Renting Out Your St. Mary's Home When You PCS: Hiring a Property Manager

Owners · PCS & Rentals · St. Mary's County

Got orders out of Pax River and thinking about keeping your St. Mary's home as a rental? Plenty of military families do, and it can be a smart way to build wealth. But managing a rental from another duty station is a real job. Here's what to know before you hand over the keys.

First: Rent It or Sell It?

Run the numbers both ways. Renting makes sense when the rent covers your mortgage, taxes, insurance, management fee, and a repair reserve, and you'd be happy owning the home long term. Selling can win if the home needs work, if your cash flow would be thin, or if you need the equity for your next purchase. Compare with a free home valuation and my rental guidance for Pax River homes.

Check These Before You Rent

• Your loan terms: VA and other owner-occupant loans require you to live in the home first. Talk with your lender about renting it out after you move.
• HOA rules: some communities limit or regulate rentals.
• Insurance: switch to a landlord policy. A regular homeowner's policy may not cover a rented home.

Maryland's Lead Law for Older Rentals

If your home was built before 1978, Maryland's lead law applies to it as a rental:

• Register the unit with the Maryland Department of the Environment and renew every year by December 31 (the fee has been $30 per unit).
• Have it inspected for lead-contaminated dust by a certified inspector at each change in occupancy.
• Give tenants the required certificate and notices.
• A home certified lead-free by an inspector is exempt.

Hire a Licensed Property Manager

In Maryland, managing someone else's rental for pay, which means leasing it or collecting rent, is real estate brokerage work and requires a real estate license. When you interview managers, ask:

• Are you licensed in Maryland, and under which broker?
• What's your fee, and what's included: tenant placement, rent collection, inspections, repairs?
• How do you screen tenants?
• How do you handle repairs, and up to what dollar amount can you approve without me?
• How and how often will I get statements?
• How do you handle the lead law steps on an older home?

Get everything in writing.

Prep the Home Before You Leave

Fix small items now, while you're still local. Service the HVAC, have the septic pumped if it's due, and leave the manager your records and warranties. A rental that starts in good shape stays that way longer.

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. You can also read how I help PCSing owners sell.

Setting 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 you more than a slightly lower rent. Your property manager should bring rental comps; I can also pull them when we compare renting against selling.

Tenant Screening and Fair Housing

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 property manager should know these rules well. Ask how they screen and document decisions.

Your Long-Distance Landlord Toolkit

• A current Maryland lease, reviewed by your manager or an attorney.
• A landlord insurance policy, and flood coverage if needed.
• Your lead law registration and certificates for pre-1978 homes.
• Records of the home's systems, warranties, and septic service.
• A repair reserve so a broken water heater isn't an emergency.

Weighing your options? See whether St. Mary's County is a good place to invest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: Gordon Feinblatt on Maryland lead paint rental requirements · MLS Campus on Maryland property manager licensing. Checked October 2026; rules and rates can change, so confirm anything that affects your decision.