Sometimes sinkholes continue to expand until they reach an adjacent home but, if the sinkhole is not growing, it is unlikely to affect you or spawn a second one. Here’s what the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) says: 

    "Although sinkholes in Florida sometimes occur in sets, most are isolated events. The bedrock underlying the state is honeycombed with cavities of varying size, most of which will not collapse in our lifetimes. A quick inspection of your property for any sinking or soft areas might be prudent. Unless the sinkhole is very large and extends to your property, there’s likely to be little reason for concern."

    Sinkholes do occur at random within an area, but we have observed that certain neighborhoods tend to have more than an average share of them. So, where you live will somewhat increase or decrease the likelihood of a sinkhole occuring on your property. See our blog post Where are sinkholes most likely to occur in Florida? for more on this. Also, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) maintains a map of known sinkholes at https://ca.dep.state.fl.us/mapdirect/?focus=fgssinkholes, and the clusters on the map clearly demonstrate that there are hotspots.

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Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about SINKHOLES:

• How can I tell if a sunken area in my yard is a sinkhole?

• Why do so many more sinkholes open up after a hurricane?

• What is a chimney sinkhole?

• What are the warning signs of a sinkhole? 

• What causes sinkholes?

• How can homebuyers protect themselves against buying a house over a sinkhole?  

• What is my chance of buying a Florida home over a sinkhole? 

• How does a repaired sink hole under a house affect its market value?

• Where are sinkholes most likely to occur in Florida? 

• Are sinkholes happening more often?

   Visit our SINKHOLES page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.