Selling Your Baltimore City House As-Is
Plenty of City houses sell as-is, from estate sales to rowhouses that need more work than the owner wants to take on. As-is means no repairs and no promises about condition. In Baltimore City it also comes with a few disclosures the rest of Maryland doesn’t have.
Updated November 2026
The state form comes first
Maryland sellers of one- to four-unit homes give buyers the Residential Property Disclosure and Disclaimer Statement. Choosing the disclaimer side is what makes a sale as-is. It doesn’t cover known latent defects: hidden problems a careful look wouldn’t reveal that could threaten someone’s health or safety. Those you disclose either way.
City disclosures on top
- Vacant Building Notice. Since 2021, City law requires sellers to disclose a Vacant Building Notice in the contract of sale. There are fines for not disclosing it, and a buyer can walk away if the house has a notice the seller hasn’t cleared.
- Historic district or landmark status. Before signing a contract, City sellers must tell the buyer in writing whether the property is in a City historic district or on the Landmark or Potential Landmark lists.
- Other City items. City law also has disclosures about property taxes and nearby heavy-industrial and railroad operations. The standard City addendum covers them.
Open violations show up anyway
Open code violations and liens appear on the City lien certificate, which the buyer’s title company orders, so a buyer will see them whether or not you sell as-is. Better to put them on the table at the start. More on that in the Baltimore City lien certificate, explained.
Selling a rented house
A City rental license doesn’t transfer with the sale. A new owner needs a new license within 60 days, which matters to any buyer who plans to keep renting it.
What as-is does to price
As-is City sales draw a lot of cash and investor interest, especially on rowhouses that need work. Price from comparable as-is or unrenovated sales, not finished ones, and expect buyers to inspect even though they won’t ask for repairs.
What I bring to this
I’ve managed rentals since 2014, so I can tell you which items are worth fixing because they widen your buyer pool and which aren’t. Since 2023, my listings have sold for a median 103.6% of the original asking price, in a median of 6 days on the market. Here’s how I sell homes, and why title work matters: title insurance in Maryland.
General information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Do I have to fix open violations before I sell?
Not always. They appear on the lien certificate, though, and a buyer or the buyer’s lender may require some to be resolved. Disclose them up front.
What if I don't disclose a Vacant Building Notice?
City law sets fines, and the buyer can walk away from the contract.
Is a house in a City historic district harder to sell?
Not harder. Exterior changes need City review, and you disclose the status before the contract.
Can I sell a rented City house as-is?
Yes. The rental license doesn’t transfer, so a buyer who keeps renting it needs a new license within 60 days.
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 works with buyers and sellers throughout Maryland and in parts of Pennsylvania, where he’s also licensed. 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: Selling with Mike · Neighborhood guide · Full bio
Weighing as-is against fixing a few things first?
I’ll show you what each path nets. Call or text me at 410-905-6678.
The Key Home Team of Cummings & Co. Realtors
Cell: 410-905-6678
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-823-0033
222 W Cold Spring Ln, Suite C, Baltimore, MD 21210
Website: mikesellsbaltimore.com