Down payment assistanceMaryland
CHAI Homebuyer Assistance Loan (northwest Baltimore, up to $10,000)
Up to $10,000 for closing costs in northwest Baltimore, with no payments for five years
A second mortgage at 0% interest. You make no payments for the first five years. After that you repay it in equal monthly payments over the rest of a ten-year term. It is a loan, not a grant.
We have not confirmed current funding. Check with the administrator before you rely on it.
Last verified Nov 5, 2026. Program terms change; confirm with the administrator before you rely on them.
At a glance
- Amount
- Up to $10,000 for closing costs in northwest Baltimore, with no payments for five years
- Type of help
- Repayable loan
- Where
- Baltimore City
- Run by
- Comprehensive Housing Assistance, Inc. (CHAI)
- First-time buyer
- First-time buyers only
- Income limit
- Up to 100% of area median income
- Minimum credit score
- 640
- Homebuyer education
- Required
How the repayable loan works
A small second loan with its own monthly payment. More cash at closing, a little more each month.
- Interest: 0%
- Monthly payment: Yes
- When you would repay: Payments start in year six. Selling or refinancing before the loan is paid off generally means paying the balance at closing; your loan documents control.
Who qualifies
- First-time buyers only. You cannot have owned a home in the past three years.
- Income. Household income, counting every adult 18 or older in the home, at or below 100% of the Area Median Income (checked 2026-11-05).
- The home must be in ZIP code 21215 or in the Cheswolde, Cross Country, Fallstaff, Glen or Mount Washington neighborhoods.
- CHAI records the loan with a deed of trust and must be listed on your homeowners insurance as an additional mortgagee.
- You must live in the home as your primary residence.
How to apply
- 1Complete a homebuyer education workshop and a one-on-one pre-purchase counseling session with a HUD-certified counselor before you write an offer. CHAI runs monthly workshops and accepts the online eHome America course.
- 2Start your mortgage application with a licensed lender and tell them you want to use the CHAI loan.
- 3Find a home in 21215 or one of the five listed neighborhoods and get a ratified contract.
- 4CHAI coordinates the loan with your lender and title company so the funds are there at closing.
Watch out for
- This is a loan with a payment starting in year six. Budget for it when you look at your long-term monthly cost.
- The income limit is 100% of AMI, higher than the 80% limit on CHAI's $5,000 forgivable grant, so some buyers qualify for this loan but not the grant.
- Neighborhood-specific. A block outside 21215 or the five named neighborhoods does not qualify.
- CHAI did not publish a remaining-funds figure as of 2026-11-05. Ask about availability before you write the offer.
Straight answers
How is this different from the CHAI $5,000 grant?
The $5,000 grant is forgiven after five years in the home and has an 80% of AMI income limit. This loan goes up to $10,000 and allows income up to 100% of AMI, but it is repaid in monthly payments starting in year six.
Can I use it with Baltimore City incentives?
CHAI is a City-approved counseling agency, and its programs are commonly paired with city incentives such as the First-Time Homebuyers Incentive. Your counselor and lender confirm the stack for your purchase.
Sources
- CHAI, Homebuyer Assistance Loan (read Nov 5, 2026)
Program details are summarized from public sources and change without notice. Funding badges reflect the last time we checked, not a guarantee of availability. This is buyer education from a real estate agent, not a loan pre-approval or a commitment to lend. Eligibility is decided by each program administrator and your lender. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Programs are the easy part. Timing is the hard part.
Most buyers lose assistance on a deadline, not on eligibility. Sean helps you map out the counseling, the lender conversation, and the contract dates so nothing slips.