The real estate industry is preparing for some “practice changes” in mid-August following the National Association of Realtors settlement agreement in the Burnett/Spitzer class action lawsuit.One of the ...

In 2024, the Maryland General Assembly convened on Jan. 10 and adjourned on April 8. Maryland Realtors issues a recap of all of the pertinent legislation affecting the real estate industry. This week’s ...

Last week brought about two welcome events for real estate homebuyers and sellers— the fed kept the federal funds rate flat, and the 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate had a minor reduction.The housing ...

In 2023, the Maryland State Legislature convened on January 11th and adjourned 90 days later on April 10th. Maryland REALTORS® issues a report each year on the Maryland Legislative ...

In the past two week’s article, we reviewed the Maryland General Assembly new legislation requiring all condominiums, homeowner associations, and housing cooperatives to undertake regular ...

In last week’s article, we reviewed the Maryland General Assembly new legislation requiring all condominiums, homeowner associations, and housing cooperatives to undertake regular reserve studies ...

The Maryland General Assembly has passed new legislation effective October 1, 2022, requiring all condominiums, homeowner associations, and housing cooperatives to undertake regular reserve ...

Consumers can get confused when it comes to dual agency in real estate. The Maryland Real Estate Commission describes dual agency below: The possibility of dual agency arises ...

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), single women comprise the second largest group of homebuyers. As of 2023, single women made up 17 percent of all homebuyers. Contrastingly, ...

Anyone who sells a property in Maryland, but is a “non-resident” of the state of Maryland, must pay a withholding tax. Recently the Maryland Association of Realtors released information on various ...

The National Association of REALTORs reports that real estate wire fraud continues to be one of the most prevalent cybercrimes in the U.S. About 13,638 people were victims of wire fraud in the real estate ...

The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) website, www.realtor.org, has information on county median home prices and monthly mortgage payments across the country. NAR applies the House Price ...

The Maryland Department of Housing and The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) administers a State of Maryland tax credit for residents of the state who ...

The COVID-19 pandemic kicked adaptations into overdrive, so the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) recently provided a report called Adopt to Adapt, with insight into ...

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) offers a Forest Conservation and Management program and there are approximately 1,300 agreements in effect covering approximately 84,000 ...

In mid-January, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)announced further changes to Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s (the Enterprises) single-family pricing framework by introducing redesigned and ...

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 ...

Maryland REALTORS® issued a housing statistics report showing that Maryland home sales dropped 41.9% to 5,124 units in December 2022, against 2021’s figure of 8,818 units. Home sales prices ...

 Since 1969, the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC), has promoted the election of pro-REALTOR® candidates across the United States. The purpose of RPAC is to use voluntary ...

The National Association of REALTORS®’ 2022 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers report shows that first-time home buyers have dropped to their lowest numbers on record. NAR further ...

2022 was a year in which we saw a shift in the real estate market: increasing mortgage rates, reduction in the volume of sales, but no increase in inventory resulting in prices ...

Back in the beginning of October, Maryland REALTORS® rolled out changes to its statewide forms library, which contains contracts, disclosures and addenda that members of Maryland ...

C-PACE is the acronym for Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy. C-PACE programs provide private financing for commercial property owners to upgrade buildings with energy, resiliency, and environmental ...

The State of Maryland has announced three new Sustainable Communities and one of them is located here on the lower Eastern Shore. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development announced last ...

The multiple list service, BrightMLS, that provides real estate data in the Mid-Atlantic, coveringsix states (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and theDistrict of Columbia), ...

The National Association of REALTORS®’ conducted the 2022 Appraisal Survey, and the results were published showing forty-seven percent of real estate professionals say they have had a transaction fall ...

Last year, Governor Larry Hogan issued a proclamation that October 30th is Weatherization Day in Maryland. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is marking ...

Governor Larry Hogan announced last weeknearly $32 million in project awards through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) 2022 application round for federal Low Income ...

The talk about town related to real estate right now is mortgage rates are on the rise. To provide some guidance, here’s what industry experts are saying about the present and possible future ...

