Montgomery County Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit (MPDU) Homeownership Program

At a glance

Amount

Below-market home price, not a cash grant

Type of help

Other help

Where

Montgomery County

Run by

Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA)

First-time buyer

First-time buyers only

Income limit

Yes, see below

Homebuyer education

Required

How the other help works

A special purchase path, discount, or loan type that lowers what you need at closing.

• Monthly payment: None

Who qualifies

• First-time buyers only. You and every household member must not own a home now and must not have owned one anywhere in the past 5 years.
• Income. Gross household income from all sources must be at least $40,000 and no more than $81,500 for 1 person, $93,000 for 2, $104,500 for 3, $116,500 for 4, $125,500 for 5, $135,000 for 6 or more (effective 2026-05-01, updated each spring).
• Property types: Single-family, Townhouse, Condo. Must be your primary residence.
• Must have a mortgage pre-qualification letter for at least $150,000, dated within the last 3 months.
• Household size must fit the home: 1 person for 1 to 2 bedrooms, 2 people for 1 to 3, 3 people for 2 to 4, 4 or more for 3 or more bedrooms.
• You cannot own other residential property while you own an MPDU.
• Priority points in drawings: 1 for living in the county, 1 for working in the county, 1 per year as an approved participant up to 3.

How to apply

1. 1Send the pre-screening intake form to the Greater Washington Urban League (MPDU@GWUL.org) and take the three free online classes in order: the 2.5-hour MPDU orientation, the 8-hour first-time homebuyer class, and the application tutorial. Certificates last 2 years.
2. 2Get a mortgage pre-qualification letter for at least $150,000 from a licensed lender. It must be less than 3 months old when you apply.
3. 3Apply through the MPDU portal with your ID, class certificates, pre-qualification letter, tax return, W-2s or 1099s, recent pay stubs, and proof of address. Use the same name and email everywhere. Allow 30 days.
4. 4Receive your Certificate of Eligibility, good for 1 year. Renew within 60 days of expiration or you start over and lose your points.
5. 5Watch the MPDU For Sale list and enter random selection drawings for homes that fit your household size. Resale MPDUs need an offering code from the listing agent. Drawings run 2 to 3 weeks after a posting.
6. 6If your number comes up, the builder or agent contacts you within about 3 weeks to write the contract at the controlled price.

Watch out for

• This is a 30-year commitment. During the control period you must live in the home, cannot rent it out, can only sell through the program at the county's price, and cannot refinance above the controlled resale price.
• After the control period you may sell at market value, but the county collects 50% of the excess profit.
• The program does not provide financing. Your pre-approval must cover the full sales price of any home you enter a drawing for.
• Report household changes, income increases over $2,000, and address changes through the portal, or your certificate can be voided.
• MPDU income limits are separate from HOC's mortgage program limits. Qualifying for one does not mean qualifying for the other.

Straight answers

Sources

• DHCA MPDU Purchase Applicants page (income limits effective 2026-05-01, classes, process) (read Sep 22, 2026)
• DHCA MPDU Frequently Asked Questions (read Sep 22, 2026)
• DHCA MPDU Program Information (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.