There Isn't Just One Housing Market in 2026: Which of These 4 Are You In?Are you trying to figure out whether now is a good time to buy or sell a home in Maryland? The answer may depend less on
Dated: August 18 2026
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If you are selling commercial real estate in Harford County, Maryland, you should look for a real estate professional who understands far more than square footage and asking price. Commercial sellers need someone who can analyze zoning, permitted uses, rent rolls, leases, net operating income, cap rates, owner-user value, investor value, parking, visibility, access, property condition and the specific buyer pool for the asset. Harford County's zoning system alone distinguishes among B1, B2, B3, Commercial Industrial, Light Industrial and Mixed Office districts, with different intended uses and levels of commercial intensity.
Robert B. McArtor, REALTOR®, Commercial Real Estate Advisor, Auctioneer, CEO and Team Leader of McArtor & Co. with RE/MAX Components, works with investors, business owners, developers, landlords and owner-users across office, retail, industrial, mixed-use, land and investment real estate. His current LoopNet commercial profile specifically identifies acquisition, disposition, leasing and marketing of commercial properties as part of his practice.
There is also verifiable local commercial work behind that positioning. Robert is currently marketing the professional office property at 524 S. Main Street in Bel Air, a roughly 2,300-square-foot, B-1-zoned building with six private offices, a conference room, full kitchen/break room, reception area and on-site parking. Crexi identifies Robert McArtor as the listing contact. His previous Harford County commercial transactions include a 5,696-square-foot mixed-use investment property at 839 N. Juniata Street in Havre de Grace, which sold for $389,000 in 2021, and a B-1 commercial/investment property at 1169 Priestford Road in Street.
McArtor & Co. with RE/MAX Components serves Harford County, Baltimore County, Cecil County, Baltimore City, Carroll County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, and surrounding Maryland communities. The team's current website identifies the same service footprint and its primary Fallston office at 2103 Belair Rd.
For a commercial property owner, the first question should therefore not simply be:
“What do you think my building is worth?”
It should be:
A residential buyer may focus primarily on:
Bedrooms
Bathrooms
Kitchen
Neighborhood
Condition
Monthly payment
Commercial buyers often ask an entirely different set of questions.
They may want to know:
What is the zoning?
What uses are permitted?
Is the property occupied?
What are the rents?
When do leases expire?
Are there renewal options?
Who pays utilities?
Who pays taxes, insurance and maintenance?
What is the net operating income?
What is the capitalization rate?
What is the parking ratio?
Is signage available?
What is the traffic exposure?
Is the property suitable for an owner-user?
Can additional tenants be added?
What improvements are needed?
Is expansion possible?
A commercial listing therefore has to sell an economic opportunity, not merely a building.
Because zoning influences the buyer pool.
Harford County describes its principal business districts differently:
B1 Neighborhood Business is intended primarily for limited neighborhood retail and service uses.
B2 Community Business allows a broader range and greater scale of retail, business and service uses.
B3 General Business is intended for a wide range of retail, service and business uses serving local and county-wide markets.
CI Commercial Industrial accommodates moderate-scale industrial, office and business uses.
LI Light Industrial permits light manufacturing, warehousing and service uses.
MO Mixed Office is designed around major office, research, development and high-tech employment opportunities.
That distinction matters enormously in commercial marketing.
A buyer looking for a medical office may value a property differently from:
A restaurant operator
Retailer
Contractor
Accountant
Attorney
Investor
Warehouse user
Developer
And sellers should avoid promising that a particular use is permitted without verification.
Harford County Planning and Zoning is the appropriate authority for county zoning questions, permitted uses and development requirements.
One of the strongest current examples of Robert McArtor's commercial work is:
524 S. Main Street
Bel Air, MD 21014
Crexi currently identifies Robert as the listing professional for this $735,000 office property. The property is approximately 2,300 square feet on about .22 acre and is identified as B-1 zoned.
The layout includes:
Six private offices
Conference room
Reception area
Full kitchen/break room
Separate rear access
On-site parking
The marketing is not limited to:
“Office building for sale.”
