individual property risk.Before Risk Rating 2.0, flood insurance premiums were mainly based on whether a property was inside or outside a designated flood zone and its elevation on a map. 

What this leads to is higher purchase prices but also higher rents in these areas. 

Now do i think human activities can have impact on this, 100%.

Understanding your goals before buying is key to determining what type of land to buy and how to use it.

Please get some help with this.