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Help to buy in Maine

Home-buying assistance programs in Maine

2 official programs for down payment and closing cost help in Maine, from MaineHousing. We show what each program says on its own page, with the date we checked it.

See the listWhich programs might I qualify for?
WhatsApp
Verified programs
2
from MaineHousing
First-time buyers only
2
all require a first-time buyer
Accept an ITIN
0
per their own site · no: 0 · unconfirmed: 2
Last checked
November 5, 2026
against each program’s official page

How to read the list

Not all help is the same

Amounts, limits and funding change: confirm with a participating lender.

Before you compare amounts, look at the kind of help: it changes what you pay later. These are the kinds the programs on this page use.

On ITIN, each card says what the program itself publishes: yes, no, or not confirmed on its site.

  • Grant

    Grant you never repay

The full list

Programs in Maine

Filter by who qualifies, by ITIN or by kind of help. Each card quotes the source and the date we checked it.

  • First Home Loan Program — Advantage

    • Grant

    With the Maine state agency's First Home mortgage, the buyer gets $5,000 for the down payment and closing costs (up to $14,000 for 2- to 4-unit homes), with no second mortgage

    What it gives, per the source

    The Advantage option can provide $5,000 toward the cash you need for closing. … The Multi-Unit Advantage option can provide $5,000 in closing costs and down payment assistance for each residential unit
    First-time buyer?
    First-time buyers only
    Accepts ITIN?
    Its site does not confirm

    Run by MaineHousing

    Verified November 5, 2026

    See details Official page

  • First Generation Program

    • Grant

    Maine state agency mortgage with a rate 1% lower than its First Home mortgage and a $10,000 grant for the down payment and closing costs, with no second mortgage; for people who have never owned a home and never lived in a home their parents or guardians owned, or who were in foster care

    What it gives, per the source

    Once a First Generation borrower has completed a Financial Literacy class and hoMEworks or MaineHousing approved Homebuyer education class, the First Gen option provides $10,000 toward the cash you need for closing. First Gen Applicants must make a minimum borrower contribution of 1% of the loan amount. … For the First Gen program, MaineHousing offers a zero-point mortgage option with a 1.00% discount on our already low First Home Loan interest rate.
    First-time buyer?
    First-time buyers only
    Accepts ITIN?
    Its site does not confirm

    Run by MaineHousing

    Verified November 5, 2026

    See details Official page

Programs in other states

Help to repair your home

Repair programs in Maine

One program we checked in Maine to repair your home or make it more efficient, with what its page says.

Get free help applying A HUD-approved counseling agency can go over the requirements with you, free or at low cost. See the agencies

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.

Frequently asked questions

What is down payment assistance?

Money from a public or nonprofit program for the down payment or closing costs. It can be a grant you never repay, a second loan forgiven if you stay in the home for some years, a second loan repaid when you sell or refinance, or a tax credit (MCC) that lowers your federal taxes.

Do I need to be a first-time buyer in Maine?

Of the 2 programs on this page, all require it. In general, “first-time buyer” means not having owned a home in the last three years.

Can I use these programs with an ITIN?

What each program’s own site says: accept an ITIN, 0; do not accept one, 0; not confirmed on its site, 2. Ask the participating lender directly before you start, and ask for it in writing.