Prince George's County sits right next to Washington, DC, and it has its own permit office, taxes and rental rules. It's also where a lot of our fix-and-flip lending happens: we've funded loans for investors in Bowie, Temple Hills, Fort Washington, Oxon Hill, Capitol Heights and Landover.
This guide covers what to know before you flip in the county, how four towns compare, and how to size your loan before you make an offer.
What's different about flipping in Prince George's County
- Building permits come from DPIE. The county's Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement handles building permits, and applications are filed online. Electrical work needs a Maryland-licensed master electrician (more in electrical and water upgrades in Maryland). See the county's alteration permit page.
- Plumbing permits come from WSSC Water, not the county. Most plumbing and all gas work must be done by a WSSC-licensed plumber or gasfitter. Swapping existing fixtures generally doesn't need a permit, but water heaters do. County plumbing permit page.
- Budget for closing taxes. The county transfer tax is 1.4% of the price and the recordation tax is $2.75 for each $500, on top of Maryland's 0.5% state transfer tax. On a $300,000 purchase, that's $4,200 in county transfer tax, $1,650 in recordation tax and $1,500 in state transfer tax. Your title company will give you exact figures and how they're split. County tax rates (Maryland DLS).
- Renting it out? License first. A single-family house or townhouse needs a county rental license before you rent it. The license lasts two years and comes with an inspection. In a condo or HOA community, you'll also need a letter from the association showing no unpaid fees (county rental licensing). Maryland also requires rental units built before 1978 to be registered with the Maryland Department of the Environment within 30 days of buying them (lead paint registration). Planning to hold? See our fix-and-hold loans.
Buying across the line in the District instead? See our Washington, DC hard money loans page.
Four towns, four different flips
Each part of the county has its own buyers and its own comps. Here's how four places where we lend compare. For more areas we're watching, see five emerging Prince George's County neighborhoods for flips.
Bowie
The county's largest city, in the northern part of the county along US-50 and US-301.
What to check: Bowie requires its own city permit on top of the county's for most projects. Plumbing, electrical, HVAC and fire inspection permits are the exceptions (City of Bowie permits).
Fort Washington
In the southern part of the county along the Potomac River, south of National Harbor.
What to check: homes near the river or creeks can raise flood questions. Look the address up on FEMA's flood map before you set your budget and insurance.
Clinton
South-central county along Branch Avenue (MD-5), just south of Joint Base Andrews.
What to check: Clinton mixes older homes and newer subdivisions, so pull comps from the same neighborhood and check sale prices in Maryland's real property search. In an HOA community, exterior changes may need the association's approval too.
Temple Hills
Close to the DC line off Branch Avenue, with a mix of single-family homes, townhomes and condos.
What to check: for a condo or townhome, get the association documents early. Fees, rules and any unpaid balances affect both your resale and a rental license.
Looking at another part of the county? Start with our Prince George's County hard money loans page. We also lend in Hyattsville, Lanham, Upper Marlboro and District Heights.
Size your loan before you offer
We lend up to 65% of the after-repair value (ARV) or up to 85% of your total cost (purchase plus rehab), and typically use the lesser of the two. Put in your numbers to see where a deal lands. For rates and fees, see how much hard money lenders charge.
Quick loan estimate
Estimate only, before closing costs, interest and fees. Final terms depend on the property, the borrower and the deal.
With the example numbers, 65% of ARV is $292,500 and 85% of cost is $289,000, so the estimate is $289,000 and you'd bring about $51,000 of the $340,000 total. For a deeper look at the numbers, read how to calculate your real profit on a fix-and-flip.
Loans we've funded in Prince George's County
A few examples. You can see the rest on our funded projects page.
Bowie, MD
Single-family home
A single-family home in Bowie, the county's largest city.
Hard money loans in Bowie →Fort Washington, MD
Single-family home
A single-family home in Fort Washington, in the southern part of the county.
Hard money loans in Fort Washington →Temple Hills, MD
Single-family home
A single-family home in Temple Hills, close to the DC line.
Hard money loans in Temple Hills →Capitol Heights, MD
Residential property
A residential property in Capitol Heights, on the county's border with DC.
Hard money loans in Capitol Heights →
Loan amounts are shown as ranges and dates as years. Locations are general and details are left out so individual properties can't be identified. Past loans are not an offer of credit.
What to send for a same-day soft quote
Complete packages usually get a soft quote the same day (here's how our process works). Send us these six things:
- Address
- Purchase price
- Rehab (one-sentence scope)
- Exit (flip or BRRRR)
- ARV estimate plus 1 or 2 comps
- Timeline to close
Planning to hold instead of sell? Here's how to refinance out of a hard money loan. If the house sits longer than planned, read what happens if it doesn't sell. Flipping around Baltimore too? Read our Baltimore County guide.
Have a deal in Prince George's County? Send the address and your numbers and talk to the person who makes the decision.
Tax, permit and rental rules are summarized from the linked Prince George's County, City of Bowie, WSSC Water and State of Maryland pages as of November 2026. Check with the county and your title company for your specific deal.