Assistance program · Maryland
Maryland SmartBuy
Maryland Mortgage Program loan of up to 15% of the price (maximum $25,000) to pay off your student debt when you buy a home; no interest or monthly payments, and forgiven after five years if you stay in the home
At a glance
- Most it gives, per the source
- Up to 15% of the price, capped at $25,000
- What its page says; your amount depends on the price and the loan.
- Kind of help
- Forgivable
- Second loan forgiven if you stay in the home
- First-time buyer?
- Yes
- First-time buyers only
- Minimum credit score
- 720
- The minimum the source asks for; a lender may ask for more.
- Checked
- November 5, 2026
- Against the program's official page.
Type of help
What it is
- Second loan forgiven if you stay in the home
What it gives
Up to 15% of the price, capped at $25,000
Source text
Get up to 15% of the home purchase price (maximum $25,000) to pay qualifying student debt (any amount over this limit is paid out of pocket) … The student debt payoff portion is a 0% interest loan that is fully forgiven after 5 years if you stay in the home … No monthly payment on the student debt assistance … May be combined with some MMP down payment assistance (if eligible) A summary of what the program publishes; not a loan offer or advice. Amounts, limits and funding change without notice.
At a glance
Who qualifies
Each answer comes from the program's page. "Not stated — ask" means its page doesn't make it clear: ask before you apply.
Source text
Have a minimum student debt balance of $1,000 … Pay off the full remaining student debt balance for at least one borrower at closing … Meet the minimum credit score of 720 … Be a first-time homebuyer (unless buying in a Targeted Area) … Complete an approved Homebuyer Education class … Meet standard MMP eligibility requirements, including income limits, credit score and purchase price limits … Occupy the home as your primary residence … Use an approved Maryland SmartBuy lender - First-time buyers only Yes
- Homebuyer course required Yes
- Minimum credit score 720
- Income limit Per the program table (by county and household size)
- Price limit Per the program table
- Mortgages it works with Not stated — ask
- Immigration requirement Legal residence in the U.S., per the source
- Accepts ITIN? No
- Spanish materials Not stated — ask
- Program status The source does not say whether it is open — ask
- Where it applies All of Maryland
What its page says about being open
Its page does not say whether the program is open or has funds. Ask the lender or the agency before counting on it. Read on the official page on November 5, 2026.
Your area in numbers
What buying costs in Maryland
The program covers all of Maryland. The first column is Maryland's figure; the second runs from the lowest to the highest among its counties. Limits change by county: check yours.
The program sets its maximum price in a table. Compare it with the typical home value in Maryland: $419,900.
The typical home value ($419,900) fits within Maryland's FHA limit ($630,200).
The program sets its income limit in its own table. For reference, HUD's low-income limit for 4 people in Maryland is $106,800.
| Figure | Maryland | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $419,900 | $154,900 (Allegany County) to $640,300 (Montgomery County) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $630,200 | $541,287 (Allegany County) to $1,249,125 (Prince George's County) | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 (Allegany County) to $1,249,125 (Prince George's County) | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $106,800 | $76,000 (Allegany County) to $106,800 (City of Baltimore) | HUD |
Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024) · FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data) · Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data) · Income Limits (HUD) (Fiscal year 2026)
Step by step
How to use it, step by step
Each step comes from what the program's page says. What its page leaves out is further down, in the questions.
Find a participating lender-
Ask first whether it is open
Its page does not say whether it is open or still has funds. That is the first thing to ask.
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Confirm you count as a first-time buyer
The program requires it. Read on its page how it defines "first-time buyer" and whether there are exceptions.
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Find your county in the income table
The limit changes with the county and the number of people in your household. Count the income of everyone the program asks you to add.
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Check your county's maximum price
The program sets a maximum price per county in its table.
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Take the homebuyer course
The program requires it. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies teach courses. Maryland has 41 agencies on HUD's list, and 18 serve people in Spanish.
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Check your score: the published minimum is 720
That is the program's minimum; the lender may ask for more. If you are short, a housing counselor can explain how to raise it.
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Find a participating lender: state programs do not take applications directly; the lender reserves the assistance while processing your mortgage.
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Compare the total cost before you sign
Ask about the total cost. The mortgage with assistance may carry a higher rate than without it, and some programs charge for the course or a fee.
Before you call
What to ask
Its page leaves 3 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to Maryland Mortgage Program.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- Which mortgage types does it work with: FHA, VA, USDA or conventional?
- Do you have materials or staff in Spanish?
Worth asking for this kind of help
- After how many years is the loan forgiven, and what happens if I sell or refinance before then?
Against the others
How it compares with Maryland's other programs
The 3 programs we checked in Maryland, with the same fields from their official pages. "Doesn't say" means its page does not make it clear.
It is one of 2 programs in Maryland, out of 3, that require being a first-time buyer. It is one of 2 out of 3 that publish an amount with the figure in their own wording. It is the only program in Maryland on our list with "forgivable" help. 3 of the 3 require a homebuyer course, this one included.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland SmartBuythis program | Forgivable | Up to 15% of the price, capped at $25,000 | Yes | Yes | No | Statewide |
| MMP 1st Time Advantage | Deferred | Not published | Yes | Yes | No | Statewide |
| MMP Flex Loans | Deferred | Up to 3% of the loan | No | Yes | No | Statewide |
Sources
How we checked this program
We read the program's official pages on November 5, 2026 and copied their text as it appears on them. We add no amounts or requirements those pages do not state, and a program is listed as open or closed only when its page says so.
We check every program again. If more than 180 days pass without a check, the page says so.
Get free help applying
A HUD-approved housing counselor explains the program's requirements, goes over your numbers and tells you what to ask the lender. They do not sell loans.
Find a counselor (HUD)Read before you apply
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Help and programs
Down payment assistance: how it works
What down payment assistance is, the types that exist (grant, forgivable or deferred second loan, tax credit), who qualifies and where to find it.
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Help and programs
Homebuyer education courses: when you need one
What a homebuyer education course is, when Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and assistance programs require one, and where to take it for free or in Spanish.
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Help and programs
HUD housing counselors: what they do and what they cost
What a HUD-approved housing counselor does, what they help with (buying, renting, missed payments, credit), what they may charge and how to find one.
Your county
Price and income limits depend on the county. Your county page has the typical value, the FHA limit and the counseling agencies that can walk you through the application.