South Lismore homeowner Graham Askey did not hesitate to say "no" when offered about $500,000 by the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC) to purchase his property in its buyback scheme.
Mr Askey was one of the first to be offered a payment under the corporation's $700-million Resilient Homes and Land program.
He is not happy that his home on the banks of Leycester Creek has been placed in a flood risk "red zone".
"We formally declined the option," Mr Askey said.
"We also asked they show us how to object to being given a red-zone offer in the first place."
The NRRC has made 27 formal offers to residential properties it deems eligible for a buyback.
A 'generous' offer
The Askeys have lived at their Frank Street home for more than 43 years, with 2022 being the first time floodwater entered the property.
Mr Askey said the offer, about $500,000, was "generous" but he was concerned alternative options were not flagged in the contract.
"What we really don't like about it is that it is a take-it-or-leave-it offer," he said.
"There is no fallback like having our house raised or more resilience work [carried out].
"It is take the 'goodbye money', or nothing."
'They've got things wrong'
Mr Askey, a member of the Lismore City Council Floodplain Management Committee since 1989, also raised concerns about the modelling used to determine which homes were deemed most at risk.
He says their home has one of the highest floor levels across Lismore, yet has been identified by the reconstruction corporation as being high-risk.
"I think if they've classified us in the red zone, then they've got things wrong from a hydrological point of view," Mr Askey said.
"We are happy to decline the offer to give someone else a chance who really would like to relocate."
He says it will save the government a lot of money to offer the alternative of house-raising to those who want it, rather than paying homeowners about $500,000 to move out.
"It would be a much better deal for the taxpayer," Mr Askey said.
Flooded for first time
Frank Street typically becomes an island during major flood periods in South Lismore.
But many of its homes were inundated for the first time last year during the area's worst recorded flood.
Carol Henstock's home was among them.
The retired teacher lives in a caravan in the backyard of her property while awaiting the completion of building works.
"I am interested in getting my house raised. It has never been affected by a flood — until this last one," Ms Henstock said.
"I would very much like to have it lifted above that level.
"I don't want to move anywhere else."
Reconstruction update
The NRRC has pledged to make an offer to more than 250 homeowners by April.
Chief executive David Witherdin has said the focus would be on the highest-risk properties that had the greatest depth of inundation during last year's floods.
There have now been 481 properties across the region identified for a possible buyback and 155 property valuations undertaken.
The ABC understands some offers have been accepted, but not yet settled.
