Yes, you can keep your St. Mary's home as a rental when you PCS. Maryland generally requires a license to provide real estate brokerage services for another person, but the statute includes exceptions, including an agent of the owner or broker while managing or leasing that real estate. Ask any prospective manager whether they are licensed or what exemption applies, and confirm the arrangement with the Maryland Real Estate Commission. Hiring an experienced manager is one of the biggest decisions you'll make as a long-distance landlord.
This guide covers what to settle before you leave, Maryland's lead law for older homes, the newer rental rules from 2024, how to interview a manager, and what to hand over before you drive out the gate. If you haven't decided whether to rent or sell yet, start with my rent it or sell it guide, then come back here.
What Should I Check Before I Rent Out My Home?
Three things can stop a rental before it starts, so check them first.
- Your loan. VA and other owner-occupant loans require you to live in the home first. Ask your lender how renting it out after you move fits your loan terms.
- Your HOA. Some St. Mary's communities limit or regulate rentals. Read the covenants and ask the association for its current rental rules in writing.
- Your insurance. Switch to a landlord policy before the tenant moves in. A regular homeowner's policy may not cover a rented home.
Your property taxes change too. The Homestead Credit applies only to your principal residence, per SDAT, so a rental generally won't keep it. My property tax guide shows how to estimate the full bill.
Does Maryland's Lead Law Apply to My Rental?
If your home was built before 1978, yes. Maryland's lead law covers rental units built before 1978, regardless of renovation history, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment. Check the year built on your SDAT record before you do anything else.
Maryland Lead Law for a Pre-1978 Rental
What the owner has to do
- Register the unit with MDE
Then keep the registration renewed on time - Pass a lead dust inspection
By an MDE-accredited inspector before every change in tenant - Give the tenant the notices
Notice of Tenants' Rights, the lead brochure and the current certificate - Or get certified lead-free
A Lead Free certificate exempts the unit
For a rental unit covered by Maryland's lead registration law, Maryland OneStop lists a $75 fee per unit at registration and every two-year renewal, consistent with Environment Article § 6-843. Some older MDE pages still show the former $30 annual fee, so check your current renewal notice before paying. Questions go to MDE's Lead Rental Registry at 410-537-4199. The inspection at each tenant turnover is the step that's easiest to miss.
What Changed in Maryland Rental Law in 2024?
The Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act took effect October 1, 2024, according to the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Two parts matter most to a PCSing owner:
- Security deposits are capped at one month's rent, with a narrow exception. Pet deposits have to fit inside that cap too.
- Every lease has to include the current Tenants' Bill of Rights as an attachment, published by the state's Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs.
A good manager already uses a lease that meets these rules. If they don't mention them when you ask, keep interviewing.
How Do I Check a Property Manager's License or Exemption?
Ask how the manager's role is licensed. If they say a license is required, request their Maryland license number and supervising broker, then look it up. If they say an exemption applies, ask which one and confirm it with the Maryland Real Estate Commission. The state law is in Business Occupations and Professions § 17-301. My guide to choosing an agent shows how to check a Maryland license.
The exact answer depends on the work and the relationship. Section 17-301(a) requires a license for real estate brokerage services, while § 17-301(b)(4) exempts an agent of a licensed broker or property owner while managing or leasing that real estate. Because the boundary can depend on the arrangement, confirm a specific manager's status with the Maryland Real Estate Commission.
Questions to Ask Every Property Manager
Get the answers in writing
- Are you licensed in Maryland, and under which broker?
- What's your fee, and what does it include?
- Is there a separate leasing or renewal fee?
- How do you screen tenants, and are your standards written?
- Up to what dollar amount can you approve repairs without me?
- How often will I get statements, and how do I see them?
- How do you handle lead law steps on a pre-1978 home?
- Where are security deposits held?
Compare at least two managers on the same questions. The cheapest fee isn't a bargain if the manager approves every repair without a call or lets the home sit empty for two months.
What Fees Show Up in a Management Agreement?
Fees vary from company to company, so compare the full list, not just the monthly percentage. Common line items include:
- Monthly management fee, usually a percentage of rent collected. Ask whether it's charged on months the home sits empty.
- Leasing or tenant placement fee for finding and screening a new tenant.
- Lease renewal fee when the same tenant signs again.
- Repair markups or coordination fees on work the manager arranges.
- Early termination terms if you want to switch managers or sell.
Ask each manager for a sample statement and their full fee schedule before you sign. The agreement you sign is what controls, so read the termination section twice. If you might sell within a few years, make sure you can end the agreement without a large penalty.
How Should Tenant Screening Work Under Fair Housing Law?
Set written screening standards and apply them the same way to every applicant. Federal and Maryland fair housing laws protect renters, and Maryland also bars discrimination based on a renter's lawful source of income, such as a housing voucher. A licensed manager should know these rules well. Ask how they screen, and how they document why an applicant was approved or turned down.
One related rule: if your tenant is a service member who gets PCS or deployment orders lasting more than 90 days, federal law lets them end the lease early with written notice and a copy of the orders, according to Military OneSource. The lease then ends 30 days after the next rent due date. Plan for that possibility in a market built around a Navy base.
How Do I Set the Rent?
Price the rent from current comparable rentals, not from what your mortgage costs. A home priced right rents faster, and every empty month costs more than a slightly lower rent would have. Your manager should bring rental comps. I can pull them too when we compare renting against selling.
How Do I Get the Home Ready Before I Leave?
Fix small items now, while you're still local and can meet the contractor. Service the HVAC, have the septic pumped if it's due, and test the smoke detectors. A rental that starts in good shape stays that way longer, and it gives you a clean move-in record to compare against later.