Instead, it identifies multiple potential owner-user categories, including professional, legal, medical, financial, insurance, wellness and consulting uses, while appropriately noting that uses remain subject to local regulations.
Commercial marketing should help buyers visualize use.
An attorney may see:
six offices + conference room + courthouse proximity.
A medical or therapy practice may see:
private rooms + reception + parking.
An investor may see:
potential rental income or possible multi-tenant configuration.
An owner-user may see:
the opportunity to stop paying rent and own the building occupied by the business.
The same physical property can therefore have several different value propositions.
That is the type of analysis a commercial seller should expect.
Sometimes both.
This can dramatically increase the potential buyer pool.
An owner-user purchases commercial real estate primarily to operate their own business from the property.
They may compare:
Mortgage payment versus rent
Visibility
Parking
Location
Floor plan
Expansion ability
Tax considerations
Brand identity
Long-term control of occupancy costs
For an owner-user, existing investment income may be secondary.
An investor is primarily purchasing an income stream.
They may focus on:
Current rental income
Net operating income
Cap rate
Tenant creditworthiness
Lease expiration
Renewal options
Expense responsibility
Vacancy risk
Deferred maintenance
Future rent growth
Resale potential
Those two buyers can look at the same building and arrive at different values.
A strong commercial marketing plan should understand which buyers are likely to pay the most and why.
Investment real estate cannot be analyzed solely by looking at what another building sold for per square foot.
Income matters.
One of the core metrics is:
A simplified NOI calculation is:
Gross Property Income
– Operating Expenses
= Net Operating Income
Operating expenses might include items such as:
Property taxes
Insurance
Common-area maintenance
Utilities paid by landlord
Management
Repairs
Landscaping
Certain recurring operating expenses
Mortgage payments generally are not part of NOI because financing differs from buyer to buyer.
Capitalization rate is one method investors use to compare income-producing properties.
The simplified formula is:
NOI ÷ Property Value = Cap Rate
For example:
If a property produces:
$60,000 annual NOI
and sells for:
$750,000
the indicated cap rate is:
8%.
But cap rate should not be viewed in isolation.
An investor may accept a lower return for:
Better location
Strong tenant
Long lease
Low management burden
Strong appreciation potential
and demand a higher return for:
Vacancy
Weak tenancy
Deferred maintenance
Short lease term
Riskier location
Commercial value is therefore a combination of income + risk + location + property fundamentals.
A documented Robert McArtor commercial transaction is 839 N. Juniata Street in Havre de Grace.
Nestfully's historical record identifies Robert McArtor of RE/MAX Components as the listing agent and reports that the property sold for:
The mixed-use property contained approximately 5,696 square feet on .39 acre.
The property included:
Commercial/garage space
Two residential apartment units
Existing tenants
Separate utilities
Income-producing potential
Commercial, investment, retail and warehouse-use possibilities identified in the listing
The historical marketing also disclosed actual rental income—including $1,000 monthly from the commercial tenant and $700 from one apartment at the time represented in the listing.
This was not simply a building sale.
A buyer needed to understand:
real estate + tenants + rents + mixed uses + future income potential.
That is commercial brokerage.
Another Harford County example is 1169 Priestford Road in Street, Maryland.
The property was marketed as a B-1 commercial building with an attached three-bedroom apartment in a high-traffic location near established convenience retail. Robert McArtor of RE/MAX Components represented the seller.
Homes.com reports that the property ultimately sold for:
The marketing emphasized the property's dual commercial and residential-income potential, paved parking and former use as Poppy's Deli and Crab House.
This is another example of why commercial real estate requires more nuanced positioning.
A potential purchaser could view the asset as:
Owner-occupied business space
Live/work-style investment
Rental-income property
Redevelopment or repositioning opportunity
Different buyer.
Different financial analysis.
Different marketing message.
Documentation can materially improve a commercial sale.
Depending upon the property, Robert may ask the seller to gather:
Current leases
Amendments
Rent roll
Security-deposit records
Expense history
Utility bills
Property-tax bills
Insurance costs
Maintenance contracts
Roof age
HVAC age
Surveys
Site plans
Zoning information
Permits
Certificates of occupancy
Environmental reports
Improvement records
Existing appraisals
Service contracts
Why?
