The Baltimore-Columbia market right now
Sales figures: Redfin Data Center, market tracker (Redfin, a national real estate brokerage), Baltimore, MD metro area, May 2026, all residential property types. Typical value: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026, mid-tier homes, seasonally adjusted. These are area-wide figures, not a value for any one home.
With about 2.6 months of supply, this is a market that leans toward sellers by the usual rule of thumb, and homes sold at or above their list price on average.
Show the numbers
| Month | Median sale price |
|---|---|
| May 2026 | $435,000 |
| Apr 2026 | $395,000 |
| Mar 2026 | $399,000 |
| Feb 2026 | $380,000 |
| Jan 2026 | $374,900 |
| Dec 2025 | $397,000 |
| Nov 2025 | $397,200 |
| Oct 2025 | $402,058 |
| Sep 2025 | $399,995 |
| Aug 2025 | $415,000 |
| Jul 2025 | $415,000 |
| Jun 2025 | $419,450 |
| May 2025 | $410,000 |
| Apr 2025 | $395,000 |
| Mar 2025 | $375,000 |
| Feb 2025 | $365,500 |
| Jan 2025 | $360,000 |
| Dec 2024 | $385,000 |
| Nov 2024 | $395,000 |
| Oct 2024 | $390,000 |
| Sep 2024 | $397,750 |
| Aug 2024 | $390,000 |
| Jul 2024 | $400,000 |
| Jun 2024 | $410,000 |
| May 2024 | $395,000 |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Baltimore, MD metro area. Monthly figures, not seasonally adjusted, so some ups and downs are just the time of year.
What the metro area covers
The Census Bureau counts about 2,859,024 people in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area, across 7 counties. Property taxes, recording fees and some transfer taxes are set county by county, so check the county your home is in.
| County | Population (2024 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Baltimore County, MD | 852,425 |
| Anne Arundel County, MD | 602,350 |
| Baltimore city, MD | 568,271 |
| Howard County, MD | 339,668 |
| Harford County, MD | 265,514 |
| Carroll County, MD | 177,108 |
| Queen Anne's County, MD | 53,688 |
Towns with the most ZIP codes in the area: Baltimore, Annapolis, Towson, Glen Burnie, Ellicott City, Columbia, Laurel, Pasadena, Hunt Valley, Lutherville Timonium, Pikesville, Westminster.
Population and counties: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates and 2023 metro delineations.
Maryland rules that affect sellers
Transfer tax
Maryland's state transfer tax is 0.5% of the consideration. When a home is sold to a first-time Maryland home buyer who will live in it, the rate drops to 0.25% and the law requires the seller to pay all of it. Otherwise the state tax is customarily split between buyer and seller, and counties add their own transfer and recordation taxes.
Local add-ons: Counties (and Baltimore City) levy their own transfer taxes plus a recordation tax, at rates that vary by county. Montgomery County's transfer tax, for example, is 1%.
Source: Maryland Code, Tax-Property section 13-203 (Maryland General Assembly)
Seller disclosure
Yes. Under Real Property section 10-702, a seller of a one to four unit residential property must give the buyer either a Residential Property Disclosure Statement or a Residential Property Disclaimer Statement (selling "as is"). Even when selling as is, the seller must disclose latent defects the seller actually knows about that a careful visual inspection would not reveal and that threaten health or safety.
Source: Maryland Residential Property Disclosure and Disclaimer Statement (Maryland Department of Labor)
Who handles the closing
Maryland closings, called settlements, are conducted by a settlement agent, usually a title company and sometimes an attorney. Consumers have the right to choose their own settlement agent and title insurer.
Source: Maryland Real Estate Commission, The Title Insurance Consumer's Bill of Rights
Also worth knowing
Maryland sellers typically face three layers of tax at settlement: the state transfer tax, a county transfer tax, and a recordation tax. In Montgomery County, for example, all three are customarily split 50/50 between buyer and seller.
Source: Federal Title & Escrow, Closing costs in Montgomery County, Maryland
Also worth knowing
When a nonresident sells Maryland property, the deed cannot be recorded without an income tax withholding payment: 8.75% of the total payment for nonresident individuals and 8.25% for nonresident entities, for sales after June 30, 2025.
Checking an agent's license
Real estate agents in Maryland are licensed by the Maryland Real Estate Commission. You can look up any agent before you work with them.
Rules checked 2026-09-30. They change, and local practice varies: confirm with your title company, closing attorney or agent before relying on them. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.