How to Order Your HOA or Condo Resale Package in Maryland (A Seller's Guide)
If your home in Anne Arundel County sits inside a homeowners association or a condominium, you cannot legally close on the sale without a resale package. This isn't optional paperwork — it's a state-mandated disclosure, and getting it moving on day one of your listing (or the moment you accept an offer) is one of the single biggest things you can do to keep your closing date intact.
Here's exactly what it is, what Maryland law requires, and how to order it without losing time you don't have.
What a Resale Package Actually Is
When you sell a home governed by a homeowners association or condominium association, Maryland law requires the association to furnish a set of disclosures before the sale can close. For HOAs, that requirement comes from §11B-106 of the Maryland Homeowners Association Act. For condominiums, it comes from §11-135 of the Maryland Condominium Act.
The package typically includes:
The declaration, bylaws, and rules and regulations
Current assessment amounts and whether the account is paid up or delinquent
Any pending or known litigation involving the association
Known violations tied to the specific property
A certificate confirming the information is accurate as of the date issued
None of this disqualifies a sale. If dues are behind, you resolve that at closing. The point of the package is disclosure, not disqualification — but it has to reach the buyer, and it has to reach them on time.
HOA vs. Condo: The Timelines Are Different
This is where sellers most often get tripped up — the two statutes don't run on the same clock.
HOA (§11B-106) | Condominium (§11-135) | |
|---|---|---|
Association must respond to a written request | Within 20 calendar days | Within 20 calendar days |
Package must reach the buyer | On or before the contract date, or within 20 days after | At least 15 days before closing |
Buyer's right to cancel | 5 calendar days after receiving a complete package (if not delivered 5+ days before the contract) | 7 calendar days after receiving a complete package |
Clock starts | Date of actual receipt | Date of actual receipt |
That last row matters more than sellers realize: the rescission clock starts when the buyer's side actually receives the package, not when the association mails it or when you request it. An incomplete package doesn't start the clock at all — it just sits in limbo until someone catches the gap, usually the title company, usually late.
Step-by-Step: Ordering the Package
1. Contact the association or its management company immediately. The moment you go under contract — or ideally, the moment you list — call and tell them you're selling. They'll walk you through their specific ordering portal or form.
2. Request the electronic version with the resale certificate. Skip the printed packet. A physical resale package can be as thick as a phone book, and it only slows delivery. The electronic file can go straight to the buyer's agent as soon as it's ready, which starts (or protects you from) the rescission clock.
3. Provide the buyer's information. Most orders ask for the buyer's name, phone number, and email, plus the property address. If the buyer's contact details aren't available yet, the property address and the buyer's agent's contact information are acceptable substitutes — don't let this hold up the order.
4. Copy your agent on delivery. Whoever handles the order should be cc'd on the confirmation and the final delivery email. If it only lands in one inbox and gets missed, the transaction can end up needing a closing extension because the buyer never got their statutory review period — an entirely avoidable problem.
5. Pay the expedite fee if you're inside a tight window. Standard delivery for most Maryland associations and third-party vendors (the two largest being HomeWiseDocs and CondoCerts) runs close to that 20-day statutory maximum. Most Maryland closings happen in 30 days, which leaves very little room. Rush processing costs more, but it's almost always worth it to avoid pushing your closing date.
A Practical Timing Example
On a standard 30-day contract, a 20-day standard turnaround leaves only 10 days before closing — and condo packages legally need to be delivered at least 15 days before closing. That math doesn't work without expediting. This is exactly why ordering at listing, before you even have a buyer, is the smartest move for any HOA or condo seller. Anne Arundel County has no shortage of associations — from Severna Park to Pasadena to Gambrills — and turnaround times vary by management company, so building in the cushion protects your timeline regardless of who's managing your community.
Common Mistakes That Delay Closings
Waiting until the buyer requests it. By the time it's requested reactively, you've already lost days you needed.
Ordering a paper packet. Slower to produce, slower to deliver, and it doesn't speed up the buyer's review.
Assuming the rescission right can be waived. It can't. Maryland law does not allow a buyer to waive the statutory rescission period, regardless of what's written into the contract.
Confusing the resale package with the seller's property condition disclosure. These are two separate documents from two separate sources — the association provides the resale package, you provide the property disclosure — and neither substitutes for the other.
Missing a delivery confirmation. An incomplete package doesn't legally start the buyer's review clock, so if even one required item is missing, the transaction can stall indefinitely until it's cured.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a resale package cost in Maryland? Fees are capped by statute and vary by management company and association size; expect a base fee plus a possible per-unit charge, with rush service costing extra.
Can I order the package before I have a buyer? Yes — and for anyone in an HOA or condo community, this is the recommended approach. Ordering at listing removes the biggest timing risk from the transaction entirely.
What happens if dues are past due? It gets disclosed in the package and settled at closing out of sale proceeds. It does not stop the sale from moving forward.
Does the rescission period apply even without a contract contingency? Yes. Maryland gives buyers this right by statute — it exists independent of whatever contingency language is in the contract.
Selling in Anne Arundel County?
Every HOA and condo community handles this process a little differently, and I track the specific vendors and timelines for the communities I work in across Anne Arundel County. If you're getting ready to list, reach out and I'll help you get your resale package ordered on day one — before it becomes a closing-day problem.
Bonnie Fleishman, Realtor® — Douglas Realty | bonniefleishmanrealtor.com
