5% toward your first home, plus a lower rate

The assistance is always exactly 5% of your first mortgage's total loan amount. There is no flat minimum or cap on the percentage. A $300,000 loan brings $15,000; a $400,000 loan brings $20,000.

Loan sizes are capped by county. In the highest-cost counties (Montgomery, Prince George's, Frederick, Charles and Calvert) the maximum loan is $832,750, which works out to about $41,637 in assistance.

It is a loan, not a grant. It is a 0% interest, 30-year deferred second loan with no monthly payments while you live in the home and keep your first mortgage. You repay it when you sell, refinance or transfer the home, or when the first mortgage otherwise ends.

The first mortgage rate is 0.50% (50 basis points) lower than the Maryland Mortgage Program's 1st Time Advantage 5% loan. The state publishes the rate every business day, and your rate locks when your lender reserves the loan.

Full-time employees of a public safety agency, fire department or ambulance service, including firefighters, certified EMTs and paramedics, police officers commissioned by a federal, state, county, municipal or township government or a public or private college or university, rescue squad members, sworn members of the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and 9-1-1 specialists. Volunteer firefighters qualify with documentation of volunteer status for at least the most recent 12 months.

Full-time, state-certified classroom teachers and school counselors serving pre-K through grade 12 at an accredited or state-recognized public, private or vocational school. The program rules do not list other school roles, such as aides, substitutes or administrators. Your lender may ask for your MSDE teaching license or the school's accreditation documents.

Yes. If you have a signed, non-contingent offer from a Maryland employer for an eligible full-time first responder or teacher position, you can apply before you start. Only one borrower on the loan needs to be the eligible teacher or first responder.

Yes. This product is only for first-time homebuyers, which the Maryland Mortgage Program defines as not having owned residential property anywhere in the past three years. Some other MMP loans make exceptions for veterans and Targeted Area purchases, so ask your loan officer how those rules apply to you.

Limits are based on total household income: everyone 18 or older who will live in the home, whether or not they are on the loan. They depend on the county and on household size (1 to 2 people, or 3 or more). For 2026 they range from $137,100 to $232,540, and are higher inside Targeted Areas. A doctor-certified pregnancy counts as an additional household member.

See the limit for your county.

A minimum 640 credit score for FHA, VA, USDA and conventional loans. Debt-to-income is generally capped at 45% with a score under 680 and up to 50% at 680 or higher, subject to automated underwriting approval.

Single-family homes (detached or semi-detached), townhouses, condominiums, single-unit homes with an accessory dwelling unit, and modular or manufactured homes where approved. Multi-unit properties are not listed. It must be your primary residence. A newly built home (less than a year old) must be in a Priority Funding Area, and the lot is generally limited to four acres.

FHA, VA, USDA and conventional (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) 30-year fixed-rate loans. Your loan officer will help you compare them.

It can be combined with outside assistance from employers, builders, developers, local governments or nonprofits, as long as that help meets program and servicer guidelines. It cannot be combined with other Maryland Mortgage Program down payment assistance or the MMP Partner Match program.

Yes. Every borrower must complete an approved homebuyer education class before closing and be named on the certificate. Classes approved by HUD, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac count, including online classes.

Checking your eligibility here is free. Maryland Mortgage Program loans are offered at zero points, so there are no origination or discount points on the first mortgage. Standard closing costs such as title, appraisal and taxes still apply, and the 5% assistance can be used to pay them.

The state set aside $50 million in first-mortgage funding, and applications opened September 4, 2026. Loans are reserved one at a time once a buyer has a ratified purchase contract, so getting pre-approved early puts you in a position to reserve while funds remain.

If your liquid assets (cash and assets easily turned into cash) exceed 20% of the purchase price, the lender has to run an asset test to confirm eligibility. Retirement accounts are generally treated differently; your lender will review your situation.

No. Maryland First Homes is an independent service that connects eligible buyers with mortgage lenders who offer the program. We are not affiliated with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development or the Maryland Mortgage Program. The official program page is at mmp.maryland.gov.