Down payment assistanceMaryland
Maryland Opportunity Grant (6% Opportunity Grant)
Discontinued. Was a 6% grant for lower-income buyers using a Freddie Mac HFA Advantage first mortgage
The Maryland Opportunity Grant, announced by DHCD in January 2018, gave income-qualified buyers a grant toward down payment and closing costs when they used a Freddie Mac HFA Advantage conventional first mortgage through the Maryland Mortgage Program. It is no longer part of the MMP product line. Today the closest MMP option for lower-income buyers is HomeStart, a 6% second loan for buyers at or below 50% of area median income, which is repaid rather than granted.
This program has ended. It is listed so you know not to count on it.
This grant ended. It is listed here because buyers still search for it.
Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Program terms change; confirm with the administrator before you rely on them.
At a glance
- Amount
- Discontinued. Was a 6% grant for lower-income buyers using a Freddie Mac HFA Advantage first mortgage
- Type of help
- Grant
- Where
- Statewide, Maryland
- Run by
- Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, Community Development Administration (Maryland Mortgage Program)
- First-time buyer
- First-time buyers, with exceptions
- Income limit
- Yes, see below
- Homebuyer education
- Required
How the grant works
Money you do not pay back, as long as you meet the program's stay-in-the-home terms.
- Monthly payment: None
Who qualifies
- First-time buyers, with exceptions. When it was offered, standard MMP first-time buyer rules applied.
- Income. When it was offered, the grant was limited to lower-income buyers on Freddie Mac HFA Advantage loans. It is not available today, so no current limits apply.
- Not available. MMP's current product line (September 2026) contains no grant product; every MMP assistance option today is a 0% deferred or forgivable loan.
How to apply
- 1There is nothing to apply for. If you were told about a Maryland 6% grant, ask an MMP approved lender about HomeStart (6% second loan at or below 50% AMI) or the 1st Time Advantage products instead.
Watch out for
- Older articles and some lender pages still mention a Maryland 6% grant. It is not in MMP's 2026 product line, fact sheet index, or program code matrix.
- Do not confuse it with HomeStart. HomeStart is also 6% and also for lower-income buyers, but it is a loan that is repaid when the first mortgage ends.
If a buyer mentions the Maryland 6% grant, they have found an old article. Steer them to HomeStart and the county programs.
Straight answers
Does Maryland still offer the 6% Opportunity Grant?
No. It was introduced in early 2018 for Freddie Mac HFA Advantage loans and has since been retired. It does not appear in any current Maryland Mortgage Program materials.
Is there any grant left in the Maryland Mortgage Program?
Not as of September 2026. MMP assistance is delivered as 0% deferred second loans (1st Time Advantage, Flex, HomeStart, HomeAbility, UPLIFT, First Homes) or a forgivable note (SmartBuy). Grants in Maryland now come from counties, cities, employers and nonprofits.
What is the closest replacement?
HomeStart offers 6% of the first mortgage as a 0% second loan for buyers at or below 50% of area median income. It is repaid when the first mortgage ends, so it is not a grant, but it fills the same gap.
Sources
- DHCD news release 2018-01-23: MMP announces new loan and down payment assistance products (introduces the 6% Opportunity Grant) (read Sep 22, 2026)
- MMP Program Fact Sheets and Tools (current product index, no Opportunity Grant) (read Sep 22, 2026)
- MMP Dual Track Product Line (dated 2026-09-04) (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.
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