Quick Summary: Buying Into Baltimore is a $5,000 incentive toward purchasing a home inside Baltimore City, structured as a loan that is forgiven over five years. If you stay in the home, you typically never repay it.
How Buying Into Baltimore Works
Buying Into Baltimore is a homebuyer incentive aimed specifically at people purchasing a primary residence within Baltimore City limits. The benefit is a $5,000 contribution toward your down payment and closing costs, structured not as a true grant but as a forgivable loan over a 5-year period. In a forgivable-loan structure, a portion of the balance is written off each year you keep the home as your primary residence; if you sell, refinance, or move out before the term ends, you may have to repay all or part of the remaining balance.
Here is the part many first-time buyers miss: the $5,000 is awarded by lottery to buyers who complete a Live Baltimore Trolley Tour event; the next Trolley Tour is October 3, 2026. That means timing matters. I tell my Baltimore buyers to get fully pre-approved and homebuyer-education-ready before an event so they can act fast when funds are released, instead of scrambling afterward.
A few real-world tips from working these deals in Maryland: First, this incentive is commonly layered on top of a Maryland Mortgage Program (MMP) first mortgage and other MMP down payment help, so the $5,000 may not be your only source of assistance. Second, you must earn a homeownership counseling certificate from a City-approved counseling agency before making an offer on the home; the incentive itself does not require an MMP lender, but the mortgage must be fixed-rate. Third, there is no household income restriction and it is not limited to first-time buyers, but you must apply and be approved before closing - funds are not retroactive.
Eligibility Requirements
- Buyer status: Not limited to first-time homebuyers.
- Property location: The home must be located within Baltimore City limits
- Mortgage: Fixed-rate mortgages only; co-signers, cash sales, and owner financing are not permitted.
- Income limits: None - no household income restriction.
- Other requirements: Homeownership counseling certificate from a City-approved agency before making an offer; the property must be your primary residence in Baltimore City; awarded by lottery after a Live Baltimore Trolley Tour event (next tour October 3, 2026).
- Program figures and requirements change — confirm current details with an approved MMP/CDA lender before you rely on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I combine Buying Into Baltimore with other Maryland Mortgage Program help?
In many cases yes — Buying Into Baltimore is often layered with a Maryland Mortgage Program first mortgage and additional MMP down payment assistance, (the $2,500 Partner Match applies to the MMP Flex 6000 option). Stacking the $5,000 incentive with other programs is one of the most powerful ways Baltimore City buyers reduce cash to close. Always confirm the exact combination allowed with a licensed MMP lender, since program rules change.
Do I have to pay back the $5,000 from Buying Into Baltimore?
It is structured as a forgivable loan over five years, so if you keep the home as your primary residence for the full forgiveness period, you typically do not repay it. However, if you sell, refinance, or move out before the term is complete, you may owe back all or part of the remaining balance.
How do I actually apply for Buying Into Baltimore?
Complete homeownership counseling with a City-approved agency, then attend a Live Baltimore Trolley Tour event - the next one is October 3, 2026. The $5,000 incentive is awarded by lottery after the tour to buyers who have a ratified contract and the required paperwork in, and you must apply and be approved before closing. Reach out and we can line up the counseling certificate and your financing before the tour.
Does the home have to be inside Baltimore City?
Yes — this incentive applies specifically to homes purchased within Baltimore City limits, not Baltimore County or other Maryland jurisdictions. If you are looking outside the city, other Maryland Mortgage Program and county-level options may fit better, and we can point you to the right one.
Check If You May Qualify
You may be eligible for a $5,000 forgivable incentive toward your Baltimore City home — but the lottery only runs after a Trolley Tour event and the counseling certificate has to come before your offer, so the smartest first step is a quick eligibility check. I'm Ronnie Gilmer with Samson Properties, and I help buyers across Maryland and DC line up the right down payment assistance and an approved lender before they shop.
Check If You May Qualify
Find Programs I May Qualify ForProgram details change frequently — verify current guidelines with a licensed lender; this is not a commitment to lend or a guarantee of eligibility.
Last updated: September 1, 2026. Ronnie Gilmer · Samson Properties · Serving Maryland & DC. Not affiliated with any government agency or the Maryland Mortgage Program.
Related programs
MMP Flex 6000
$6,000 zero-interest, deferred loan toward down payment and closing costs (repay at sale, refinance, or payoff).
MMP 1st Time Advantage
Lowest available MMP 30-year fixed rate; smaller add-on assistance than Flex (confirm the current rate with an approved MMP/CDA lender).
Montgomery County Homeownership Program
Closed to new reservations (Sept 1, 2026)
Closed to new reservations (Sept 1, 2026). County down payment/closing-cost assistance up to $50,000, not exceeding 40% of household income.