All Forum Posts by: WAYNE G.

Put Howard County Source of Income into Google and you will find a story in the Baltimore Sun from 2012 about this exact situation.  Unfortunately it doesn't tell how that story ended, but does say most cases are resolved before they get that far.

Howard and Montgomery counties, in Maryland, have laws prohibiting discrimination for source of income. Statewide legislation on this has failed to pass the General Assembly more than once, so the law varies by county.

You can meet with other landlords at 6:30 on Monday 3/28 at the Canton Docksider.  Maybe someone there can recommend an attorney familiar with Howard County.  I plan on being there so if you come ask Eddie to point out Wayne Gemmill.

You mentioned there are back taxes owed and letters from tax foreclosure attorneys.

You may be able to get clear title through the tax foreclosure process. Contact the county to determine current tax foreclosure status. Contact the foreclosure lawyers to work a deal for title.  Otherwise you could clear the title and find out tax foreclosure took the title away.

The tax foreclosure process exists because these things happen, and it provides a way to put clouded properties back in productive use.

Take a look at the frankly.com website.  It has been a great source of data in the past, but since Frank is changing his business model it may not be as available in the future, unless you can use his agents.  It is very easy to get sold data by subdivision, for example.

For the metro area at large the website frankly.com is a tremendous resource for investors.  It is one of the rare places that shows the "seller help."  Support the site buy using the affiliated agents as your buyer agents.

I am also very interested in how well the county level tax lien process can overrule Federal agency property rights.  Let us know how this turns out.

After a quick read, the Philadelphia laws seem similar to Maryland law, which I am more familiar with.  

Lead safe means we didn't find any peeling paint, or lead dust at this point in time.  Lead free, in Maryland, means we took an X-ray spectrometer to your property, and there are no exposed lead surfaces inside and outside your property.  (well, that's the simple version anyway.)

In Phillie your lead safe is good for 24 months, then you get to pay for it again.  If there is peeling paint at anytime there is potential lead (and legal) exposure.  In ~Baltimore houses built after 1950 generally only have lead on outside, and are easily remediated.  

You can not inspect this yourself, unless you become licensed.  If you go to court, which is partly what all this is about, you are much better protected if inspected by independent party.

MD laws have been successful in reducing lead exposure.  Last report I saw had higher exposure in owner occupied vs rental property.  Reduction from ~10,000 to ~100 cases I think.

For those in areas without local lead laws and properties built before ~1960, find someone with an XRF gun in your area.  Next vacancy see what shows up, and get rid of it or seal it up.  You'll protect your tenant and a lawsuit.  (After 1960 may have lead, base your decision on your locations use of lead paint, and comfort zone.)

A house built in 1910 probably has lead paint.  You need a EPA course on renovation rules to avoid federal law problems.  

Also comes up when selling and need to check a box if all repairs done per lead paint law.

@Rachel Gill

Even licensed contractors often don't carry workmen's compensation insurance.  In MD they are required to have liability but not workmen's compensation, unless they have employee's.  Ask to have their insurer to send you a certificate of insurance to verify their status.  

Google: Sole Proprietor's status as a covered employee for a state form where a declaration can be made about Workman's comp. A similar for for LLC's is FORM IC-16.

Talk to your insurance agent about going down this path.  It really depends on your individual situation, and what work is being done. 

Section 8 checklist, I think

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=52580.pdf

@Mindy Jensen 

Previously you wrote, "They initially thought it was from a backed up sump, because the people who installed the fence hit the sump exit pipe and filled it with cement."

Hook a garden hose to the sump pump, or replace the pump if not working.

If this solves the problem, then hook it up correctly.

Even a small pump will move lots more water than you can wet vac.