Maryland & DC Down Payment Assistance Matrix 2026

Quick answer

Maryland help starts with the Maryland Mortgage Program (MMP): 1st Time Advantage gives $6,000 or 3% to 5% of the loan as a 0% deferred loan, and counties can add more, such as up to $50,000 from the Montgomery Homeownership Program or Prince George's Pathway to Purchase. In DC, HPAP can provide up to $202,000 plus closing cost help, and DC Open Doors covers your minimum down payment and is open to repeat buyers. Most help is a 0% loan you repay when you sell or refinance, a few programs are forgiven over time, and every figure below was checked against the official program pages as of October 28, 2026.

Largest Maryland county programs: Up to $50,000 (Montgomery, Prince George's)
Largest DC program: HPAP: up to $202,000 + the lesser of 4% or $4,000
Open to repeat buyers: MMP Flex (Maryland), DC Open Doors (DC)
Figures as of: October 28, 2026

How to read this matrix

Each row is one program, with the amount, how the money is structured, when it is repaid or forgiven, the main limits, and who to contact. Figures are copied from our program guides, which cite the official program pages listed under Sources. Funding opens and closes during the year, and limits change, so the program or an approved lender has the final word.

Where official sources disagree, or a combination is not spelled out by the program, the matrix says to confirm with the program instead of guessing.

Maryland statewide programs (Maryland Mortgage Program)

Program	Amount	Type and repayment	Main limits	First-time buyer required?	Contact
1st Time Advantage	$6,000, or 3%, 4%, or 5% of the mortgage amount	0% second loan, no monthly payment, repaid when you sell, refinance, or transfer	MMP income and purchase price limits by county and household size; homebuyer class	Yes (no home owned in the past 3 years, with exceptions for Targeted Areas and eligible veterans)	Any MMP-approved lender
HomeStart	6% of the first mortgage	0% deferred second loan	Household income at or below 50% of area median income	Yes	Any MMP-approved lender
Flex 6000 and Flex 3%	$6,000, or 3% of the loan	0% deferred second loan	MMP income and purchase price limits	No, repeat buyers can use them	Any MMP-approved lender
SmartBuy 3.0	Up to 15% of the price, maximum $25,000, toward student loans	0% deferred loan forgiven 20% per year over 5 years	720+ credit score; at least $1,000 in student debt	Confirm with the program	An approved SmartBuy lender
HomeAbility	Up to 25% of the price, maximum $45,000	0% second loan, repaid at sale, refinance, or transfer	A household member with a documented disability; income at or below 80% of area median income; funding reopened July 1, 2026 and is limited	Confirm with the program	Any MMP-approved lender
Partner Match (with 1st Time Advantage 6000)	$2,500 match on top of $6,000, for $8,500 from MMP	Repaid when you sell, refinance, or pay off the first mortgage	Paired with an eligible partner program, such as Prince George's Pathway to Purchase	Follows the paired programs	Any MMP-approved lender

Maryland county and city programs

Program	Amount	Type and repayment	Main limits	First-time buyer required?	Contact
Montgomery Homeownership Program (Montgomery County)	Up to $50,000 for down payment and closing costs	0% deferred loan, paired with an MMP first mortgage	Cannot exceed 40% of household income; funding is limited and reservations close when funds are committed	Yes	Any MMP-approved lender
Pathway to Purchase (Prince George's County)	Up to $50,000 for down payment, closing costs, or principal reduction	0% deferred loan; none forgiven in years 1 to 5, then 10% per year, fully forgiven after 15 years	Household income at or below 80% of area median income ($132,900 for 4); price up to $448,000 resale or $485,000 new construction; 8-hour class	Yes (no residential real estate owned in the past 3 years)	A participating or MMP-approved lender; PathwaytoPurchase@co.pg.md.us, 301-883-5456
Critical Workforce Housing Assistance Program (Prince George's County)	Up to $50,000 or 25% of the price, whichever is less	0% deferred loan forgiven 10% per year over 10 years	Up to 120% of area median income; full-time PGCPS teachers, nurses at a facility in the county, and county public safety staff	Yes	A participating lender
Homeownership Equity Program (Prince George's County)	Up to $30,000	0% deferred loan forgiven 20% per year over 5 years	Up to 120% of area median income, a priority group, and a home inside the Capital Beltway; $1,000 minimum buyer contribution	Yes	A participating lender
Buying Into Baltimore (Baltimore City)	$5,000	Forgivable loan	Awarded by lottery to Live Baltimore trolley tour attendees in set application rounds	Confirm with the program	Live Baltimore
Baltimore City employee programs	Amounts vary	Confirm with the program	Confirm with the program	Confirm with the program	Baltimore City DHCD

