Who Writes This Site
Program and regulatory figures verified September 25, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
A lender's site about one problem: how a Maryland homeowner buys the next house before the current one sells.
What this site is for
One question, worked properly. How does a Maryland homeowner fund the next purchase before the current home sells, and which of the three structures costs least given Maryland's own rules.
Two of those rules are unusual enough to shape the whole answer. Md. Tax-Property 12-108(e) taxes the increase in your principal debt when a lien is recorded, so reaching your own equity is a taxed transaction here. And 9-105 withholds the Homestead Tax Credit after a dwelling is transferred for consideration to new ownership, so the cap does not come with the house. Generic national advice addresses neither.
Where our work stops
We originate loans. We do not write, review or advise on purchase contracts, and nothing here tells anyone what to put in an offer. Your real estate agent handles the contract and its dates. A Maryland attorney handles legal questions. Your CPA, your county finance office or the State Department of Assessments and Taxation handle the tax treatment. We handle the money.
How figures get on these pages
Every dollar amount and percentage traces to a primary source recorded with a verification date. Maryland statutes are read at mgaleg.maryland.gov and cited by section. Loan limits come from the FHFA county file. Agency rules come from the Fannie Mae Selling Guide, cited by section and date. Market values come from Zillow's published research series with the data month attached.
One deliberate omission: we do not publish recordation tax rates. They are set by each county and by Baltimore City, they differ meaningfully, and the right figure depends on where your property sits.
Talking to us
Call (480) 296-6513 or use the contact page. Our team reaches out shortly, with no obligation.
Start with the Maryland guide or the three structures.
Frequently asked questions
Who runs this site?
Mike Certo, NMLS #260555, Branch Manager at Cornerstone First Mortgage, NMLS #173855. The site covers buy-before-you-sell financing for Maryland homeowners, statewide across all 24 jurisdictions.
Is anything on this site legal or real estate advice?
No. It covers mortgage financing only. Purchase contracts, addenda and deadlines are handled by your real estate agent, legal questions by a Maryland attorney, and property tax treatment by your CPA, your county finance office or the State Department of Assessments and Taxation.
Why does this site not list Maryland recordation tax rates?
Because they are set by each county and by Baltimore City rather than statewide, and they differ meaningfully. The right rate depends on where the property sits, and a stale published number would be worse than none.
Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal, tax, or real estate advice. Maryland recordation tax rates are set by each county and Baltimore City, and the Homestead Tax Credit is administered by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation; your county finance office, your CPA or a Maryland attorney, and your real estate agent each handle their own part. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.