By Marc Dosik, a real estate broker licensed in DC, Maryland, and Virginia with Fed City Team at Real Broker LLC.
The short answer: an Olney seller should identify every homeowners association tied to the property, order the resale disclosure package early, confirm dues and assessments, address known violations, and deliver the required information on the contract timeline. Under current Maryland law, late delivery can give a buyer a cancellation window. The association may also charge for the package, an authorized inspection, and faster delivery.
The resale package is not just a stack of rules. It can reveal an unpaid balance, special assessment, fee increase, pending violation, lawsuit, rental restriction, or other issue that affects the buyer's decision and the seller's closing timeline.
Maryland law and fee guidance were last reviewed September 15, 2026. This guide provides general real estate information, not legal or title advice. The contract, current statute, association documents, and settlement professionals control the transaction.
What is an HOA resale package?
For a resale covered by the Maryland Homeowners Association Act, the seller must provide written information about the development and the lot. The required material includes core financial and governance information that allows a buyer to understand the obligations that come with the property.
The current statute calls for information including:
- whether the lot is located within a development;
- current monthly fees or assessments;
- the total HOA charges imposed on the lot during the prior fiscal year;
- whether charges against the lot are delinquent;
- the association or management contact;
- known unsatisfied judgments or pending lawsuits against the association;
- known pending claims, covenant-violation actions, or default notices affecting the lot; and
- available declarations, covenants, bylaws, and rules that will bind the buyer.
The exact package depends on the property and association. A title company may also need account and transfer information that goes beyond the buyer-facing disclosure package.
When should an Olney seller order the package?
Order it before marketing or as soon as the sale plan is firm enough to justify the fee. Maryland Real Property Section 11B-106 generally gives an HOA up to 20 days after a proper written request and receipt of the permitted fee to provide the resale information. Waiting until the home is under contract can use most of the buyer's due-diligence period and leave little time to resolve missing records or account problems.
An early request also helps the seller check whether the package will expire or require an update. Associations and management companies may have their own ordering portals, delivery formats, refresh policies, and closing questionnaires.
What is the current buyer cancellation timeline?
Under the current version of Maryland Real Property Section 11B-106, the seller must give the required HOA information at or before contract or within 20 calendar days after contract. If the buyer did not receive all of the required information at least five calendar days before entering the contract, the buyer generally has five calendar days after receiving all of it to cancel in writing.
The statute also requires the seller to provide notice of certain later changes, including a mandatory-fee change exceeding 10 percent and other substantial and material amendments. The statutory notice describes a three-calendar-day cancellation period when a later change adversely affects the buyer.
These rules are fact-sensitive. The parties should not calculate a cancellation deadline casually. The agent, broker, title company, and an attorney when needed should confirm when the complete package was delivered and which contract and statutory rules apply.
The six-step HOA timeline for an Olney seller
| Step | Seller action | Main risk if delayed |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Confirm the association | Identify each HOA, master association, and management company tied to the lot | Ordering from the wrong entity or omitting a required association |
| 2. Order the package | Follow the association's written process, pay the permitted fee, and save proof of the request | Delivery may take up to the statutory period |
| 3. Check the account | Verify current dues, delinquency, special assessments, transfer charges, and any closing questionnaire | Surprise payoff or closing balance |
| 4. Resolve or disclose violations | Obtain the notice, inspection result, cure requirements, and written clearance if work is completed | Repair, credit, extension, or buyer concern late in the contract |
| 5. Deliver and track | Send the complete package through the approved transaction channel and preserve proof of delivery | Buyer cancellation rights may remain open |
| 6. Update and notify | Disclose material changes and give the HOA the required transfer notice after closing | Incomplete statutory compliance or association records |
How much can an HOA charge for the resale package?
Maryland's statute allows the HOA to charge its reasonable actual cost up to a maximum that the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development adjusts every two years. As of September 15, 2026, the Department's current posted maximum for the base document request is $311.24, effective October 1, 2024. The fee cannot exceed actual cost.
The statute also permits certain additional charges:
- up to $50 for a lot inspection if the governing documents require the inspection;
- up to $50 for delivery within 14 days; and
- up to $100 for delivery within seven days.
These are statutory ceilings, not automatic charges. The seller should obtain the association's written order summary and receipt. Because the adjusted base maximum can change, recheck the Maryland DHCD housing notice before ordering or publishing a dollar figure.
