Buying a home in Baltimore: how to do it right in a city of rowhouses
Baltimore has some of the most interesting housing on the East Coast: rowhouses with marble steps, mill houses, porch-front Victorians and big old detached homes. It also has city-specific traps. Here’s how to buy a home in Baltimore, MD with your eyes open.
Updated November 2026
Shop block by block, not ZIP by ZIP
In Baltimore, conditions and prices can change within a few blocks. A good search starts with the house type you want and the commute you need, then narrows to streets. I’ll walk blocks with you, at different times of day, and tell you what I see. I won’t tell you who lives there or who a neighborhood is “for.” That’s your call, and fair housing law.
- Rowhouses make up most of the city: from narrow two-story houses to wide three-story homes with original woodwork.
- Detached homes cluster in neighborhoods like Roland Park, Homeland, Guilford, Lake Evesham, Mount Washington and Lauraville.
- Condos range from converted historic buildings and mill lofts to waterfront high-rises.
The rowhouse inspection checklist
I’ve run Property Management of Baltimore since 2014, and these are the items that cost real money in city rowhouses:
Most rowhouses have flat or low-slope roofs that need regular coating and eventual replacement. Ask the roof’s age.
Check shared walls, rear additions and back walls for cracks, bowing and water. Rear additions were often built cheaply.
Water, sump pumps, and the sewer line to the street. A sewer camera is worth it.
Panel size, old wiring, and permits for renovations, especially in flipped houses.
The money side of buying in the city
Budget for three city-specific costs. First, the annual tax bill: Baltimore City charges $2.248 per $100 of assessed value for fiscal 2026, so a $300,000 assessment means about $6,744 a year before the homestead credit, which you should apply for as soon as you move in. Second, closing taxes: the city’s 1.5% transfer tax and $5 per $500 recordation tax, plus Maryland’s 0.5% transfer tax, which buyers and sellers usually split; if you’ve never owned a Maryland home, you skip your half of the state piece. Third, ground rent on some rowhouses, which your title company will flag and which can usually be redeemed.
On the plus side, the city and state offer help. Live Baltimore publishes the current list of city homebuying incentives, and the Maryland Mortgage Program has loans and down payment assistance for eligible buyers. A lender who uses these programs every month is worth finding.
Steps from search to settlement
- Preapproval with city taxes included.
- Buyer agreement. Required before touring together since August 2024; terms are negotiable.
- Tours and offer grounded in recent sales on nearby blocks.
- Inspections within the contract’s inspection period, usually about a week.
- Appraisal, title search and settlement, commonly 30 to 45 days after the contract.
More: buying with Mike and first-time buyer guidance.
Questions people ask
How do I find a good buyer's agent in Baltimore?
Look for someone who knows the city block by block, understands rowhouse construction and city paperwork like ground rent, and gives you honest reads during inspections. Interview a few. I’m Mike Fielder with The Key Home Team; call me at 410-905-6678.
What should I inspect on a Baltimore rowhouse?
The roof, party walls and rear walls, any rear addition, the basement and sump, the sewer line to the street, the electrical panel and wiring, and permits for renovations.
Are there homebuyer incentives in Baltimore City?
Yes. Live Baltimore maintains a current list of city homebuying incentives, and the Maryland Mortgage Program offers loans and down payment assistance to eligible buyers. Confirm details with a lender, since programs change.
How high are property taxes in Baltimore City?
The fiscal 2026 rate is $2.248 per $100 of assessed value, per the Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Owner-occupants should apply for the homestead tax credit to limit annual increases.
What is ground rent in Baltimore?
It’s a lease on the land under some homes, mostly in Baltimore City. If it’s registered with the state, it must be disclosed in your contract, and it can usually be redeemed for a price set by Maryland law.
About Mike Fielder
Mike Fielder is a Baltimore Realtor and Sales Director of The Key Home Team at Cummings & Co. Realtors. Licensed since June 2016, he focuses on North Baltimore (Lake Evesham, Lake Walker, Cedarcroft, Hampden and Remington) and the Towson area. He also serves as Vice President of the Lake Evesham Community Association.
Over his career, Mike has sold 190 homes worth more than $56 million. He’s backed by The Key Home Team, which has sold more than $375 million in real estate and closes about $30 million a year.
Mike founded Property Management of Baltimore in 2014, two years before getting his license, and still runs it. Managing rentals taught him what repairs really cost, which updates buyers pay for, and how to keep a deal moving when something breaks. Sellers get that judgment when deciding what to fix before listing. Buyers get it when they’re reading an inspection report.
A Towson University graduate, Mike keeps his approach simple: price from real recent sales, spend money only where it pays back, and compare offers by what the client actually keeps.
More from Mike: Buying with Mike · Neighborhood guide · Full bio
Ready to buy in Baltimore?
Tell me the kind of house you want and where you need to get to. I’ll set up a search that respects how Baltimore actually works.
The Key Home Team of Cummings & Co. Realtors
Cell: 410-905-6678
Email: mike@mykeyhometeam.com
Office: 410-823-0033
108 W Timonium Rd, Timonium, MD 21093
Website: mikesellsbaltimore.com