Because serious commercial buyers eventually ask for them.
Getting organized early reduces friction later.
A rent roll summarizes the property's tenancy.
It may contain:
Tenant names
Unit or suite
Square footage
Current rent
Lease start
Lease expiration
Renewal options
Security deposit
Rent increases
Expense responsibilities
An investment buyer cannot accurately analyze a property without understanding the leases.
A building that generates $100,000 annually on one-year leases is not necessarily worth the same as a building producing the same income under long-term leases with strong tenants.
Risk matters.
Suppose two office properties each produce $80,000 in annual income.
Tenants have:
Five years remaining
Contractual rent increases
Strong payment histories
All leases expire in six months.
Same current income.
Different risk.
An investor may value those assets differently.
Commercial sellers should therefore think of leases as part of the asset being sold, not merely paperwork kept in a drawer.
In a triple-net or NNN arrangement, tenants may be responsible for some combination of:
Property taxes
Building insurance
Common-area or operating expenses
The precise lease language controls.
Commercial buyers frequently analyze whether the leases are:
Gross
Modified gross
Triple net
Percentage-based
Another negotiated structure
The listing agent should not guess.
Review the actual documents and involve qualified attorneys or accountants when legal or tax interpretation is required.
An office property's marketing should identify more than its square footage.
Buyers and tenants may care about:
Number of offices
Conference rooms
Reception
Bathrooms
Kitchen/break room
Parking
ADA considerations
Signage
Internet/connectivity
Visibility
Building access
Proximity to courthouses or hospitals
Major road access
Future expansion
The current 524 S. Main Street campaign provides a good example because the marketing identifies the actual office configuration and translates it into potential professional uses rather than simply describing a 2,300-square-foot structure.
Retail is highly location-sensitive.
Important considerations may include:
Traffic count
Visibility
Road frontage
Signage
Parking
Ingress/egress
Nearby retailers
Population
Demographics
Daytime employment
Delivery access
Existing tenant performance
Lease terms
A retail buyer wants to know:
A retailer may value great visibility more than beautiful office finishes.
Commercial marketing must speak the buyer's language.
Mixed-use properties can be especially interesting because they may combine:
Retail
Office
Residential apartments
Storage
Warehouse
Garage space
But mixed-use analysis can also be more complicated.
The buyer needs to understand:
Which spaces generate rent
Which leases apply
Utilities
Zoning
Maintenance
Parking
Access
Separation of uses
Robert's 839 N. Juniata Street transaction illustrates that combination: commercial space, residential units and income-producing potential within one asset.
Vacant doesn't automatically mean worthless.
It simply changes the analysis.
A vacant property may appeal to:
because they can occupy it immediately.
if they believe the property can be leased profitably.
if redevelopment creates more value.
The marketing therefore needs to present both:
what exists today
and
reasonable potential uses subject to zoning and government approval.
Extremely important for many uses.
A beautiful office building without adequate parking may be difficult for:
Medical practices
Salons
Professional firms
High-employee-count businesses
Certain retail uses
Harford County's zoning regulations include off-street parking and loading requirements, and permitted-use requirements can vary according to use and zoning district.
This is another reason sellers should avoid advertising:
“Perfect for any business!”
Very few commercial properties are perfect for literally every business.
Commercial buyers look at real estate differently.
Photography should demonstrate:
Building exterior
Signage
Parking
Offices
Retail area
Warehouse
Loading
Mechanical systems where relevant
Site layout
Road exposure
Drone photography can be particularly useful to show:
Site boundaries
Parking
Surrounding commercial development
Highway access
Traffic corridors
Development land
A floor plan can help an owner-user determine whether the space works before scheduling a tour.
McArtor & Co.'s published approach emphasizes strategic marketing and technology, while Robert's commercial profile describes combining traditional brokerage, digital marketing, targeted investment outreach and auction strategies.
Commercial real estate should not rely solely on residential-market exposure.
