Annapolis rowhouses, Glen Burnie ramblers, Severna Park waterfront and new homes around Odenton. Anne Arundel inspections often come with a shoreline, a well or a septic system attached.
Anne Arundel County wraps around dozens of rivers and creeks off the Chesapeake Bay, so a surprising number of homes come with bulkheads, piers, flood-zone questions and septic systems. Inland, the county is a patchwork of post-war neighborhoods around Glen Burnie, the 1960s planned community of Crofton, and newer subdivisions around Odenton and Fort Meade. We inspect each one with its setting in mind — a waterfront Pasadena rancher and a new Odenton townhouse need very different attention.
Annapolis has 18th- and 19th-century homes in its historic district and early-1900s homes in Eastport and West Annapolis. Glen Burnie, Brooklyn Park, Linthicum and Pasadena filled in with post-war ramblers, Cape Cods and split-levels. Severna Park, Arnold and the Broadneck peninsula grew with 1960s–1990s colonials, many on or near the water. Crofton began as a planned community in the 1960s, and Odenton, Gambrills and Severn added townhouses and single-family subdivisions from the 1990s on.
Anne Arundel County’s Department of Public Works provides public water and sewer across much of the county, and the City of Annapolis runs its own system. Outside the public service area — the county’s rural and agricultural areas, including much of south county — homes rely on private wells and septic systems, and the county counts tens of thousands of septic properties. Near the water, newer and replacement septic systems are often nitrogen-reducing units that need yearly service.
Anne Arundel County is EPA Zone 2, a moderate predicted average. Homes with basements in the northern and western county can still test high, and waterfront homes with ground-level living space are worth testing too. A 48-hour test during your inspection period answers the question.
Zone 2 = moderate potential (predicted average 2–4 pCi/L). Source: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Two Rivers in Odenton — a master-planned community of about 2,000 homes — and the subdivisions around Odenton, Severn and Hanover near Fort Meade are where most new homes are going up. Each is a good candidate for pre-drywall, final walkthrough and 11-month warranty inspections.
Land within 1,000 feet of tidal water falls in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay Critical Area, where additions, decks and shoreline work face extra rules. We inspect visible bulkheads, piers and shoreline protection, note erosion and settlement, and recommend a marine contractor when the condition calls for one.
Exterior changes in the Annapolis Historic District — windows, roofing, siding, additions — need approval from the city’s Historic Preservation Commission. That shapes how and how fast you can make repairs, so we document exterior condition carefully to help you plan.
36% of the homes we’ve inspected here were built between 1950 and 1979, so original electric panels, aging drain lines and decades of additions get extra attention.
Median year built: 1982
Based on 11 homes with a year built on record.
Completed inspections from our records, through October 2026. We never publish addresses.
“Polaris Home Inspections has been AMAZING in multiple inspections (both as buyers & sellers) for my clients. Aaron is always timely, efficient, detailed & helpful in the inspection process!!”
“Aaron is wonderful! Very detail oriented and thorough, knowledgeable and absolute pleasure. We will absolutely be using him in the future.”
“Very respectful and very detailed”
“Aaron did a great job and he was a very professional skilled person.”
Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Severna Park, Crofton, Odenton, Pasadena, Arnold, Edgewater, Severn, Millersville, Gambrills, Hanover, Linthicum, Brooklyn Park, Davidsonville, Deale, Shady Side, and the rest of Anne Arundel County.
| Property Size | Polaris Price |
|---|---|
| Condos & homes up to 1,500 sq ft | $395 |
| 1,500–3,000 sq ft | $459 |
| 3,000–5,000 sq ft | $579 |
| 5,000–7,500 sq ft | $699 |
| 7,500–10,000 sq ft | $849 |
We inspect what we can safely see from the shore and the pier: decking, pilings above the waterline, fasteners, bulkhead faces and signs of soil loss behind them. Anything below the water or structural in nature is a job for a marine contractor, and we will tell you when to bring one in.
A septic evaluation, and a well water test if the home is also on a well. Near the water, many newer and replacement systems are nitrogen-reducing units that need regular service, so ask the seller for the maintenance contract and records.
Yes. We give older homes there the same full inspection as any home, with extra attention to original framing, masonry, roofing and windows — and we note items whose repair will likely need historic-commission approval.
Yes — pre-drywall, final walkthrough and 11-month warranty inspections. Builders fix more when the list comes before closing or before the warranty ends.
If the home has a basement or ground-level living space, yes. A 48-hour test during your inspection period gives you a real number to negotiate with.
Most Polaris inspections book within 2–3 business days.
