Landlord and Tenant Laws in Maryland
When it comes to renting a house in the Maryland location, every state has its own laws laid out for both landlords and tenants. These laws protect both parties in various situations and provide the framework for rental agreements. If you’re looking to rent a house in Maryland, here are a few of the most important laws you need to know.
Maryland law puts a limit on how much money a landlord can require for a security deposit. A landlord cannot hold more than two months’ rent as a deposit and is required to return money owed within 45 days of the tenant vacating the property. A landlord who asks for more than the total of two months’ rent is breaking the law.
Did you know that in some cases, it is within your rights to withhold your rent? A rental agreement between a tenant and landlord lays out all the responsibilities of both parties. If the landlord does not uphold their end of the bargain, you can hold your rent money until they do. For instance, if a landlord refuses to take care of an imperative repair, such as a broken water heater, you can keep your rent until they do.
A number of laws are specifically geared toward protecting the tenant. One example a law that protect tenants from retaliation of the landlord when practicing their legal rights. If a tenant complains to the authorities about unsafe living conditions, landlords are not allowed to take action against them. Evictions, handling abandoned property, and fair housing rights are also all covered through Maryland laws.
In addition to state and federal laws, Maryland cities or counties could have their own laws as well. When looking for property to rent in Maryland, take the time to read tenant/landlord laws for the state as well as the county and town you’re looking to move to.
Tagged in: investment properties, maryland, rental property, tenants	
The Next Housing Market Downturn: How to Weather the Storm as a Homeowner
While we can’t ever predict the fluctuations of the market with absolute accuracy, it’s always a good idea to explore ways to be prepared for the next possible real estate market crash!
So, how can you protect yourself and your investments to weather the next real estate storm?
BE CAREFUL TAKING OUT LOANS
Buying a home is an investment. For many, it’s the single most expensive thing they’ll buy in their lives. But, in an unstable market, it’s much more difficult to judge whether your home with appreciate with time or not. It’s always smart to only take out a loan for what you can reasonably pay.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, as the saying goes! If you want to be prepared for a housing market downturn, you may want to diversify your portfolio with stocks, bonds, as well as with home equity.
To be better prepared for a sudden market downturn, it’s best to start saving for it. Build up an emergency savings account. You should save enough money for 3 to 6 months’ mortgage payments so you don’t need to worry as much about defaulting or a foreclosure.
LOCATION OVER DESIGN
If you’re worried you won’t be able to sell your home when the market crashes in the Maryland location, Virginia location, Washington DC location, or anywhere else, remember this simple phrase: “location over design.” Even when the housing market turns sour, people still need to buy homes. Good neighborhoods won’t suffer in a market downturn as much as bad neighborhoods.
GET A FIXED-RATE MORTGAGE
This is possibly the most important piece of advice to take away from this article. Fixed-rate mortgages give you a huge amount of security because, if the market goes down, your mortgage won’t go up. This is something worth sacrificing a bit of square footage over!
If you’re bettered prepared for the next housing market downturn, you can ride out the storm in relative security and comfort even while others scramble to sell their depreciated homes and try to find a way to pay their rising mortgages.
Tagged in: best time to sell, interest rates, loans, stocks	
How to Determine the Market Value of Your House
Pricing your home can be difficult. To figure out how much your house is worth before you list it, there are several things you can do. Here are our tips to calculate your asking price.
Search for Comparable Homes
House value are determined by the price similar properties recently sold for. Some real estate websites, such as Trulia, Zillow, and Realtor.com, make this information easy to find. Start with a search of your part of town or zip code and keep track of the price homes like yours sold for. Make sure the houses you check are comparable, meaning they have the same number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and are close in square footage and lot size. These sites do not always have the most accurate information so make sure to check other sources as well.
Call the Tax Assessment Office
The tax assessment office in your town or city will have records of what comparable homes recently sold for in your neighborhood or town. Using these records will give you a second set of numbers that are more reliable than what you may find online. Using both figures together, you can come up with a better estimate of the value of your home.
Realtors are the market experts and will be able to help you price your home. They can either do it for you, or help you identify the key items to look or in your search and estimation. They’ll also be able to give you information on how the market is in your area. When there are more buyers than houses available, the price of listed homes will increase and vice versa. A realtor will know what to expect and help you set your price right.
If you’re ready to list your home for sale in the Maryland location, Virginia location, Baltimore location, or Washington DC location, or are just curious about how much it may be worth, you can make an informed estimate with just a little effort and time.
Tagged in: comps, Redfin, resale value, sell home, Zillow	