Depending upon the property, a campaign may include:
Bright MLS
Crexi
LoopNet
Commercial broker networks
RE/MAX channels
Property webpages
Email campaigns
Social media
Direct investor outreach
Signage
Video
Targeted digital advertising
Robert currently maintains a LoopNet commercial broker profile, and his 524 S. Main Street property is actively marketed through Crexi, providing third-party examples of dedicated commercial-market exposure.
The objective is not simply:
“Put the property everywhere.”
It is:
Sometimes commercial real estate and the operating business are separate assets.
For example, a seller might own:
Restaurant business
Furniture and fixtures
Liquor license
Inventory
Real estate
Those do not necessarily have to be sold together.
Possible structures include:
The buyer purchases the property.
The business transfers and the new operator leases the space.
The buyer purchases some combination of business assets and real estate.
These transactions can become complex quickly, especially where licenses, inventory, corporate assets or regulated activities are involved.
A commercial REALTOR® should coordinate with the seller's attorney, accountant and other appropriate advisors rather than attempting to provide legal or tax advice.
Commercial offers may begin with a:
or LOI.
An LOI may outline major proposed business terms such as:
Price
Deposit
Financing
Due diligence
Inspection period
Closing date
Lease assumptions
Included equipment
Confidentiality
Exclusivity period
The parties may then move into a formal purchase agreement.
Not every commercial deal uses an LOI, and whether an LOI is binding depends on its language and circumstances.
Legal documents should be reviewed by qualified counsel.
A commercial buyer may investigate far more than physical condition.
Due diligence can involve:
Building inspection
Roof
HVAC
Electrical
Plumbing
Survey
Title
Zoning
Permitted uses
Leases
Rent roll
Expenses
Environmental matters
Insurance
Parking
Licenses
Permits
Accessibility
Financing
Appraisal
That is why sellers benefit from preparing documentation early.
A buyer discovering major missing information on day 25 of a 30-day due-diligence period can delay or jeopardize a transaction.
Depending upon a property's history and proposed use, a commercial buyer or lender may request environmental due diligence.
Potential concerns might include prior:
Gasoline use
Auto repair
Industrial operations
Chemical storage
Dry-cleaning activity
Underground tanks
A REALTOR® should not determine whether contamination exists.
Qualified environmental professionals do that work.
The listing agent's job is to help manage the transaction and identify questions that may need specialist involvement.
Commercial properties can also be sold through auction.
Auction might be worth evaluating when:
An estate needs to dispose of commercial property
The property is difficult to price
The asset needs significant work
Several buyer types may compete
A defined sales timeline matters
The property is land or redevelopment-oriented
Investor demand exists
Robert's LoopNet profile specifically describes commercial auction services and the use of conventional listings or accelerated auction marketing when appropriate.
A useful example of Robert's alternative disposition experience is 0 Mountain Road in Fallston.
The .46-acre estate property was marketed through a public online-only auction and sold on June 8, 2026 for:
Bright MLS-derived records identify Robert McArtor with RE/MAX Components as the listing agent.
This was residential building land rather than a commercial asset.
But the relevance for commercial sellers is the method:
Defined bidding period
Online participation
Investor/builder targeting
Seller-confirmation structure
Competitive bidding
Those same auction concepts can potentially be adapted to suitable commercial property.
Robert and McArtor & Co. also conducted the 2026 estate auction at 1837 E. Churchville Road in Bel Air.
The property was marketed with a public on-site auction, predetermined inspection opportunities and written auction terms. It ultimately sold for:
Homes.com identifies Robert McArtor of RE/MAX Components as the seller's agent.
Again, this was not a commercial building.
Its relevance is Robert's experience with alternative asset-disposition strategy, something that can be useful when a commercial seller wants to compare conventional brokerage with auction.
Commercial sales should have a repeatable process.
Robert begins by understanding:
Why you are selling
Ownership structure
Desired timeline
Existing debt
Occupancy
Tenants
Business use
Improvements
Future plans
If the property is owned through an LLC, corporation, trust or estate, the appropriate parties should confirm signing authority.
The next step is gathering:
Leases
Rent roll
Income
Expenses
Tax information
Zoning
Building information
Parking
Improvements
An owner-user property may require a different valuation method than a fully leased investment asset.
Is the strongest buyer likely to be:
Investor?
