Most Central Maryland counties offer down payment and closing cost help to first-time buyers on top of the state’s Maryland Mortgage Program. Amounts run from about $6,000 to $50,000. Nearly all of it is a 0% loan, either deferred until you sell or forgiven if you stay a set number of years, and nearly all of it has income limits, price limits and a required homebuyer class.
Below is each county we work in, with the program name, who runs it, the amount and the main limits. I checked every program page in October 2026. These programs run out of money and change terms, sometimes mid-year, so confirm funding with your lender the week you apply. When you’re ready to search with a budget in mind, start on our buyer page.
This is general information. Your lender and the program office make the final call on eligibility.
State help first
The Maryland Mortgage Program (MMP) is available in every county. Its 1st Time Advantage loans pair a 30-year fixed mortgage with a 0% deferred assistance loan: a flat $6,000, or 3%, 4% or 5% of the first mortgage. Buyers at or below 50% of area median income can get 6%. If an employer, local government or nonprofit contributes, MMP’s Partner Match adds up to $2,500 more on the $6,000 product, per its Partner Match fact sheet (updated November 2025).
I wrote a full walkthrough in the Maryland Mortgage Program guide. The county programs below are the second layer.
The programs at a glance
| Area | Program | Up to | Income limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince George’s | Pathway to Purchase | $50,000 | 80% of AMI |
| Montgomery | Montgomery Homeownership Program (MMP) | $50,000 | MMP limits, plus a 40%-of-income cap on the assistance |
| Howard | Settlement Downpayment Loan Program | $40,000 (HomeStarter) | 80% to 110%, by loan type |
| Anne Arundel | Mortgage Assistance Program (ACDS) | $50,000 | 100% of AMI |
| Baltimore City | Homeownership incentives | $5,000 to $10,000 each, plus FTHIP | Varies; FTHIP is 80% of AMI |
| Baltimore County | Settlement Expense Loan Program | $10,000 | Low and moderate income |
| Charles | SELP, plus SELP+ | $6,000, plus $14,000 SELP+ | Low and moderate income; SELP+ 100% of AMI |
AMI means area median income, adjusted for household size. The sections below have the details and the source for each line.
Prince George’s County: Pathway to Purchase
Run by the Prince George’s County Department of Housing and Community Development. According to the county’s Pathway to Purchase page (checked October 2026):
- Up to $50,000 for down payment and closing costs, as a zero-interest deferred second mortgage.
- For first-time buyers (no home owned in the past three years) at or below 80% of AMI.
- Purchase price limits of $448,000 for a resale and $485,000 for new construction.
- An 8-hour homebuyer education course is required.
- No forgiveness in years 1 to 5, then 10% forgiven each year for the next 10 years. Live there 15 years and it is fully forgiven. Selling, refinancing or moving out earlier can trigger repayment.
- You apply through an approved lender, not directly.
The county says it awarded more than $1.2 million to 33 buyers in fiscal year 2026, and its new programs began July 1, 2026. It also runs a Homeownership Equity Program and a Critical Workforce Housing Assistance Program, listed on the first-time buyer programs page.
MMP’s Pathway to Purchase flyer (revised January 15, 2026) shows two ways to pair it with MMP: with the 1st Time Advantage Direct loan, or with the 6000 loan plus a $2,500 Partner Match, which adds $8,500 in MMP assistance on top of the county money.
See homes in the county on our Prince George’s County page.
Montgomery County
Montgomery’s main buyer program runs through MMP. The Montgomery Homeownership Program fact sheet (dated April 8, 2026) says:
- Up to $50,000 as a 0% deferred second loan, due when the first mortgage ends.
- The assistance can’t be more than 40% of the household’s income.
- Buyers must meet all MMP rules, including the first-time buyer rule (with the veteran and Targeted Area exceptions) and homebuyer education.
- It can’t be combined with other MMP products or with Partner Match, but it can be combined with help from employers, builders and local jurisdictions.
