Probate in Anne Arundel County
If you have inherited a house in Anne Arundel County, or you are the one now responsible for an estate, this page explains how probate actually works here — where it happens, what has to be done, and when the house can be sold.
Talk to Eric — (410) 705-7555. No cost, no pressure, and no obligation to sell to us.
Where probate happens in Anne Arundel County
Estates in Anne Arundel County are opened with the Register of Wills, not with a courthouse judge. The office is at 2011 E. Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401, open 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday, with walk-ins taken until 3:30pm. The phone number is 410-222-1430. It is worth calling ahead — the office prefers you speak with a probate deputy before you come in, and it will save you a second trip.
Most estates never see a judge. The Register of Wills handles the filings administratively. The Orphans’ Court for Anne Arundel County only gets involved when something is contested or when a specific order is needed.
Small estate or regular estate
Maryland splits estates into two tracks, and which one you are on changes how much work is ahead of you.
Small estate — the probate assets are worth $50,000 or less, or $100,000 or less if the surviving spouse is the only heir. There is no filing fee, and the Register of Wills supervises it administratively. Most small estates never involve a court at all.
Regular estate — anything above those figures. More filings, more deadlines, and a longer run.
A house pushes most estates into the regular track. In Anne Arundel County, where the typical single-family home is worth well north of $50,000, an estate with a house in it is almost always a regular estate.
The deadlines that actually matter
Inventory and Information Report — within 3 months of the personal representative being appointed. The inventory lists what the estate owns, valued as of the date of death. A house needs an appraisal.
Creditor claims — 6 months from the date of death, or 2 months after a creditor is given notice, whichever gives them longer. This is the clock people underestimate. It is measured from the death, not from when you opened the estate, so time spent before you filed is time already gone.
First account — within 9 months of appointment, showing everything that came into and went out of the estate.
An estate with no family dispute usually runs somewhere between nine and eighteen months end to end. The house does not have to wait that long.
When can the house be sold?
This is the question that matters, and the answer surprises people: usually earlier than you think.
The house can be sold once someone has legal authority to sign for the estate. That person is the personal representative, and their authority comes from the Letters issued by the Register of Wills. Before Letters are issued, nobody can sign. After they are issued, a sale can move.
Since Maryland’s 1994 estate reform, a personal representative generally has authority to sell estate real property without a separate court order and without every heir signing off. If the will contains a power of sale, that is clearer still. Where heirs disagree, or where the will is silent and the facts are unusual, the personal representative may need to go to the Orphans’ Court — which is a reason to have an estate attorney, not a reason to assume you are stuck.
The practical sequence is: open the estate, get Letters, then sell. Not: finish probate, then sell.
Taxes, briefly
Maryland has an inheritance tax of 10%, but it does not apply to most families. Spouses, children and other lineal descendants, parents, grandparents and siblings are exempt. Nieces, nephews, cousins and friends are not. Maryland’s estate tax only starts above $5 million, so it affects very few estates.
That is general information, not tax advice — your accountant or estate attorney should be the one who tells you what your estate owes.
Your options when you are ready
There is more than one way to sell, and the right one depends on the house and on what the family needs.
Sell as-is for cash. No repairs, no cleaning, no showings, and you pick the closing date. You leave behind whatever you do not want. This is usually the fastest route and the one families choose when the house needs work or when people live out of state.
List it on the market. Eric is a licensed Maryland agent, so if the house would do better listed, he will tell you that and can handle the listing. Standard commission applies, and we will lay out the numbers side by side before you choose.
A structured sale. For some houses there is a middle path that can produce a higher number than a straight cash offer while still taking the repairs and showings off your plate. If it fits your property we will walk you through exactly how it works.
We will show you all three and tell you which one we think is best, even when that is not the one that pays us.
Where we work in Anne Arundel County
Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Severn, Pasadena, Odenton, Crofton, Severna Park, Millersville, Arnold, Edgewater, Brooklyn Park, Linthicum, Hanover, Jessup, Gambrills, Davidsonville, Riva, Deale, Shady Side and Churchton.
Eric has lived in Maryland his whole life and lives in Severn with his family, so this is the county we know best.
Common questions
Do I need to finish probate before I sell?
No. You need Letters from the Register of Wills. Once the personal representative is appointed, a sale can go ahead.
The house needs a lot of work. Does that matter?
No. That is most of what we buy. No repairs, no cleaning, no clearing it out.
There are several heirs and we do not all agree.
Legally the personal representative signs. In practice we would rather wait until the family is aligned than be the reason for an argument.
There is still a mortgage, or unpaid medical bills.
Those are paid from the sale proceeds at closing. Normal, and it does not stop a sale.
I live out of state.
That is common. We handle the local side and most of the paperwork is done remotely.
I am not ready to sell. Can I still ask you something?
Yes. Plenty of the people we talk to never sell to us.
City guides: Annapolis · Glen Burnie · Severn
Common questions: selling before probate is finished · how long probate takes · does it have to go through probate
Tell us about the property
We will tell you where things stand and what your options are. No cost, no obligation. Call Eric on (410) 705-7555, or send the address below and we will come back to you.
More on the process generally: selling an inherited house in Maryland.
Ace Properties is a real estate investment company. Eric Lisica is a licensed Maryland real estate agent, license #650290, with Keller Williams Flagship of Maryland, 231 Najoles Rd Ste 100, Millersville, MD 21108, (410) 729-7700. When Ace Properties purchases a property directly, Eric is acting as a principal buying for his own account.