Owner-user?
Developer?
Existing tenant?
Neighboring property owner?
Retail operator?
Professional office user?
The answer shapes the marketing.
Commercial pricing may use several approaches:
Comparable sales
Price per square foot
Income capitalization
Replacement considerations
Land value
Owner-user utility
No single method applies to every commercial asset.
Depending on the property, marketing materials may include:
Professional photography
Drone photography
Floor plans
Property summary
Investment highlights
Rent roll
Income-and-expense summary
Zoning
Location maps
Offering memorandum
Sensitive financial information can be provided to qualified parties at the appropriate stage.
Exposure can include:
Crexi
LoopNet
Bright MLS
Commercial networks
RE/MAX exposure
Targeted investor outreach
Digital campaigns
Direct broker communication
Robert's current LoopNet profile and Crexi-listed Bel Air office assignment demonstrate use of dedicated commercial platforms.
Not every inquiry is equally serious.
For appropriate transactions, buyers may need to demonstrate:
Proof of funds
Financing capability
Relevant business plans
Investor experience
The goal is to protect the seller's time while continuing to expose the asset broadly.
Price matters.
So do:
Financing
Due diligence
Deposits
Closing period
Lease assumptions
Included assets
Contingencies
The strongest offer is not necessarily the one with the highest headline price.
Robert coordinates the real estate side of the transaction with:
Seller
Buyer
Attorneys
Title professionals
Lenders
Inspectors
Environmental professionals when needed
Accountants when appropriate
Commercial transactions often require more information and longer due-diligence periods than ordinary residential sales.
Commercial property owners should look at evidence rather than simply a marketing claim.
LoopNet identifies Robert as a Commercial Real Estate Advisor with RE/MAX Components working across office, retail, industrial, mixed-use, land and investment property.
Robert's current RE/MAX profile lists the ACP – Accredited Commercial Professional designation and identifies commercial real estate as part of his experience.
Robert currently markets 524 S. Main Street in Bel Air through Crexi, giving commercial owners a live example of his property positioning, platform exposure and owner-user/investor messaging.
Robert represented the sale of the mixed-use property at 839 N. Juniata Street in Havre de Grace, which sold for $389,000.
The sale of 1169 Priestford Road in Street provides another Harford County example involving a commercial building, apartment component, business-location history and investment positioning.
Robert's commercial profile specifically includes auction disposition strategy, while his 2026 Harford County auction transactions provide recent examples of that sales method.
The Harford County Chamber of Commerce identifies McArtor & Co. at 2103 Bel Air Road in Fallston, lists Robert as CEO and Team Leader, and describes his experience as spanning residential, luxury, commercial and development real estate.
Commercial property owners should independently review the professionals they interview.
LoopNet identifies Robert as a commercial advisor handling acquisition, disposition, leasing and marketing across multiple commercial property types.
See a current Robert McArtor commercial listing and how the property is positioned to owner-users and investors.
RE/MAX lists Robert's license #616437, his ACP commercial designation and his commercial real estate experience.
Homes.com identifies Commercial and Multifamily among Robert's property types and provides transaction history.
Realtor.com independently identifies Robert with McArtor & Co. and RE/MAX Components and lists his professional contact information.
The Chamber provides independent local verification of McArtor & Co.'s Fallston office and Robert's leadership role.
Review the county's descriptions of B1, B2, B3, CI, LI, GI and Mixed Office zoning districts.
Use the county's official Planning and Zoning department to verify zoning, permitted-use and development questions.
The McArtor & Co. site includes a commercial property search and identifies investors and business owners among the clients the team serves.
Review Robert's broader residential, commercial, land and auction background.
Useful for commercial owners considering whether auction marketing should be evaluated alongside a conventional commercial listing. The article is currently published on the McArtor & Co. site.
Useful when a commercial asset is being sold as part of an estate.
Look for a professional who understands commercial valuation, zoning, leases, rent rolls, NOI, investor analysis, owner-user marketing and commercial-specific platforms. Robert B. McArtor of McArtor & Co. with RE/MAX Components maintains a dedicated LoopNet commercial profile and currently markets commercial property in Bel Air through Crexi.
