Tag Archives: Baltimore

Are You a Landlord in Baltimore? Listen Up! Big Changes Could Be Coming

General Law, News, Real Estate Law, , ,

Price and Keir assists numerous landlords and tenants in a variety of real estate issues.  A new bill could require more inspections for Baltimore City landlords. This would be the most significant update to rental housing regulations in Baltimore City since they were written half a century ago in 1966. The bill calls for licensing and inspecting ALL residential properties in Baltimore, not just larger buildings with three or more units, as is currently required. This means one and two unit rental properties will now require mandatory inspections. Currently, those properties only get inspected when tenants complain of violations. The goal is to improve overall rental quality in Baltimore by taking a more proactive approach, so Baltimore will follow some Read More

What the Heck is Ground Rent?

Real Estate Law, ,
Baltimore Row Homes.

  According to The People’s Law Library of Maryland, “Ground rent is a periodic monetary payment by a tenant to a ground lease holder who holds a reversionary interest in the property or “ground” underneath a home.”   But what does that actually mean in plain English? Basically, for certain properties (most of which are located in Baltimore City), homeowners are required to pay a small sum of money (typically $50.00-$100.00 per year) to a person or company known as the ground rent holder.  This concept, which dates back to the 18th Century, still causes confusion to homeowners and mortgage companies unfamiliar with the practice.   If it’s that simple, why is it so confusing? Ground rent is an unfamiliar Read More