Curbnote

What this listing isn't telling you.

Curbnote pulls public records into every Maryland Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com listing: flood zones, tax history, environmental flags, and listing patterns. Plain English. Source-linked. Free during beta.

Maryland-only at launch. More states based on demand.

Curbnote sidebar overlaid on a Zillow listing, highlighting public-record flags

What it shows you

  • SDAT

    Spot the modular home pretending otherwise

    Listings sometimes describe modular or manufactured homes as “single-family.” Curbnote pulls SDAT’s classification field, so you know what you’re touring before you drive 40 minutes.

    SDAT · Classification

    Classified as: Manufactured Home

    Listing describes property as “single-family.”

  • SDAT

    See through cosmetic flips

    A 6-month-old sale at $180k now relisting at $450k? Curbnote shows the price history and time gap so you can decide if it’s added value or fresh paint over old problems.

    SDAT · Sale history

    Last sold $182k, 6 months ago

    Currently listed at $449k. 147% increase.

  • MD iMAP

    Catch the highway nobody mentioned

    “Quiet residential street.” Except for the I-95 sound wall 400ft behind the back fence. Curbnote checks proximity to highways, rail lines, and airports.

    MD iMap · Proximity

    US-50 within 380 ft

    Listing copy: “quiet residential street.”

  • PUBLIC RECORDS

    Read the listing’s history, not just its pitch

    180 days on market. Three price reductions. Relisted under a new MLS number twice. Curbnote surfaces all of it on one screen.

    MLS · Time on market

    182 days, 3 reductions

    Relisted twice under new MLS numbers.

  • FEMA

    Flood zones in plain English

    “Zone AE: high-risk, mandatory flood insurance if mortgaged,” instead of cryptic FEMA codes. Sourced and linked.

    FEMA · Flood zone

    Zone AE: high risk

    Mandatory flood insurance if mortgaged.

  • MD iMAP

    Wetlands and critical area flags

    Maryland’s environmental layers, queried per-property. Know what you’re allowed to build before you fall in love with the lot.

    MERLIN · Critical area

    Chesapeake Bay Critical Area

    Building setback restrictions apply.

How it works

  1. 01

    Install the extension.

    Free during beta. Chrome and Edge.

  2. 02

    Open any Maryland listing.

    Zillow, Redfin, or Realtor.com.

  3. 03

    The dossier appears.

    Source-linked findings, side panel, no clicks needed.

Why Maryland first

I'm buying my first house in Maryland right now. The process is a mess: eight tabs open, public records scattered across SDAT, MERLIN, FEMA, and a different portal for every county. Curbnote started as a tool I built for myself.

Maryland's public records are unusually open and machine-readable, which makes it the right place to start. Once it works here, expansion to Virginia, DC, and beyond is a question of plugging in each state's data sources.

FAQ