Howard County has been one of Maryland's most consistently desirable places to buy a home, and it is not difficult to understand why.
Stephen P. Sinnott
Chief Inspector
In established Howard County neighborhoods, age is becoming increasingly important. Many homes that buyers still think of as relatively modern are now 30, 40 or even 50 years old. Original plumbing materials, electrical equipment, windows, roofs, siding and HVAC systems do not last forever.
Renovations are another consideration. Howard County's property values make remodeling economically attractive, so inspectors frequently encounter homes that have been expanded, finished or substantially renovated over the years. Most work may be perfectly serviceable, but additions, finished basements, decks and remodeled kitchens and bathrooms deserve careful evaluation.
At the other end of the spectrum is new construction. A new home should not automatically be assumed to be defect-free. Pre-drywall inspections, final inspections and one-year warranty inspections can identify installation problems that are much easier to address while the builder is still responsible for the work.
Drainage and grading also deserve attention. Howard County has varied terrain, and water management around foundations is one of those issues that may not be obvious during a quick showing but can become very important after a heavy rain.
Howard County has relatively little conventional new-home inventory for a county with this level of demand: infill, higher-density products in selected locations, and expensive single-family construction rather than enormous greenfield subdivisions. The county also controls the timing of residential growth through its Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance and annual housing-unit allocation system.
New construction inspections →A home inspector’s perspective, by Stephen P. Sinnott.
Howard County sits almost directly between Baltimore and Washington. The county is also immediately adjacent to Fort Meade and the National Security Agency employment area and has direct access to the I-95, Route 29, Route 32 and I-70 corridors. For households with two working adults employed in different parts of the region, that central location can be extremely valuable.
Howard County has its own substantial employment base in technology, healthcare, professional services, distribution, research and business services. Columbia remains an important regional job center, and residents are within commuting distance of Fort Meade, NSA, Baltimore, BWI, Johns Hopkins and federal employment in the Washington region.
Howard County Public Schools are one of the county's best-known attractions. Buyers should also remember that school districts and attendance areas can change as the county grows. A house should be evaluated for the home and community it offers today.
Columbia contains a large inventory of homes dating from the community's major development decades. Ellicott City includes everything from historic properties to established subdivisions and newer construction. Clarksville and Fulton have many larger and newer homes. Elkridge and the Route 1 corridor are experiencing their own redevelopment and growth.
That variety means two houses with similar prices can have completely different inspection considerations.
The biggest pressure point is affordability. Higher purchase prices and financing costs mean buyers are paying closer attention to what they are actually getting for their money. That makes property condition increasingly important.
Howard County's market will change, but its basic advantages, location, schools, employment and established communities, are not disappearing. Those are the reasons I expect it to remain one of Maryland's most competitive residential markets over the long term.
Stephen P. SinnottChief InspectorCentury Home Inspections
Market and economic information should be reviewed periodically as new public data becomes available. Commentary regarding property condition reflects the author’s professional experience inspecting residential properties in Maryland.
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