Local Homebuyer Programs

District of Columbia

DC Open Doors (DCOD) is your key to homeownership in the city. The program offers competitive interest rates and lower mortgage insurance costs on first trust mortgages. Financial assistance through DCOD is provided in the form of a deferred 0% non-amortizing (no monthly payments) loan. You are not required to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify for DC Open Doors. This program is available for borrowers with income up to $151,200/year.

HPAP provides down payment and closing cost assistance in the form of interest-free loans to qualified applicants for the purchase of their primary residence, to include single-family houses, condominiums, or cooperative units. Currently, up to $80,000 in assistance is available on a sliding scale based on income. The maximum income to qualify for this program is $93,400/year for a single buyer. 

DC4ME provides D.C. government employees a first trust mortgage at a reduced interest rate. This program is offered to current full-time District Government employees, including employees of District Government-based Instrumentalities, Independent Agencies, District of Columbia Public Charter Schools, and organizations, provided the applicant/borrower’s employer falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia.

Maryland

The Maryland Mortgage Program (MMP) provides 30-year fixed-rate home loans to eligible homebuyers purchasing in Maryland. MMP offers a variety of programs for first-time buyers. Household Income limits are slightly higher if you’re purchasing a property in a Targeted Area, and you don’t need to be a first-time homebuyer. One MMP program, Montgomery Homeownership Program VI, gives eligible homebuyers purchasing in Montgomery County up to $25,000 in down payment assistance.

Maryland SmartBuy 3.0 gives homebuyers an opportunity to purchase any home in Maryland that meets Maryland Mortgage Program guidelines while paying off student debt. To qualify for the Maryland SmartBuy 3.0 program, homebuyers must have an existing student debt with a minimum balance of $1,000. Maryland SmartBuy 3.0 financing provides up to 15% of the home purchase price for the borrower to pay off their outstanding student debt with a maximum payoff amount of $30,000.

Virginia

Virginia Housing offers a variety of affordable home mortgages and assistance grants for first-time homebuyers, repeat homebuyers, and Veterans. One popular program is the Down Payment Grant, which never has to be repaid. In Northern Virginia, first-time buyers with a maximum income of $145,000 for a household of one or two people can qualify. The maximum home price to qualify for the grant is $550,000. Veterans may qualify for the Closing Cost Assistance Grant in combination with their VA loan, making the home purchase even more affordable.