Conservation Easement Seminars - FREE at Your Office

The new law requiring notice and copies to Buyers of Conservation Easements is in effect. Real estate agents need to be informed so they can inform their Sellers about Conservation Easements: what they are, what they look like, and how to determine if your property has them.

You need to know your potential liability if your transaction is cancelled by a Buyer due to your Seller’s failure to follow this law. We can show you how to protect your clients.

I'm offering you and your office a free Conservation Easement Seminar to help protect you and your clients from any possible issues that may arise in these transactions. The seminar will last about an hour and I'll even bring the donuts and coffee.

Please call us today at 301-893-2134 to schedule your free Conservation Easement Seminar in your office.

Real Estate Agent Information

Since the late 1990s, there has been a push for the computerization of Land Records in the anticipation
of e-filing and in consideration for the Clerk’s to use modern computer technology for scanning
and indexing documents. Even though these are not official records, the Internet Maryland LANDREC
system is a very helpful source as it is a Digital Image Retrieval System for Land Record Indices
in Maryland, and is a Joint eGovernment Service of the Maryland Judiciary and the Maryland
State Archives. Sign up is required. The link is: http://ww2.mdlandrec.net

The Assessment Records for properties located in the State can be found at the Maryland Department
of Assessment and Taxation, Real Property System website. The location is:
http://sdatcert3.resiusa.org/rp_rewrite/

At times, owners of record are entities. Many states have their own corporate charter division with
computerized entity information freely available. Much information for Maryland can be found under
Maryland Department of Assessment and Taxation Charter Record Search website. The location
is: http://sdatcert3.resiusa.org/ucc-charter/

Many abstractors note exceptions on their reports that there are restrictions ''noted on the recorded
plat(s)" without listing them specifically. Without debating the sufficiency as to this reporting, for the
examiner to find the plats throughout the state, one can go through the LandRec system or directly
through the Maryland State Archives Geographical Services Digital Image Reference System
for Land Survey, Subdivision, and Condominium Plats at the following: http://plats.net
Username: plato Password: plato#

For actual real estate taxes, many of the County sites are online. Even though not exhaustive, here
are links for several jurisdictions:
Montgomery County https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/tax/index.asp

Prince George’s County
http://tax-acct-info.co.pg.md.us/servlets/resqportal?rqs_custom_dir=taxes&rqs_cleancache=O
Forms http://www.co.pg.md.us/Government/AgencyIndex/Finance/forms.asp

Anne Arundel, Calvert, Cecil, Frederick, and Howard
http://www.munis.ws/portal/state.asp?cd=md
(For those Frederick County areas that have special Community Development Assessments, they
are on the tax bills; however, if unsure as to their accuracy, you can get information from the servicer:
MuniCap Public Finance
10015 Old Columbia Road, Suite B-215
Columbia, MD 21046
Tel: (410) 290-5935 Fax: (410) 290-7665)

Baltimore City http://cityservices.baltimorecity.gov/realproperty/default.aspx

Charles County http://www.charlescounty.org/treas/taxes/acctinquiry/selection.jsp

Baltimore County http://egov2.co.ba.md.us/taxbamd.html

At times, we have had to calculate tax rates for new homes. The Tax Rates are found on each
county’s site. We have developed a simple spread sheet to help calculate estimated levy’s for improvements,
so escrows can be held. You can also. In Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties, you
may have had to investigate Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (Front Foot Benefit
Charges). Here is the link to investigate these charges:
http://www.wsscwater.com/service/aow/disclosure.cfm

Source: MLTA Newsletter Summer 2007