The National Association of Realtors explains the differences and the pros and cons to both mediation and arbitration, alternative dispute resolution options when a dispute arises from a real ...

A recent Zillow report is showing that with sales up and values up during the pandemic real estate boom, more homes are selling for over the $1 million mark. The report also detailed that the typical ...

Governor Larry Hogan announced last weekthat the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has expanded the state’s landmark SmartBuyinitiative to address rising housing ...

Condominium associations provide master policy insurance coverage, but a master policy usually covers only the building’s exterior and common areas. To have coverage for what is inside ...

The National Association of REALTORS®’ released their annual Member Profile report for 2022 recently. Based on a random sampling of NAR's membership, the Member Profile strives ...

A well-planned open house allows potential buyers to picture how life in this home would be, and in the summer, people tend to be more relaxed; it’s the time of vacations and lazy days. So making ...

Maryland REALTORS® released information on statewide June home sales. Their release states that home sales continued to slow down as prices continued to rise, according to ...

Every house has a unique architectural style. Sometimes the architecture is a blend of more than one architectural style due to additions. The National Association of Realtors explains that ...

The National Association of Realtors provides a monthly home showings report based off showing information taken from Sentrilock lockboxes, which are used by the majority of real estate agents ...

Appraisals in a sellers’ market can be troublesome, and transactions can fall apart when appraisals come up short—creating an appraisal gap. An appraisal gap is the difference between market ...

In 2022, the Maryland State Legislature convened on January 12th and adjourned on April 11th. Maryland REALTORS® issues a report each year on the Maryland Legislative session to summarize ...

In 2022, the Maryland State Legislature convened on January 12th and adjourned on April 11th. Maryland REALTORS® issues a report each year on the Maryland Legislative session ...

Governor Larry Hogan announced at the end of April that more than $200 million in financing tools and new programs will be made available to create new affordable housing opportunities in the ...

One of the important steps during a real estate purchase is conducting a title search. The title search is just one of the buyer’s closing cost expenses and is usually ordered ...

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 ...

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. ...

The shift in interest rates is in motion. According to Forbes.com, mortgage rates have jumped 1.5 percentage points during the first three months of this year. They further communicated that ...

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. Any ...

You know the old tune by Tennessee Ernie Ford: You load sixteen 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 ...

Solar panels on a home can be a great selling advantage, one that provides very affordable utility bills. This type of technology is called a solar photovoltaic (“PV”) panel system or“Solar ...

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 ...

In real estate, there are three levels of licensure: Salesperson, Associate Broker and Broker. Licenses are issued bythe Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, which is the licensing ...

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 ...

It’s a hot real estate market right now, but we all remember the real estate “crash era” that began in 2008. That real estate downturn brought about many changes in financing and how loans are approved. ...

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.Try to pick an ...

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, ...

The number one question most real estate agents are asked right now is "What is the market doing?". The best way to answer that question is to watch the market statistics and listen to the various industry ...

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 ...

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. This statement ...

2021 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.The average sales prices varied monthly throughout the year, but September ...

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 ...

A common question from sellers is “when is the best time to sell my house?”. But, the answer to that question is multi-faceted and dependent on market conditions.Traditionally, the slowest buyer demand ...

Maryland REALTORS® just released real estate statistics information from the October 2021 housing market analysis. The market continued its monthly trend of a decrease in units sold, down 8,665 in 2021, ...

Landlords have an importantdecision to make when selecting a tenant to rent their investment propertyyear-round. Property owners have traditionally interviewed prospective tenantsin person and asked for ...

Earnest money is a deposit made to a seller that represents a buyer's good faith to buy a home. This deposit money can be called an escrow deposit, good faith deposit, or earnest money. But, whatever ...

With low inventory in our market,and a high buyer demand, we are experiencing many multiple offer situations onproperties. It’s important to pay attention to contract details to be sure thatverbal agreements ...

Most buyers know they need to save for both a down payment and closing cost money. Buyers also need to pay down their debt to be sure their debt-to-income ratios are under the various thresholds for USDA, ...

