Prince George's County Pathway to Purchase: Maryland Down Payment Assistance (2026)

Pathway to Purchase is a county-focused down-payment and closing-cost assistance program aimed at helping people buy a home within Prince George's County, Maryland. The assistance is intended to bridge the biggest gap most first-time buyers face: the cash needed at the closing table for the down payment and closing costs. The county lists maximum assistance of up to $50,000 per buyer. It is a 0% deferred loan that is forgiven over 15 years: nothing is forgiven in years 1 through 5, then 10% of the balance is forgiven each year through year 15. Sell, refinance, or move out before then and the unforgiven balance is repaid. Household income must be at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI), and purchase-price caps apply: $485,000 for new construction and $448,000 for resale.

Here is what I tell my Prince George's County buyers as a local agent. First, programs like this are usually layered on top of a first mortgage — and in Maryland that often means pairing county assistance with the Maryland Mortgage Program (MMP), administered by the Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) through the Community Development Administration (CDA). To use MMP help, you must work with an approved Maryland Mortgage Program lender — not just any lender.

Second, an 8-hour homebuyer education course is required before you can receive assistance, so start it early — it is a common reason closings get delayed.

Third, watch the timing and funding. County programs are often funded in rounds or have application windows, and dollars can run out, so do not assume the money is sitting there waiting. Get pre-approved, complete your education, and have your file ready so you can move when funding is available.