Loan Eligibility

​​​​​To be able to apply for a home loan through the Maryland Mortgage Program, homebuyers need to meet certain eligibility criteria, although total household income requirements are based on all adults who will be living in the property.​​​​​

To confirm your eligibility as a homebuyer through the Maryland Mortgage Program, please talk to one of our state-approved mortgage lenders.​​​​​

Eligibility​ for all applicants

In all cases, applicants for Maryland Mortgage Program products must: 

• be at least 18 years of age and
• have a valid social security number. Note that U.S. citizenship is not required to be eligible. ​​​​​
• not own other residential property
• occupy the home they purchase as their primary residence
• not have liquid assets (cash or assets easily converted to cash) above 20% of the purchase price, as higher amounts may affect eligibility. An MMP-approved lender can confirm how this applies. 

If you’re thinking about building or purchasing a new construction home (built within the last 12 months), then the home must be located within a Priority Funding Area, which are existing communities and places where local governments use state investments to support future growth. The following areas qualify as Priority Funding Areas:

• every municipality, as they existed in 1997;
• areas inside the Washington Beltway and the Baltimore Beltway;
• areas already designated as enterprise zones, neighborhood revitalization areas, heritage areas and existing industrial land.

To determine whether a property is in a Priority Funding Area, you can search by address using the Maryland Mortgage Program Mapper​.

Where you can buy using MMP

First-time homebuyers

Someone who has not owned residential property for three years or more is considered a “First-Time Homebuyer.” First-Time Homebuyers who meet household income limits can use the Maryland Mortgage Program to purchase a home anywhere in Maryland.​​​​​

This definition applies to the Maryland Mortgage Program, and is not the same definition used for recording tax purposes.

Repeat homebuyers 

Repeat borrowers can also use Flex loan products (without mortgage certificates) to be able to purchase anywhere in Maryland if they meet the household income limits.

Additionally, veterans who are using their exemption for the first time do not need to be first-time homebuyers in order to utilize the Maryland Mortgage Program. 

Any homebuyer who meets MMP eligibility and the jurisdiction’s household income limits for the jurisdiction may use any Maryland Mortgage Program loan product only if they are purchasing in a Targeted Area.

Targeted Area

Targeted Areas are parts of Maryland established by the U.S. Census Bureau in which it is a little easier to be eligible for the Maryland Mortgage Program. 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.

Maryland's counties fall into three categories when it comes to Targeted Areas: fully Targeted Areas, no Targeted Areas in them at all, or have some areas that are Targeted Areas.

The table below can help you quickly identify whether the area you're looking at could be in a Targeted Area. 

To determine whether a property is in a Targeted Area, use the Maryland Mortgage Program Mapper​.

Household income limits vary by location

To use the Maryland Mortgage Program, the total “Household Income” of homebuyers needs to be at or below certain limits, and those limits vary by location and household size.​​​​​

Household Income is the combined incomes of all people 18 years of age or over who live in a household. It includes every form of income, including salaries and wages, retirement income, near cash government transfers like food stamps, and investment gains.

Household income limits vary by household size

Household Income limits vary based on the number of people that make up the household (regardless of age). Households with 1 or 2 people have one set of income limits and households with 3 or more people have slightly higher income limits. Note that pregnancy, certified by a doctor, counts as having an additional person for purposes of determining household size.

Household Income limits depend on property location and household size. Download the full income eligibility table for all counties in Maryland.

Additional notes about eligibility

1. Being eligible for the Maryland Mortgage Program doesn’t automatically mean that a homebuyer will be approved for a home loan.
2. Eligibility details described on this page apply to most available programs. For any programs with different requirements, precise eligibility guidelines will be identified in program information.