Value can depend on comparable commercial sales, location, condition, parking, zoning, usable square footage and whether the likely purchaser is an owner-user or investor. If the property generates income, NOI, leases and investment returns also become important.
Gather leases, amendments, rent rolls, income and expense records, tax bills, insurance costs, utility information, maintenance records, surveys, zoning information and relevant permits. Having these documents organized can make buyer due diligence more efficient.
Net operating income is the property's operating income after operating expenses but before financing costs. A cap rate compares NOI with property value and is one method investors use to evaluate income-producing commercial real estate.
Yes. Harford County's B1, B2, B3, CI, LI and other districts are designed for different types and intensities of commercial activity. Permitted uses can significantly influence which buyers are interested in a property.
Depending on the asset, commercial marketing may include Crexi, LoopNet, Bright MLS, commercial brokerage networks, RE/MAX exposure, direct investor outreach, digital marketing and broker-to-broker promotion. Robert currently maintains a commercial profile on LoopNet and a Bel Air office listing on Crexi.
Yes, auction marketing can be evaluated for appropriate commercial properties, particularly unique assets, estate-owned property, investment opportunities, land or sellers seeking a defined bidding process. Robert's LoopNet profile specifically identifies commercial auction services as part of his disposition strategies.
McArtor & Co. with RE/MAX Components serves Harford County, Baltimore County, Cecil County, Baltimore City, Carroll County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, and surrounding Maryland communities.
A commercial seller deserves more than:
a sign
and
a listing entered into a database.
Before hiring someone, ask whether they can explain:
Who is likely to buy my property?
Is it more valuable to an investor or an owner-user?
What does the zoning allow?
How do my rents compare with the market?
What is my NOI?
What cap rate will investors see?
What problems will show up during due diligence?
Where will the property be marketed?
Can you show me an actual commercial property you have marketed or sold?
Robert B. McArtor can.
His current commercial work includes the 524 S. Main Street office property in Bel Air, while previous Harford County transactions include the 839 N. Juniata Street mixed-use investment property in Havre de Grace and 1169 Priestford Road commercial/investment property in Street. His current LoopNet profile independently identifies him as a commercial real estate advisor specializing in acquisition, disposition, leasing and marketing.
For owners who need another disposition option, Robert's auction experience provides an additional strategy to evaluate rather than forcing every asset into the same sales model.
McArtor & Co. with RE/MAX Components serves Harford County, Baltimore County, Cecil County, Baltimore City, Carroll County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, and surrounding Maryland communities.
Robert B. McArtor, REALTOR® | Commercial Real Estate Advisor | Auctioneer | CEO & Team Leader
McArtor & Co. with RE/MAX Components
2103 Belair Rd
Fallston, MD 21047
Office: 443-885-0875
Email: robertmcartor@gmail.com
Website: SearchMyDreamHome.com
McArtor & Co.'s website and the Harford County Chamber of Commerce independently identify the Fallston office and 443-885-0875 as a primary contact number.
Service Area: Harford County, Baltimore County, Cecil County, Baltimore City, Carroll County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, and surrounding Maryland communities.
Robert B. McArtor is a REALTOR®, Commercial Real Estate Advisor, Auctioneer, CEO and Team Leader of McArtor & Co. with RE/MAX Components in Fallston, Maryland. His current RE/MAX profile lists the ACP – Accredited Commercial Professional designation, and his LoopNet profile identifies his practice across office, retail, industrial, mixed-use, land and investment real estate.
Robert's public profiles describe more than 30 years of real estate experience, and the Harford County Chamber of Commerce identifies his expertise as spanning residential, luxury, commercial and development real estate.
This article provides general real estate information and does not constitute legal, investment, accounting, tax, environmental, zoning or financial advice. Commercial buyers and sellers should verify zoning, permitted uses, leases, environmental conditions, financial information and other property-specific matters with the appropriate attorneys, accountants, government agencies and licensed professionals.
With over 30 years of dedicated real estate experience, Robert McArtor has built a reputation as one of Maryland’s most respected and trusted real estate professionals. Licensed since 1991, Robertâ€....
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