Industry experts are still communicating that now is a great time to sell your house, yes, it’s still a sellers’ market.  The housing market forecast remains positive for the remainder of 2021, ...

There are a few options in our local multiple list system (MLS) for letting the public know about a property for sale. These different statuses can become confusing as they are disseminated across the ...

Per the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), lumber prices have tripled over the past 12 months and have caused the price of an average new single-family home to increase by $35,872. This ...

Last week, we discussed the current sellers’ market and how it is difficult to get offers accepted when facing multiple offer situations. The article last week detailed using appraisal waivers, but additional ...

Buyers are looking for ways to strengthen their offer in this competitive seller’s market. One tactic that carries a lot of weight with sellers is waiving your appraisal contingency. But not every ...

Customary in the state of Maryland is a split of transfer and recordation charges between a buyer and a seller. Section 14-104(b) of the Real Property Article, Annotated Code of Maryland provides ...

According to the National Association of Realtors®, existing-home sales declined in February, following gains in both January, 2021 and December, 2020. However, all four U.S. regions recorded year-over-year ...

Anyone who sells a property in Maryland, but is a “non-resident” of the state of Maryland, must pay a withholding tax. Recently the Maryland Association of Realtors released information on various aspects ...

The Worcester County Forest Conservation Law was enacted under the Maryland Forest Conservation Act of 1991, requiring all county governments to adopt local forest conservation programs. The purpose of ...

The saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” is especially true in selling a home in today’s world, where practically all house shoppers start their search online.  Staging a home properly ...

Lack of inventory, rising prices, multiple offers on new listings—all confirmation that we are indeed in a sellers’ market. Finding a home in today’s market is challenging for buyers, but there are ways ...

The preservation of agricultural land is important to Maryland.In fact, the Maryland General Assembly declared that “it is in the general public interest of the State to foster and encourage farming activities ...

Most people are familiar with the VA Loan, which is a loan program through the Department of Veterans Affairs.These loans are available to veterans and active-duty military members and they offer no down ...

The Maryland Real Estate Commission is the regulatory agency that provides licenses to real estate brokers and agents.Its office receives 400-500 consumer complaints annually.Maryland Real Estate Commission ...

This year has produced noticeable real estate market shifts, and in many cases the surge in real estate demand was fueled by the effects of covid-19.Here on the shore, we saw increases in feeder market ...

In a strong real estate market with lower inventory, we are experiencing numerous multiple offer situations, especially on the lower price point category of homes that first-time homebuyers would be seeking.So ...

Habitat for Humanity of Worcester County operates a ReStore located at 9026 Worcester Highway in Berlin.The current hours of operation are Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.Habitat for Humanity ...

Cash may be king in a sellers’ market, but buyers need to understand that the same is not true with financial institutions.So, if you don’t have all of the cash funds readily available already in a banking ...

Information from a recent Sears Home Services survey is showing that the pandemic has prompted homeowners to reevaluate their homes.They surveyed about 1,000 people nationwide on how they feel about their ...

With “for sale” inventory limited in many price points, sellers may be able to ask more for their home.But, sellers need to remember that the home will still need to appraise adequately if the buyer is ...

The National Association of Realtors Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun, released a video report that dissects the latest homes sales numbers, talks about what could make the market even stronger, and forecasts ...

The National Flood Insurance Program’s authority to provide flood insurance is currently scheduled to expire on Sept. 30.The National Association of Realtors is making every effort to secure a long-term ...

At the beginning of the summer, we reported that demand has been very strong in the Ocean City market and surrounding areas since the end of April.Demand in the Ocean City area has remained robust. We ...

When listing a home for sale, sellers should make sure they really “come out of the gate running.”The following are do’s and don’t’s for sellers when listing their house for sale to ensure the least amount ...

With the recent Tropical Storm Isaias impacting our coastal area, the importance of having a plan in place for storm events to protect your property is top of mind.In addition to purchasing flood insurance, ...

