Down payment assistance in the DMV

1st Time Advantage

$6,000 flat — or 3%, 4%, or 5% of your first mortgage

The core MMP option: a 30-year fixed first mortgage paired with down payment and closing-cost help as a zero-interest second loan. No monthly payments on the assistance; it’s repaid when you sell, refinance, transfer title, or pay off the first mortgage.

• 640+ credit score, approved homebuyer education course
• First-time buyer = no homeownership in the last 3 years (exceptions for targeted areas and veterans)

HomeStart

6% of the first mortgage

For households earning at or below 50% of the area median income — the most generous percentage-based option in the MMP lineup, structured the same 0%-deferred way.

Flex: $6,000 or 3%

$6,000 flat or 3% of the first mortgage

The flexible sibling of 1st Time Advantage — and notably open to repeat buyers too, not just first-timers, as long as you meet MMP income and purchase-price limits.

Partner Match

Up to $2,500 extra

When an MMP-approved partner — your employer, a builder, or a community organization — contributes toward your down payment, the state matches it, up to $2,500. It pairs with the 1st Time Advantage 6000 or Flex 6000 loans, and the state’s match is itself a 0%-interest deferred loan — no monthly payments, repaid when you sell, refinance, or pay off the first mortgage.

HomeAbility

Up to 25% of the purchase price (max $45,000)

For buyers with a disability, or buyers purchasing for an immediate family member with a disability. Update October 2026: Maryland closed HomeAbility to new applicants because all program funds are committed — existing reservations are still honored. DHCD has reopened it before when new funding arrived, so ask an approved lender about current status.

SmartBuy

Student debt paid off at closing — up to 15% of the price (max $25,000)

Carrying student loans? SmartBuy 3.0 pays them off at closing — up to 15% of the purchase price, capped at $25,000 — so the debt doesn’t drag down your buying power. The payoff is forgiven after five years.

Virginia Housing DPA Grant

2.5% of the price (FHA) or 2% (conventional)

A genuine gift, not a loan — no lien, no repayment, even if you sell the next day. It must be paired with a Virginia Housing first mortgage.

• 620+ credit (FHA) / 640+ (conventional); homebuyer education required
• Northern Virginia income limits around $148K (1–2 people) / $174K (3+); $800,000 price cap
• First-time buyer (3-year rule), with exceptions for targeted areas

Virginia Housing Plus Second Mortgage

Up to 5% of the purchase price

A 30-year fixed second loan with monthly payments that covers the full required down payment — and with 680+ credit you can add roughly 1.5% more for closing costs. Open to repeat buyers on the expanded option, with no price cap.

VA DHCD HOMEownership

10–15% of the price + $2,500 closing (max $40,000)

A 0%-interest deferred loan that’s forgiven entirely — after 5 years for smaller awards, 10 years for larger ones — as long as you keep living in the home. For first-time buyers at or below 80% of area median income.

VIDA

$10 matched for every $1 you save (up to $10,000)

A matched-savings program: complete the financial education, save steadily for 4–24 months, and the state multiplies your down payment fund tenfold.

HPAP — Home Purchase Assistance Program

Up to $202,000 + $4,000 for closing costs

The biggest assistance check in the DMV: gap financing as a 0%-interest subordinate loan. Below 80% of median income it’s fully deferred until you sell or refinance; between 80–110%, payments are deferred 5 years, then principal-only over 40 years.

• Head of household, first-time buyer (3-year rule); DC residents get priority
• Around 630 credit; minimum contribution of $500 — or 50% of liquid assets over $3,000, whichever is greater
• Very high demand — expect a months-long process and plan early

DC Open Doors

3.5% of the price (FHA) or 3% (conventional)

Run by the DC Housing Finance Agency — and you don’t have to be a first-time buyer or even a current DC resident. Income limits are generous and based on borrower income rather than total household income — check the current official income limits before planning, as figures change. 640+ credit, through a DCHFA-approved lender. Note: the down payment loan portion has been paused at times — check availability before planning around it.