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October 3, 2026From Offer to Closing in Bowie: What Happens Each Week
October 3, 2026
Many Bowie townhomes and newer subdivisions have a homeowners association. In Maryland, the seller of a home in an HOA must give you a disclosure package, and the Maryland Homeowners Association Act gives you a short window after you receive it to review the documents and cancel the contract if you choose. Your contract addendum spells out the timing. Do not let those days slip by.
What is in the package
- Dues and fees. The current assessment, what it covers, and any special assessments.
- Rules and covenants. Fences, sheds, exterior colors, parking, pets, rentals and home businesses.
- Budget and reserves. Whether the association is saving for roofs, roads, pools or other big items.
- Violations and lawsuits. Any open violation on the home and any litigation involving the association.
Read these first
- Your monthly total. Add dues to the mortgage, taxes and insurance. See our townhome vs single-family comparison.
- Rules that affect your plans. If you want a fence, a shed, a work truck in the driveway or the option to rent the home later, check now.
- Upcoming assessments. A thin reserve can mean a special assessment later.
- Open violations. Ask that they be fixed before closing.
Condos are similar
Condominiums have their own resale disclosure rules under Maryland’s Condominium Act. Our Bowie condos guide covers condo fees and communities.
The deadlines, in plain terms
- When the package is due. The seller has to give you the HOA disclosures before you sign or within 20 calendar days after. The HOA has 20 days from the seller’s written request to produce them.
- Your window to cancel. You get 5 calendar days after you receive everything. It has to be in writing, and you don’t need a reason.
- If something changes. If the fees go up more than 10%, or something else changes that hurts you, you get 3 more days to cancel.
- If the package never shows up. You can cancel any time before settlement and get your deposit back. The right can’t be waived in the contract, and it ends at settlement.
What the HOA can charge for the package
Maryland caps it. The package itself is actual cost up to $250, an inspection of the home up to $50, and rush delivery up to $50 for 14 days or $100 for 7 days. The caps are adjusted for inflation every two years. For a condo, the inspection cap is $100.
Look hard at the reserves
Prince George’s County HOAs that maintain common areas with $10,000 or more in components need a reserve study, updated at least every 5 years, and they have to fund reserves at the level the study recommends. Ask for the most recent study. A thin reserve today is how a special assessment shows up two years after you move in.
Where to look before you even make an offer
Maryland HOAs have to file their governing documents, and any amendment within 30 days, in the county HOA depository at the Circuit Court clerk’s office, and anyone can view them there. The City of Bowie also keeps a list of about 90 homeowners and civic associations with contacts and management companies, including some just outside city limits. If you’re comparing two neighborhoods, it’s worth a look.
About the 2026 bill you may have heard about
House Bill 1132 in 2026 would have changed the HOA rules, including a 7-day cancellation window and a lower package fee. It passed the House but never got a final Senate vote, so it isn’t law. The rules above are the ones that apply.
Want a second set of eyes?
Bruno reads every HOA package with his buyers and flags anything that changes the deal. Browse the Bowie townhomes guide or tell us what you are looking for.
Quick answers
How long do I have to review HOA documents in Maryland?
The Maryland Homeowners Association Act gives buyers a short window, generally 5 calendar days after receiving the disclosure package, to review it and cancel if they choose. Your contract addendum sets the exact timing.
What is in a Maryland HOA disclosure package?
Dues and fees, any special assessments, rules and covenants, the budget and reserves, and any open violations or litigation involving the association.
What should I read first in an HOA package?
Your monthly total with dues added, rules that affect your plans such as fences, sheds, parking or rentals, upcoming assessments and any open violation on the home.
Questions about a specific home? Call or text Bruno at (240) 418-3809, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Sources: Maryland Homeowners Association Act, Real Property 11B-106, 11B-108, 11B-112 and 11B-112.2 (2026 edition), Real Property 11B-113, HOA depository, Maryland Condominium Act, Real Property 11-135, City of Bowie, Homeowners Association List, HB 1132 (2026) fiscal note. This is general information, not legal advice.