The county also has the Montgomery Employee Down Payment Assistance Loan (MEDPAL) for county employees. MMP Directive 2026-01 (April 7, 2026) raised its limit to $50,000 per home.
Our Montgomery County page has more on the area.
Howard County: Settlement Downpayment Loan Program
Run by the Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development. The SDLP information packet (revised May 1, 2026) lists five loans:
| Loan | Income limit | Max loan | First-time buyer? |
|---|---|---|---|
| HomeStarter | 80% of Baltimore region median | $40,000 | Yes |
| HomeSteader | 80% of Howard median | $25,000 | Yes |
| DreamMaker | 100% of Howard median | $15,000 | Yes |
| Revitalization | 110% of Howard median | $25,000 (foreclosed or pending-foreclosure homes in 21045 or 20723) | No |
| Workforce Initiative | 110% of Howard median | $4,300 | No; must work full time in Howard County |
The rate is 2% below your first mortgage rate, capped at 3%, deferred until you sell, refinance or default. HomeStarter forgives part of the balance if you stay 5, 10 or 15 years. The Workforce loan is reduced 10% a year while you keep working full time in the county.
Other rules from the packet: the price can’t exceed the state purchase price limit for Howard County ($683,977 in the May 2026 packet), you need at least $1,000 of your own plus one month’s mortgage payment in savings, you need a fixed-rate first mortgage, and your lender has to submit the SDLP package at least 9 business days before closing. Funds are limited and first come, first served.
More on the area on our Howard County page.
Anne Arundel County: Mortgage Assistance Program
Run by Arundel Community Development Services (ACDS). Per the ACDS Mortgage Assistance page (checked October 2026):
- Up to $50,000, at 0% with no monthly payments, due on sale or transfer, when it stops being your primary residence, or in 30 years.
- Household income at or below 100% of the Baltimore-area median. The limits effective June 1, 2026 are $93,500 for one person, $106,813 for two, $120,188 for three and $133,500 for four.
- Maximum purchase price up to $500,000, depending on affordability.
- You must graduate from the ACDS Homeownership Counseling Program before you sign a purchase contract.
- You put in at least 1% of the price from your own money. Appraisal, inspection and similar costs you pay up front count toward it.
- No non-occupant co-signers.
- You can use any lender and any agent, and MAP works with FHA and MMP loans.
Plan ahead on the class. ACDS says its first class is booked 6 to 8 weeks out and the full program usually takes 2 to 4 months. Start it before you start touring. Our Anne Arundel County page covers the area.
Baltimore City
Baltimore City DHCD runs several incentives. The city’s homeownership incentives page showed this remaining funding as of October 19, 2026:
| Incentive | Amount | Who | Remaining |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Time Homebuyers Incentive (FTHIP) | 50% of the required down payment, gap funding and up to a 2.5% rate buydown, plus a $5,000 bonus in some cases | First-time buyers at or below 80% of AMI | $558,571 |
| City Employee Homeownership | $5,000 or $10,000 | City and quasi-city employees with 6+ months of service | 75 incentives |
| Buying Into Baltimore | $5,000, by lottery | Attend a Live Baltimore trolley tour | 60 incentives |
| Live Near Your Work | City matches $1,000 to $2,500 from your employer | Employees of participating employers | 83 incentives |
| Vacants to Value Booster | $10,000 | Buyers of renovated homes that had a Vacant Building Notice for a year or more | 58 incentives |
Rules that apply across them: a homeownership class from a city-approved counseling agency within a year before you buy, and at least $1,000 of your own money. Most are loans forgiven after five years in the home. Live Near Your Work is a grant.
Several Baltimore employers run their own programs that pair with Live Near Your Work, so ask HR before you assume you don’t qualify. If you’re looking at older city homes, read buying a rowhome in Baltimore too. Our Baltimore region page covers the city and county.