- Take dated photos and video of every room before the first tenant moves in.
- Leave the manager copies of warranties, manuals and contractor contacts.
- Label the water shutoff, breaker panel and septic access.
- Set aside a repair reserve so a broken water heater isn't an emergency.
Who Handles What Once I'm Gone?
Owner vs. Property Manager
Typical split, set by your management agreement
You, the owner
- Loan, taxes and landlord insurance
- Lead registration (unless delegated)
- Approving big repairs
- Your own tax filings
Your manager
- Marketing and showings
- Screening and the lease
- Rent collection and deposits
- Routine repairs and inspections
Your agreement sets the real split, so read it before you sign. If something isn't written down, assume it's yours.
What Should I Do 60, 30 and 7 Days Before I Leave?
Orders rarely give you as much time as you'd like, so work backward from your report date. Here's the order I'd follow.
| When | What to finish |
|---|---|
| 60 days out | Call your lender and HOA about renting. Get landlord insurance quotes. Check the year built for the lead law. |
| 45 days out | Interview two or three licensed managers on the same questions. Pick one and sign the agreement. |
| 30 days out | Book repairs, HVAC service and septic pumping. Register with MDE and schedule the lead dust inspection if the home is pre-1978. |
| 14 days out | Manager lists the home and starts showings. Collect warranties, manuals and keys. |
| 7 days out | Final walk-through with dated photos and video. Hand over everything in the toolkit below. |
If the home is ready and priced right before you go, your manager has a better shot at lining up a tenant close to your departure. If it isn't, the first few months of mortgage payments come out of your pocket.
What Does This Look Like for a Real Home?
Example scenario: This is made up to show the steps, not a real owner. An owner with a 1972 split-level in Lexington Park gets orders with about two months' notice.
Because the home was built before 1978, the lead law applies. The owner registers the unit with MDE and books a lead dust inspection the same week they hire a manager. The manager uses a lease with the Tenants' Bill of Rights attached and a one-month security deposit. The owner leaves a repair limit in writing, so small fixes don't wait on a phone call from another time zone.
A year later the tenant gets orders and gives written notice with a copy of them. The owner already planned for that, so the manager has the home cleaned, re-inspected for lead dust and back on the market without a scramble.
How Do I Keep an Eye on the Home From Another Duty Station?
- Read every monthly statement. Look at rent received, repairs paid and the reserve balance, not just the bottom line.
- Ask for inspection photos. A walk-through once or twice a year, with photos, catches slow leaks and worn flooring before they become big repairs.
- Keep your own copies. Store the lease, certificates and insurance policy where you can reach them without asking anyone.
- Set a renewal reminder. Your lead registration, insurance and lease dates all come around on their own calendar.
For taxes, rental income and expenses follow their own rules. IRS Publication 527 covers rental income, deductible expenses and depreciation, and a tax professional can tell you how it applies to your return.
What Goes in a Long-Distance Landlord Toolkit?
- A current Maryland lease with the Tenants' Bill of Rights attached.
- A landlord insurance policy, and flood coverage if the home needs it.
- Your MDE lead registration and inspection certificates for a pre-1978 home.
- Records of the home's systems, warranties and septic service.
- Your manager's license number, broker and signed management agreement.
What Mistakes Do PCSing Landlords Make?
- Hiring an unlicensed friend. Collecting rent for someone else for pay without a license isn't allowed in Maryland.
- Skipping the lead inspection at turnover. It's required at every change in tenant on a pre-1978 home, not just the first one.
- Pricing rent to the mortgage. The market sets rent, not your payment.
- Leaving without a reserve. One HVAC failure can wipe out months of cash flow.
Not sure which way to go? I'll show you what your home would sell for today and what it might rent for, so you can decide with real numbers. Reach out as soon as you have orders, or see how St. Mary's homes work as rentals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if your loan and any HOA rules allow it. Check your loan terms and any HOA rental rules first, then run the numbers. See how Pax River homes work as rentals.
Typically marketing the home, screening tenants, collecting rent, and coordinating repairs while you're stationed somewhere else. Get the fee and the services in writing, and check their license with my agent license guide.
Sometimes selling wins, especially if repairs or vacancy would eat your cash flow. Compare both with a free home valuation and my selling plan for PCSing owners. My rent it or sell it guide compares both side by side.
It depends on the services and the arrangement. Maryland generally licenses real estate brokerage services, but § 17-301(b)(4) has an exception for an agent of the owner or broker while managing or leasing that real estate. Ask which rule applies and confirm with the Maryland Real Estate Commission. See my investment property page for more.
Since the Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act took effect on October 1, 2024, every residential lease has to include the current Tenants' Bill of Rights, according to Maryland DHCD. Pre-1978 homes also need the lead law notices. My rent or sell guide covers the costs.
Yes. Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, a tenant with PCS or deployment orders lasting more than 90 days can end the lease with written notice and a copy of the orders, according to Military OneSource. The lease ends 30 days after the next rent due date. See my Pax River relocation guide.
Sources: Maryland Business Occupations and Professions § 17-301: licensing and exemptions · Maryland § 17-101: real estate brokerage services · Maryland OneStop: Lead Paint Rental Unit Registration · Maryland Environment Article § 6-843: lead registration fee · Maryland DHCD: Renters' Rights and Stabilization Act FAQ · Maryland SDAT: Homestead Tax Credit · Military OneSource: terminating a lease for PCS or deployment · IRS Publication 527: residential rental property. Checked October 2026; rules and rates can change, so confirm anything that affects your decision.
This article is general real estate information, not legal, lending, tax, or insurance advice. Talk with the right licensed professional about your specific property.
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