Washington, DC programs

Program	Amount	Type and repayment	Main limits	First-time buyer required?	Contact
HPAP (Home Purchase Assistance Program)	Up to $202,000 for the down payment, plus the lesser of 4% or $4,000 for closing costs	Interest-free deferred loan; lower-income buyers make no monthly payment, moderate-income buyers start principal-only payments in year 6; due when you sell, refinance, or stop living in the home	DHCD income limits by household size; primary residence in DC; funding is set each fiscal year and new applications are sometimes paused	Yes	A DHCD-funded housing counseling agency, paired with an approved lender
DC Open Doors	Your full minimum down payment (typically 3% conventional or 3.5% FHA)	0% deferred loan, with a DCHFA first mortgage	Borrower income limit set by DCHFA (borrower income only); maximum first mortgage $1,249,125	No, repeat buyers can use it	A DCHFA-approved lender
DC4ME	Below-market first mortgage rate plus optional 3% down payment assistance	DCHFA first mortgage with assistance	Full-time DC government employees, including independent agencies and DC public charter schools	Confirm with the program	A DCHFA-approved lender
EAHP (Employer Assisted Housing Program)	Up to $20,000 deferred loan plus up to a $5,000 matching grant	Deferred loan and matching grant	DC government employees	Yes, first home in DC	DC DHCD
First-time buyer recordation tax rate (not a loan)	0.725% recordation tax instead of 1.1% or 1.45%	Tax reduction claimed at closing	Homes up to $794,000 (tax year 2027); household income limits (for example $209,340 for one person, $298,980 for four); DC residency; Homestead Deduction	Yes	Your title company

What can be combined

Combination	What the official sources say
MMP first mortgage + Montgomery Homeownership Program	Designed to be used together: the county loan is paired with an MMP first mortgage.
Pathway to Purchase + 1st Time Advantage Direct	Allowed: up to $50,000 from the county plus MMP's lowest 30-year fixed rate, with no MMP down payment loan.
Pathway to Purchase + 1st Time Advantage 6000 with Partner Match	Allowed: up to $50,000 from the county plus $8,500 from MMP. The rate is usually a bit higher than Direct.
Pathway to Purchase + SmartBuy 3.0	Not spelled out. Confirm with the program and your lender.
Two Prince George's County programs on one purchase	Not spelled out on the county pages. Confirm with the program.
1st Time Advantage + Buying Into Baltimore	Not spelled out in the sources we checked. Confirm with the program.
DC4ME + EAHP	Can often be combined for DC government employees. Your approved lender confirms.
HPAP + DC Open Doors	Not spelled out in the sources we checked. Confirm with the program.
Any program + the DC first-time recordation tax rate	The tax rate is a separate benefit claimed with your title company at closing, as long as you meet its own limits.

Example: the most Prince George's County help on one resale

On a resale priced at or under $448,000, a first-time buyer within the 80% income limit could pair Pathway to Purchase (up to $50,000) with an MMP 1st Time Advantage 6000 loan and Partner Match ($8,500), for up to $58,500 toward down payment and closing costs. The county money is forgiven only after 15 years in the home; the $8,500 is repaid when you sell, refinance, or pay off the first mortgage. Run your own numbers with the closing cost calculator to see what is left to bring.

Where sources conflict

Pathway to Purchase forgiveness: MMP's Pathway page still describes the older 10-year schedule, while the county's July 2026 guidelines use 15 years. The county documents you sign at closing control; confirm with the program.
Income limits: MMP's own Prince George's County limits are much higher than the county's 80% limit for Pathway to Purchase, so the county limit usually decides eligibility. Confirm with the program.
DC Open Doors income limit: lender and third-party sites publish different numbers. Use the limit on dchfa.org, and confirm with the program.

A note on this guide

This is general information, not legal, tax, or lending advice, and no one is guaranteed eligibility. Program amounts, limits, and funding change; confirm with the program, an approved lender, and your title company before you rely on any figure.

Frequently asked questions

Can I combine Maryland Mortgage Program help with a county program?

Often, yes. The Montgomery Homeownership Program is paired with an MMP first mortgage, and Prince George's Pathway to Purchase can be paired with 1st Time Advantage Direct or with 1st Time Advantage 6000 plus Partner Match. Your MMP-approved lender confirms what works on your file.

Can I use HPAP and DC Open Doors together?

The official pages we checked do not spell this out, so confirm with the program. HPAP is applied for through a DHCD-funded housing counseling agency, and DC Open Doors goes through a DCHFA-approved lender, so ask both early.

Which Maryland and DC programs are open to repeat buyers?

In Maryland, the MMP Flex programs (Flex 6000 and Flex 3%) accept repeat buyers who meet income and price limits. In DC, DC Open Doors does not require you to be a first-time buyer.

Is Pathway to Purchase forgiven after 10 years or 15 years?

The county's July 2026 guidelines say 15 years: nothing is forgiven in years 1 to 5, then 10% per year. MMP's page still shows the older 10-year schedule. The county documents you sign at closing control.

Are there programs for teachers, nurses, first responders, or government employees?

In Prince George's County, the Critical Workforce Housing Assistance Program offers up to $50,000 or 25% of the price, whichever is less, to eligible full-time county teachers, nurses, and public safety workers. In DC, DC4ME and EAHP are for DC government employees.

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Sources

General information, not legal, tax, or lending advice. Programs, rates, and limits change; confirm details with an approved lender or the program administrator. Facts checked October 28, 2026.

Maryland and DC Down Payment Assistance in 2026: One Matrix of State, County, City, and DC Programs