Touring homes in Towson: how to see more and miss less
A good tour isn’t a stroll through staged rooms. It’s twenty focused minutes that tell you whether a house deserves an offer. Here’s how showings work in Towson and what I look at in each kind of house.
Updated November 2026
How showings work now
- Sign a buyer agreement first. Since August 2024, agents need a written agreement with you before touring homes together. It covers services and compensation, and you can negotiate it.
- Private showings are booked through the listing side’s scheduling system, usually for 30 to 60 minute windows. I group homes by area so we don’t zigzag across the Beltway.
- Open houses are fine for a first look. Tell the host you’re working with an agent, and save your questions about price and offers for your agent.
- Second showings are for measuring, checking the basement again, and visiting at a different time of day.
What I check, by type of Towson house
| House | Look closely at |
|---|---|
| Rodgers Forge group rowhouse (1930s to 1950s) | Basement water and finish, rear additions and decks, the alley side and parking, kitchen and bath updates, signs of exterior changes that needed covenant approval |
| Stoneleigh or Anneslie revival-style home (1920s onward) | Roof and chimney, masonry, gutters and grading, wiring and panel, heating system age, garage condition |
| Mid-century ranch, cape or split-level | Original electrical and plumbing, windows, roof age, foundation cracks, how much updating the price assumes |
| Condo | Common area condition, elevator and roof age if you can learn it, parking, storage, noise, and the fee |
On every tour I also check the street at a different hour, cell signal, and how the lot drains. If something worries me, I’ll say so on the spot.
Make your tours count
- Get preapproved first. Sellers take offers more seriously, and you won’t fall for a house you can’t buy.
- Tour in batches of four to six. More than that and the houses blur together.
- Take notes and photos of problems, not just pretty rooms. I send a short recap after each tour day.
- Check the school assignment. Baltimore County Public Schools assigns by address. Look up the exact house.
- Move fast on the right one. When it’s right, I’ll pull the recent sales the same day so your offer is grounded.
Before you tour, read what to expect when you choose a buyer’s agent in Towson.
Questions people ask
How do I schedule a home tour in Towson?
Call or email me with the homes you want to see. I’ll book showings through the listing agents’ scheduling systems and group them by area. You’ll need to sign a buyer agreement before we tour together.
Do I need an agent to go to an open house?
No. Anyone can attend an open house. If you’re working with an agent, tell the host, and talk to your own agent before discussing price or offers.
Why do I have to sign an agreement before touring?
Since August 2024, real estate agents need a written agreement with buyers before touring homes together. It explains the agent’s services and compensation. Its terms are negotiable.
What should I look for when touring a Rodgers Forge rowhouse?
Check the basement for water, look at rear additions and decks, see the alley side and parking, and note any exterior changes, which require approval under the Rodgers Forge covenants.
How many homes should I see in one day?
Four to six is the sweet spot. Fewer and you lose the comparison; more and they blur together.
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: Towson on mikesellsbaltimore.com · Buying with Mike · Full bio
Want to tour homes in Towson?
Send me the listings you like or the area you’re curious about, and I’ll set up a tour day that makes sense.
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