Baltimore Sun: Baltimore Still Has a Monthslong Property Recording Backlog, But a New System May Clear It Soon
The Baltimore Sun reports on the city's ongoing property recording delays, featuring Brian Leibowitz of Dominion Properties on the impact these delays have on real estate transactions.
The Baltimore Sun reports on the months-long backlog at Baltimore City's Property Transfer Office, which records property sales and deeds. More than two years after the pandemic disrupted city operations, the office still faces an 11-week delay, driven in part by a surge in home sales and refinancings during a period of low interest rates.
Brian Leibowitz, Director of Acquisitions at Dominion Properties, tells the Sun that he has waited four to five months recently to have a deed recorded in the city, compared to a typical 45 to 50 day turnaround in Baltimore County.
The article explains that the city is rolling out a new electronic filing system called Simplifile, which other counties had already adopted before Baltimore City implemented it in 2021. City officials expect the system, along with staffing increases, to cut the backlog to eight weeks by the end of November and down to four weeks by early 2023.
Read the full article for more on how the recording delays affect real estate transactions and homeowners across the city.