Based on the newly proposed recording tax structure ((CR-85-2020) by Council Members Christiana Rigby and Dr. Opel Jones, I did some calculations for the recording tax. Note: the recording tax is used to document the loan transaction. This is separate from mortgage interest and other annual property taxes. It is a one-time tax.

Quick summary:

For house value less than 250k, there is a 20% tax decrease. Then the decrease goes down slowly. At 300k, there is no tax change. Then the tax begins to increase.

When the house value crosses around $530k, there is a 50% increase. After the house value crosses $750k, there is a 100% increase. For a house value at 1 million dollars, the recording tax increase is $6500, i.e., 130% increase.

For Howard County, the median house price is 498k (ref: https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/housing-statistics/county-median-home-prices-and-monthly-mortgage-payment). This means a 39.8% recording tax increase.

Here is a spreadsheet for your reference(5k step increase in house value). You can download it here:

Here is a plot, comparing old tax, new tax, tax increase and tax increase percentage:

A different scale (200k-800k house value)

Here is the news release from the county council.