I'll spare you the details, but a phone call with Baltimore permitting revealed they would love to turn this simple task into VERY expensive enhancement (of which I could find no basis for in all the MD, Baltimore, or International Building Code books).So, I'm curious if any other Baltimore City landlords, rehabbers, or property mangers have ever had a similar experience?

If all of the major systems/hvac/appliances in the home are coming to the end of their useful life and your cash flow is low, a home warranty can be peace of mind for the short term.  

If you've spoken to the assessor (and it's clear) that's good for your peace of mind, but if the title company you're using doesn't agree with what's been recorded or their abstractor finds some funky information while doing the title search that says that the building doesn't have the appropriate set back or if something is not quite right with the boundaries, you're wasting your time and money because, again, they won't insure over the discrepancy.If you order a survey, and hand it to the title company that you're going to close the loan with, but that survey has not been recorded, they don't have to use it. 

Or to enhance knowledge. 

You want someone that enhances your vision by using his expertise to get you what you need, so that you don’t have to worry about that facet of the deal.

We're peacefully protesting anti landlord laws.

Worth it in my opinion for the peace of mind.

I own this one rental at $500k basis + 3 others at $275k basis + 5 others at $50-60 basis and honestly the 4 pricey units, I have no issue renting and no issue with payments even though those 4 are less than 1% rents while the cheap ones are at over 2% rents, I seem to always be doing maintenance + having issues with tenants and of course thats natural and why you get 2%.I guess in the end for me, I have a high income from work and I want real estate investing to be more long term + peace of mind than high income, but yes I began with the cheap properties but im noticing that although they cash flow well, they dont appreciate and the tenants are annoying to me.

My husband, Alec, and I were there serving as Peace Corps Volunteers.

It depends, I'm under contract for a house in Florida where the old lady who lived there worked for fema and travelled most of the year so she put bars on the windows for her peace of mind, definitely not a crime ridden neighborhood. btw I'm going with fha loan so the underwriters demanded their removal.