(May 13, 2022) One of the important steps during a real estate purchase is conducting a title search.

(May 6, 2022) The month of April this year celebrated the 54th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, the landmark civil rights law signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 11, 1968, that made discrimination in housing transactions unlawful. 

(April 29, 2022) The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Maryland Mortgage Program announced the launch of two new loan products to provide higher levels of down payment and closing cost assistance.

(April 22, 2022) The shift in interest rates is in motion.

(April 15, 2022) Maryland has a Forest Conservation and Management program in place to encourage landowners to manage their forest land in return for a reduced and/or frozen property tax assessment.

(April 8, 2022) If a piece of undeveloped land is being sold that has an agricultural use, but it is the intent to change the use to residential, then the Agricultural Transfer Tax and Surcharge applies at the point of sale.

(April 1, 2022) You know the old tune by Tennessee Ernie Ford: “You load 16 tons, what do you get; Another day older and deeper in debt; Saint Peter don’t you call me ‘cause I can’t go; I owe my soul to the company store.” Having a mortgage is a fact of life for many, with the final payment …

(March 25, 2022) Solar panels on a home can be a great selling advantage, one that provides very affordable utility bills.

(March 18, 2022) What is equitable interest? An equitable interest is an “interest held by virtue of an equitable title (a title that indicates a beneficial interest in property and that gives the holder the right to acquire formal legal title) or claimed on equitable grounds, such as the in…

(March 11, 2022) In real estate, there are three levels of licensure: salesperson, associate broker and broker.

(March 4, 2022) Homeowner’s insurance is a necessity if your home is mortgaged, and this type of insurance covers the structure of your home and your personal property, as well as your personal legal responsibility (or liability) for injuries to others or their property while they’re on your…

(Feb. 25, 2022) It’s a hot real estate market right now, but we all remember the real estate “crash era” that began in 2008.

(Feb. 18, 2022) With inflation and national average costs of moving on the rise, budgeting in this expense when selling your home is important. Below are some tips for having a smooth move when selling.

(Feb. 11, 2022) Worcester County’s Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Program, which was adopted in 1990, accommodates future growth within the Critical Area, while providing for conservation of fish, wildlife and plant habitats, and minimizing adverse water quality impacts.

(Feb. 4, 2022) The number one question most real estate agents are asked right now is “What is the market doing?”

(Jan. 28, 2022) The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently announced increases to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s upfront fees for certain high-balance and second-home loans.

(Jan. 21, 2022) With property reassessments going out last month for much of Worcester County, property owners might be wondering what their options are if they disagree with the values the county assessment office has calculated.

(Jan. 14, 2022) According to a recent article released by the National Association of Realtors, consumers can expect slower housing price appreciation, easing inflation and rising interest rates in 2022.

(Jan. 7, 2022) Last year was another banner year in real estate that ended very strong. Here’s an “at-a-glance” recap of some of the various market stats.

(Dec. 24, 2021) The National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) has a new rating methodology, Risk Rating 2.0, and FEMA says it will deliver rates that are easier to understand and better reflect a property’s unique flood risk. Rates will now be developed on a structure-by-structure basis vers…

(Dec. 17, 2021) USDA offers loans and grants for home repairs in rural areas of Maryland through a program known as Section 504 Home Repair program.

(Dec. 10, 2021) One of the inspections that a buyer might decide to pay for when purchasing a home is a chimney inspection, especially when buying a home with a wood burning fireplace, woodstove, or pellet stove.

(Dec. 3, 2021) Part of each residential contract of sale in Maryland is an addendum from Section 10-702 of the Real Property Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland (“Section 10-702”).

(Nov. 26, 2021) A common question from sellers is “when is the best time to sell my house?”

(Nov. 19, 2021) Maryland Realtors just released real estate statistics information from the October 2021 housing market analysis.

(Nov. 12, 2021) The two government-controlled mortgage giants, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have made moves to tighten mortgage rules on buildings with many short-term rentals and hotel-like amenities.

Tenant screening services provide method to review prior credit, criminal issues

(Oct. 29, 2021) Earnest money is a deposit made to a seller that represents a buyer’s good faith to buy a home.

(Oct. 22, 2021) FEMA is changing the way it views flood risk and prices flood insurance.

(Oct. 15, 2021) Condominium associations provide master policy insurance coverage, but a master policy usually covers only the building’s exterior and common areas.

(Oct. 8, 2021) With low inventory in our market, and a high buyer demand, we are experiencing many multiple-offer situations on properties.

(Oct. 1, 2021) All homebuyers know they should get a home inspection, but a common misconception is that your home inspector will also cover inspecting for termites.

(Sept. 24, 2021) Mortgage insurance is an additional cost that buyers will have to budget for in their total monthly costs when they are not able to put 20 percent or more down on the purchase of a home.

(Sept. 17, 2021) Local zoning laws affect how a property can be utilized, and therefore, affect a property’s value.

(Sept. 10, 2021) The Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) was established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1977 and is part of the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

(Sept. 3, 2021) Second home mortgage requirements are a bit stricter than first home loans, and a bit stricter than in years past with some new guidelines coming into effect this year.

(Aug. 20, 2021) The National Association of Realtors publishes a monthly Realtors Confidence Index (RCI) survey.

(Aug. 13, 2021) There is a Federal Housing Administration program that allows for the financing of a mobile home.

(Aug. 6, 2021) Most buyers know they need to save for both a down payment and closing cost money.

(July 30, 2021) A home warranty is different from a homeowner insurance policy.

(July 23, 2021) Earlier this week, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will eliminate the Adverse Market Refinance Fee for loan deliveries effective Aug. 1.

(July 16, 2021) Industry experts are still communicating that now is a great time to sell your house. Yes, it’s still a sellers’ market.

(July 9, 2021) There are a few options in our local multiple list system (MLS) for letting the public know about a property for sale.

(July 2, 2021) The appraisal of a home is an important step in the real estate process, one that can certainly make or break a deal.

(June 25, 2021) Buyers usually pay most of the closing costs associated with a purchase, of which, transfer and recordation taxes are one piece of the total closing costs.

(June 18, 2021) Purchasing a condominium differs from buying a single-family home in more ways than the obvious.

(June 11, 2021) June 2021 was proclaimed National Homeownership Month by President Joe Biden.

(June 4, 2021) As a conclusion to the previous weeks’ articles, below is a final reporting of the Maryland State Legislature, which convened on Jan. 13 and adjourned on April 12.