Baltimore County Settlement Expense Loan Program (SELP)

At a glance

Amount

Up to $10,000 toward closing costs on an existing home in a Community Conservation Area

Type of help

Forgivable loan

Where

Baltimore County

Run by

Baltimore County Department of Housing and Community Development, through county housing counseling agencies

First-time buyer

First-time buyers, with exceptions

Income limit

Up to 80% of area median income

Price limit

Yes, see below

Homebuyer education

Required

How the forgivable loan works

A second loan with no payment that is forgiven over time or after a set number of years in the home.

• Monthly payment: None
• Forgiveness: Deferred with no payments for the 15-year affordability period required by the federal HOME program, then forgiven if you have lived there as your principal residence the whole time.
• When you would repay: Sell, transfer title, refinance, default on the first mortgage, or stop living in the home during the 15-year period and the loan is repayable.

Who qualifies

• First-time buyers, with exceptions. First-time means no ownership of, or title to, a principal residence anywhere in the last three years. The county's 2023 materials note an exception for military veterans using their exemption for the first time.
• Income. Household income at or below 80% of area median income, adjusted for household size and updated annually. The county publishes the current chart through its counseling agencies; the last chart we saw online was dated 2023, so get the current figures from your counselor (checked 2026-09-22).
• Price. No flat price cap. The loan is sized to your affordability and the county reviews housing and total debt ratios (31% and 43% in its 2023 materials).
• Property types: Existing single-family, Existing townhouse, Existing condo. Must be your primary residence.
• The home must be an existing home (not new construction) inside one of Baltimore County's designated Community Conservation Areas.
• You must be a Baltimore County resident, work or attend school in the county, or agree to buy in the county.
• Fixed-rate first mortgage with a lender on the county's participating list.
• County materials from 2023 list a buyer contribution of 5% of gross annual household income, gifts capped at 3% of the sales price, and post-purchase liquid assets no higher than 25% of annual income. Confirm current figures with your counselor.

How to apply

1. 1Before you sign a contract, attend the county's First Time Homebuyer two-part class and workshop with a Baltimore County affiliated housing counseling agency, then book your one-on-one financial counseling session. The county says you are not eligible for SELP if you already have a signed contract.
2. 2Choose one of the county's counseling agencies to run your file: Belair-Edison Neighborhoods, Diversified Housing Development, Eastside Community Development Corporation, Harbel Housing Partnership, St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center, or Dundalk Renaissance Corporation.
3. 3Get pre-approved for a fixed-rate mortgage with a participating lender. Your counselor has the current lender list.
4. 4Shop existing homes inside a Community Conservation Area. Your counselor or the county can confirm an address.
5. 5Once you have a ratified contract, your counseling agency submits the SELP application to the county. Build the county's review time into your settlement date.

Watch out for

• Class before contract. Signing first disqualifies you, and the classes fill up. Start 60 to 90 days ahead of your search.
• Community Conservation Areas only, and existing homes only. Newer subdivisions and most new construction are out.
• The county's dedicated SELP web page was offline when we checked on 2026-09-22; the program description lives on the Housing Opportunities and Finance page. Funding levels are not posted online, so ask your counseling agency.
• The 15-year affordability period is long compared with the 5-year city programs. Plan for it if you may move within a decade.

Straight answers

Sources

• Baltimore County, Housing Opportunities and Finance (Closing Cost Program: SELP) (read Sep 22, 2026)
• Baltimore County, SELP presentation (2023) with loan terms and buyer rules (read Sep 22, 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.