All Forum Posts by: Abby Weinstock

In general, a HML can offer quicker access to funds and often a more efficient process (less cumbersome as compared to going the traditional bank route). In terms of why some are better than others, a lot of it comes down to customer service. Are they a lender who truly wants to partner with you in terms of your success? Will you have a personal contact there, or will you be calling a generic customer service number if you have a question? How soon are they able to get you to the closing table? If the HML involves draw requests, how quickly can they fund a draw? What kind of documentation will they require? What do their customer reviews look like in the public domain?

I would definitely check with an attorney who specializes in real estate, but my understanding is that the title company can remove the lien from the title work if the title company recieved a lien release.

Make sure the contractor is licensed, bonded, and insured. Make sure the contractor is able to provide references.

In our state (Maryland), the Department of Labor provides a home improvement public query that enables members of the general public to check to ensure that a prospective contractor has an active license. The state of Maryland requires that only Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) licensed contractors enter into contracts with homeowners to perform home improvement work.

Again for Maryland, anyone may check a contractor’s complaint history by calling the state of Maryland’s Home Improvement Commission, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. or by sending an e-mail. Complaints closed within the last three fiscal years are reportable to the public. You can check to see if there is a similar resource in your state.

@Oscar Juarez, I believe that if the commission was current as of the time of the witnessing of the document for signature/date notary signed, then it is fine (but I'm not an attorney). During the pandemic, at least in Maryland, notarizations can still be performed if the commission expired during the State of Emergency; however, if the notary's commission was expired before the State of Emergency, the notary cannot act as a notary public. More information is available here, but it is specific to Maryland.

In Maryland, you can use Notary Public database hosted by the Secretary of State website to confirm that the person is actually in the database and to confirm that their commission has not expired. The notary will have a certificate evidencing that they have been commissioned by the state and also a notary stamp.

In addition to the local options that you mentioned, Second Chance is another organization to which these salvagable materials can be donated.

Baltimore County has made the recycling of used building materials particularly user-friendly. It has partnered with the Loading Dock to accept reusable building materials at two of its facilities: The Eastern Sanitary Landfill in White Marsh and the Central Acceptance Facility in Cockeysville. The County’s recycling website provides of list of what building materials are considered acceptable for recycling:

https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/publicworks/recycling/loadingdock.html

This article talks about the approach to tenant hoarding under the Fair Housing Act and you may find is very helpful.

In terms of safety and sanitation, waste must be disposed of in a timely manner, garbage must be properly stored, nothing can block safe egress, no storing of large amounts of material near stoves or heaters, no blocking of equipment that might need to be accessed for repair or maintenance, etc.

@Web Slavens, there are 38 Google reviews online (all five-star) :-) 

@Jeremy D., I believe they will only be able to tell you what it is zoned for, not what its current use is.

You call also call Baltimore City Zoning at 410-396-4126. It may take a few tries before you get someone on the phone, but they will be able to answer whatever questions you might have about zoning of the subject property.