What’s To Know Before Buying a House in Maryland
About to move to Maryland and looking to buy a house over there? That’s a great choice! The state is known for its natural beauty, rich history, and lovely neighborhoods. It’s close to Washington, D.C. and New York City is not too far away either. Moreover, not so long ago (back in 2015 precisely) Maryland was the state with the highest median household income in the US. It was due to being so close to the country’s capital and to havinga diversified economy, from manufacturing to biotechnology, to services. So here’s what’s more to know before buying a house in Maryland.
Maryland is a place known for its rich history. Title: John Hopkins University, Maryland. Alt: John Hopkins University, Maryland
What’s so pretty about Maryland?
Are you a beach lover? You’ll love Maryland! You actually prefer mountains? You’ll love it even more! Maryland has so much natural beauty to offer and on top of that, it’s a state with four seasons. Hence you’ll be able to enjoy both the sun and snow upon buying a house in Maryland. If this is what you’re looking for, Maryland could be the state for you!
Maryland is a place of rich history – and its residents are proud of it
The state was named after the English Queen Henrietta Maria of France and is also known as Old Line State or the Free State. Wonder why? It’s considered to be the birthplace of religious freedom in the US. Back in 1649, the Maryland General Assembly passed the Act Concerning Religion, also known as the Maryland Toleration Act. It was the first act to grant religious freedom in America.
Want to buy a beautiful historic house? And what about heating and AC?
If you’re fascinated with history, you’ve come to the right place. It’s quite easy to purchase a historical gem when buying a house in Maryland. But if you want to buy a lovely historic house, it might be a good idea to get an energy audit performed before you decide on purchasing. You may also need to go for an upgrade – be it insulation, AC, furnace or something else.
Maryland is known for its cold winters and hot summers. You obviously don’t want to get cold during the winter or too hot over the summer and you probably don’t want to spend a fortune to achieve that. So look for a house with an energy-efficient AC and heating system or consider an investment if the house you want to buy does not have such an advanced technology. Energy-efficient windows and doors are another huge things to look for.
Enjoy a rich history and natural beauty upon buying a house in Maryland. Title: Maryland. Alt: Enjoy a rich history and natural beauty upon buying a house in Maryland.
Decide where you’re going to live (and shop for a house)
- Think about traffic
Take into account how far you’re going to be from your office. Then check out how much time the commute will take. It’s quite different if you need a short ride to your office and back home and if it’s a MARC train commute early in the morning. So choose wisely when buying a house in Maryland.
- Consider costs of living
As previously stated, Maryland is doing very well, which is great when you think of nice highways, clean streets or fine public transportation. But that also means the cost of living is not low. Check out what living costs to expect in the community you plan to move to – before actually buying a house in Maryland. It’s too late to think about this when you’ve already started decorating your new home.
- Do your research
You need to decide on the city you’re going to move to and the area where you’re going to buy a property.
You may choose to live in Baltimore, which is also known as the Inner Harbor. It’s a tourist destination nowadays and pretty close to the Ravens football stadium. Camden Yards, where you could go and watch the Orioles baseball team play, is also nearby.
Annapolis is the capital of the state and a charming town with cobblestone streets and great dining options. How about living right there?
And if you choose the Eastern Shore, you’ll get to enjoy sandy beaches and campsites, such as Ocean City. You’ll also be pretty close to the beautiful Rehoboth and Bethany beaches in the state of Delaware.
- Do you plan to travel much?
Plan to travel for work or leisure? If traveling is going to be a huge part of your life while living in Maryland, make sure you’re not too far away from the state’s main airport. Thurgood Marshall Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) has plenty of flights across the country and some international ones as well. There are direct flights to Mexico and also to Germany, Iceland, and the UK in Europe. When it comes to domestic flights, you could fly to any major city in the US, both on the East and West coast and anything in between. A flight to NYC takes less than an hour and a half, while you’ll get to California in less than 6 hours.
It’s good to know there’s airport-specific public transportation in the state. It includes taxis and vans, so you could leave your car at home and avoid paying for airport parking. Traveling is actually pretty convenient from Maryland, which is great news if you’re considering buying a house in Maryland.
Beautiful beaches in Maryland. Title: Beach in Maryland. Alt: Beach in Maryland.
Consider the first time homebuyers programs – it that applies to you
There are many home buying programs in the state. Just make sure to do your research before starting to look for a new home.
Is it going to be a local or a long distance more?
Plan your time accordingly. Moving locally or cross country is not the same. When you’re moving locally, costs are far less and you can afford to take more stuff with you. You’ll also get your things sooner and be able to move on with your regular day-to-day life. If it is a long distance move, you’ll need to be rigorous with decluttering your home and living some stuff behind as the cost of moving will be pretty high. Hence you should allow more time (several weeks at least) to start preparing for the move and you should allow more time before you get back to your daily routine – this time at your new home!
Try not to move during the winter or the summer (or even go shopping for a house)
Cold winters and hot summers are not the best time to move or even shop for a house. It’s not easy to go around the chosen neighborhood(s) and look for your new home while it’s freezing outside or it’s too hot. Buying a house is not something you want to rush, so try to avoid the Maryland harsh winter or boiling summer that might eventually make you do just that.
Maryland is a great state to live in, so you won’t go wrong wherever you decide to settle down. Good luck with buying a house in Maryland and starting a new chapter in your life!