What should the seller verify besides the package fee?
The package fee is often a small part of the association-related settlement picture. Check each of these separately:
| Item | Question to answer | Best evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Regular dues | What is due, and through what date? | Current ledger and governing documents |
| Delinquency | Does the lot have an unpaid balance, late fee, collection charge, or lien? | Association payoff or account statement |
| Special assessment | Has one been approved, and who pays installments due after closing? | Notice, budget, minutes, and contract |
| Violation | Is there an open architectural, maintenance, parking, or use issue? | Written violation notice and clearance |
| Transfer charge | Is there a documented fee or administrative requirement at closing? | Management-company closing instructions |
| Resale package | Is the order complete, current, and delivered on time? | Package, receipt, and delivery record |
| Material change | Did fees or documents change after the package was issued? | Updated association notice and written delivery |
A special assessment should never be reduced to "seller pays" or "buyer pays" without reading the contract, due dates, association documents, and title-company treatment. The offer can allocate a cost differently from another sale in the same neighborhood.
What if the home has an open HOA violation?
First obtain the exact written notice and determine what the association requires. Do not rely on a verbal description from a neighbor or an old inspection report. The seller can then compare the time and cost of curing the issue before listing with the likely effect of disclosing and negotiating it during the sale.
If the seller completes corrective work, request written confirmation that the violation is closed. An invoice alone does not prove that the association accepted the work. If the issue will remain open, the contract and settlement instructions should clearly address access, cost, responsibility, and any required association approval.
What if the seller cannot find the HOA?
Start with the deed, title report, prior settlement file, tax records, and neighborhood documents. Montgomery County requires many common ownership communities to register annually and publishes a directory of registered communities and contacts. The directory is a useful lead, but the County states that it is provided as a convenience and is not guaranteed complete or accurate.
Use the Montgomery County Common Ownership Communities directory to find a possible contact. The title company should still determine which recorded covenants and associations legally affect the lot.
What happens after closing?
Maryland law requires the transferor to notify the primary homeowners association within 30 calendar days after a resale transfer. The notice includes available information about the buyer, seller, transfer date, mortgagee, and allocation of outstanding association fees or assessments.
Ask the title company who will send that notice and retain confirmation. A closing package should make the post-settlement responsibility clear rather than assuming another party handled it.
How can Fed City Team help an Olney seller?
Fed City Team can identify the HOA workstream early, coordinate the package request, organize proof of delivery, flag account and violation issues, and show association charges on a property-specific seller net sheet. We can also compare offers based on timing, cancellation exposure, credits, assessments, and expected cash to seller rather than price alone.
Read the Olney real estate and neighborhood guide or the Olney seller closing-cost guide for the larger settlement picture. To build a listing and net plan for a specific property, contact Fed City Team.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Maryland HOA have to provide a resale package?
For a resale request covered by Section 11B-106, the HOA generally has up to 20 days after receiving a proper written request and the permitted fee. Ordering early leaves time to address missing documents, account issues, and violations.
How long can a buyer cancel after receiving Maryland HOA documents?
If the buyer did not receive all required information at least five calendar days before entering the contract, the current statute generally gives the buyer five calendar days after receipt to cancel in writing. A later adverse material change can create a separate three-calendar-day period. The transaction professionals should confirm the exact deadline.
What is the maximum Maryland HOA resale-package fee?
As of September 15, 2026, Maryland DHCD posts a $311.24 maximum for the base document request, effective October 1, 2024, and the charge cannot exceed actual cost. Limited inspection and expedited-delivery fees may be added when the statute permits them. Recheck the current state notice before relying on the amount.
Does the resale package show whether the seller owes the HOA money?
The required disclosure includes whether HOA fees, assessments, or other charges against the lot are delinquent. The title company may also request a current payoff or closing statement because balances can change after the package is issued.
Can a seller list before receiving the HOA package?
Yes, but ordering early is usually safer. Delayed delivery can keep a buyer's statutory cancellation right open and can reveal account, assessment, or violation issues after the seller has already accepted an offer.
Who pays a special assessment when an Olney home sells?
It depends on the assessment documents, installment dates, contract, negotiations, and settlement treatment. The parties should allocate it in writing and have the title company reflect the agreement accurately.
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