Baltimore County: Settlement Expense Loan Program
Per Baltimore County’s Housing Opportunities and Finance page (checked October 2026), the Settlement Expense Loan Program (SELP) lends up to $10,000 toward closing costs for low and moderate income first-time buyers. It applies only to existing homes inside the county’s designated Community Conservation Areas.
The loan is deferred and forgiven if you live in the home as your principal residence for the 15-year affordability period. To apply, you take a two-part first-time buyer class and a workshop, then individual counseling through one of the county’s housing counseling agencies. The county is clear that you aren’t eligible if you already have a signed contract, so do the counseling first.
Charles County: SELP and SELP+
Run by the Charles County Housing Authority. The county’s Housing Authority page (checked October 2026) describes the Settlement Expense Loan Program as up to $6,000 toward settlement costs for low and moderate income first-time buyers. It’s a second mortgage, deferred until you sell, transfer, refinance or stop living there. The county posts its 2026 program guidelines on that page.
The county’s ARPA housing page describes SELP+, $14,000 in down payment help for buyers approved for SELP, with household income at or below 100% of AMI and three years of living or working full time in the county. It’s for existing homes only and becomes a grant after five years in the home. The page says SELP+ is temporary, ends when the ARPA money runs out, and still listed application details as “coming soon” when I checked. Call before you count on it.
Charles County employees can also look at House Keys 4 Employees through the county’s HR office. See our Charles County page.
Employer and lender programs
Some of the money isn’t from a government at all:
- Employer programs: Many employers pay housing benefits, and MMP’s Partner Match can match them up to $2,500. State of Maryland employees can get $2,500 through House Keys 4 Employees, per the Partner Match fact sheet.
- Builder incentives: Builders often pay closing costs if you use their lender. That can be layered with some programs, but compare the full cost. More on that in buying new construction in Maryland.
- Lender grants: Some banks run their own closing cost grants in certain census tracts. Ask two or three lenders.
Stacking rules and timing
The order matters more than the amounts:
- Take the right class first: Anne Arundel, Baltimore County and Baltimore City all want counseling done before you buy, and Anne Arundel and Baltimore County want it before you sign a contract. An online class that works for MMP may not satisfy a county.
- Pick a lender who does that county’s program: Pathway to Purchase and SDLP both go through the lender, not you.
- Check the price limit for each program and search under the lowest one.
- Ask which MMP products the county money pairs with: Montgomery’s program can’t be combined with other MMP products. Prince George’s works with Direct or 6000.
- Leave time: Howard wants the package 9 business days before closing. A 30-day settlement may be too short with two programs.
- Read the repayment terms: A forgiven loan that shrinks over 15 years is a different deal from one due when you sell. If you might move in five years, that matters.
Your closing costs, including the first-time buyer transfer tax break, are in Maryland closing costs for buyers.
Bottom line
If you’re a first-time buyer in Central Maryland, there’s a good chance you qualify for something. The buyers who get it do three things: take the class early, use a lender who has done the program before, and confirm funding before writing an offer. If you want help lining it up, start with The Wilson Home Team of Samson Properties or call Stacey at (240) 913-5221.
Sources
- Maryland Mortgage Program, Partner Match Programs fact sheet, updated November 6, 2025
- MMP, Pathway to Purchase flyer, revised January 15, 2026
- MMP, Montgomery Homeownership Program fact sheet, April 8, 2026
- MMP, Directive 2026-01, MEDPAL loan limit increase, April 7, 2026
- Prince George’s County DHCD, Pathway to Purchase, checked October 2026
- Prince George’s County DHCD, First Time Home Buyers Assistance Programs, checked October 2026
- Howard County DHCD, Settlement Downpayment Loan Program and information packet, revised May 1, 2026
- Arundel Community Development Services, Mortgage Assistance, checked October 2026
- Baltimore City DHCD, Homeownership Incentives, funding as of October 19, 2026
- Baltimore County, Housing Opportunities and Finance, checked October 2026
- Charles County, Housing Authority and ARPA housing funds, checked October 2026