Below is the final summary of the 2020 legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly on items that were passed and put into legislation affecting the real estate industry as it relates to both ...

Below is a summary of the 2020 legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly on items that were passed and put into legislation affecting the real estate industry as it relates to affordable housing ...

Condo sales have been soaring in the Ocean City and surrounding beach markets.Purchasing a condominium differs from buying a single-family home in more ways than the obvious.Condo ownership offers buyers ...

With low inventory in our market, and a high buyer demand, we are experiencing many multiple-offer situations on properties.It’s important to pay attention to contract details to be sure that verbal agreements ...

Demand has been very strong in the Ocean City market over the past month due to both being in our spring market (although somewhat postponed due to covid-19) and historically low interest rates.With some ...

Listing inventory is at record lows both around the country and in our local area, and buyer demand is coming back as the country eases restrictions, so it’s a great time to sell if you have been considering ...

The National Association of Realtors® sent out a press release last week commending the Department of Housing and Urban Development for finalizingnew Federal Housing Administration condominium loan policies. ...

Customary in the state of Maryland is a split of transfer and recordation charges between a buyer and a seller. Section 14-104(b) of the Real PropertyArticle, Annotated Code of Maryland provides that, ...

The local multiple list system is called Bright MLS. Bright tracks how long a listing has been active with the use of Days on Market (DOM) and CumulativeDays on Market (CDOM). The DOM provides a look ...

This post is authored by Lucille Rosetti from thebereaved.org and is being added to my blog at her request to helpprovide information on how to proceed with moving after the loss of a loved one.  Moving ...

Real Estate Report: A new multiple list service (MLS), called Bright MLS, is gearing up to take effect in the Delmarva area that will cover the entire state of Marylandand Delaware. In total, the new ...

 Real Estate Report: If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, you are probably going to retain the assistance of a real estate professional. Practitioners in the fieldof real estate can hold ...

Real Estate Report: Homebuyers may be eligible to receive up to $5000.00 in closing cost assistance through Bank of America’s Home Grant program. These funds can be usedto help with nonrecurring closing ...

Real Estate Report: Realtor Education and Ethics RequirementsHave you ever wondered what qualifications your REALTOR® encompasses? To be a licensed REALTOR®, there is a detailed list of requirements, ...

Real Estate Report:With the Federal Reserve raising interest rates last week by a quarter of a percentage point and signaling that the central bank is on track to raiserates twice more in 2018—homebuyers ...

Real Estate Report: CMA vs. AppraisalTo clear up any confusion, there is a definite difference between a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) and an appraisal. Basically, they are two differentlevels of ...

Real Estate Report: As of January 1, 2018, there are new residential smoke alarm requirements in the state of Maryland, as per a bill passed by the Maryland General Assemblyin 2013. Maryland REALTORS® ...

Maryland REALTORS® released their Maryland Year End sales figures, and announced that in 2017, residential sales in Maryland climbed by 3.2 percent,or more than 2,500 homes across the state. Eighteen ...

The National Association of Realtors issued a news release that summarizes real estate related tax items in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act put into place justbefore Christmas. They started by saying that Realtors ...

Contingencies Provide Buyers an Important Check and BalancePurchasing a new home is normally the biggest investment you’ll ever make and once you’ve bought a home, it’s a decision you can’t easily reverse.Contracts ...

The Maryland Association of Realtors has issued a new brochure for the public entitled “Get to Know the Role of Real Estate Agents”. The brochure coversthe role of agents and agency relationships and ...

Most real estate agents are Realtors®, which means they are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). By belonging to NAR, all memberRealtors are bound by NAR’s Code of Ethics. But beyond ...

In Maryland, licensed real estate agents answer to the Maryland Real Estate Commission, a part of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation’s (DLLR)division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. ...

In a recent news release issued by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), it was reported that Realtors continue to invest in new technology for theirbusiness and have spent more than they did in ...

Have you looked at real estate ads lately, and wondered if there was a printing error that caused a box of squiggly lines to appear?? Well, it's no mistake. It's one of the newest mobile internet technologies ...