Selling Your Towson House As-Is: What It Means in Maryland
As-is means you won’t make repairs and you aren’t promising anything about the condition. It doesn’t mean you can keep known problems to yourself. Maryland draws that line clearly, and it’s worth knowing before you list.
Updated November 2026
Disclosure or disclaimer
Maryland sellers of one- to four-unit homes give the buyer one state form, the Residential Property Disclosure and Disclaimer Statement, and choose a side. The disclosure side describes what you know about the roof, plumbing, heating, electrical and other systems. The disclaimer side says you’re selling as-is and making no promises about condition. Choosing the disclaimer is what makes the sale as-is.
The rule as-is doesn’t change
Even on the disclaimer side, you have to disclose latent defects you actually know about. Those are hidden problems a buyer couldn’t find with a careful look and that could threaten someone’s health or safety. If a furnace technician told you the heat exchanger is cracked, for example, that goes on the form, as-is or not.
Built before 1978? Lead paint rules apply
Federal rules add a lead-based paint disclosure for homes built before 1978: you share what you know, give the buyer the EPA pamphlet, and offer a 10-day window to test, which the buyer can waive. Many of Towson’s older neighborhoods fall in that range.
What as-is does to offers
As-is narrows your pool. Some loans won’t close if the appraiser flags safety or structural problems, so you’ll often see more cash and investor offers. Buyers usually still inspect; as-is just tells them you won’t negotiate repairs. If you’re weighing a cash buyer, compare it on paper first with cash offer vs. listing in Towson.
What I bring to this
I’ll tell you which problems are worth fixing anyway, because one modest repair can bring back buyers who need a loan. Since 2023, my listings have sold for a median 103.6% of the original asking price, in a median of 6 days on the market. Here’s how I sell homes, step by step.
General information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Can I sell as-is and still list it on the MLS?
Yes. As-is is a contract term, not a type of sale. Listing it widely is how you reach the most buyers, investors included.
Do I still fill out the Maryland form if I sell as-is?
Usually, yes. The disclaimer side of the same form is what makes the sale as-is. Some transfers are exempt, such as certain estate and court-ordered sales.
Will selling as-is lower my price?
Usually some. How much depends on what’s wrong. An honest repair estimate keeps the discount close to the real cost.
What do I still have to disclose on an as-is sale?
Latent defects you actually know about: hidden problems a careful look wouldn’t reveal that could threaten someone’s health or safety. Homes built before 1978 also need the federal lead-based paint disclosure.
About Mike Fielder
Mike Fielder is a Baltimore Realtor and Sales Director of The Key Home Team at Cummings & Co. Realtors. Licensed since June 2016, he focuses on North Baltimore (Lake Evesham, Lake Walker, Cedarcroft, Hampden and Remington) and the Towson area. He works with buyers and sellers throughout Maryland and in parts of Pennsylvania, where he’s also licensed. He also serves as Vice President of the Lake Evesham Community Association.
Over his career, Mike has sold 190 homes worth more than $56 million. He’s backed by The Key Home Team, which has sold more than $375 million in real estate and closes about $30 million a year.
Mike founded Property Management of Baltimore in 2014, two years before getting his license, and still runs it. Managing rentals taught him what repairs really cost, which updates buyers pay for, and how to keep a deal moving when something breaks. Sellers get that judgment when deciding what to fix before listing. Buyers get it when they’re reading an inspection report.
A Towson University graduate, Mike keeps his approach simple: price from real recent sales, spend money only where it pays back, and compare offers by what the client actually keeps.
More from Mike: Towson on mikesellsbaltimore.com · Selling with Mike · Full bio
Not sure whether to fix or sell as-is?
I’ll walk through it with you and show you what each path nets. Call or text me at 410-905-6678.
The Key Home Team of Cummings & Co. Realtors
Cell: 410-905-6678
Email: [email protected]
Office: 410-823-0033
222 W Cold Spring Ln, Suite C, Baltimore, MD 21210
Website: mikesellsbaltimore.com