Down Payment Assistance for First-Time Buyers in MD, VA, DC, and PA

Down payment assistance can turn a home purchase that feels years away into one that is possible now. Each of the four jurisdictions we serve — Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania — runs its own programs, and knowing how they work before you apply puts you in a stronger position.

What Down Payment Assistance Is

Down payment assistance, or DPA, is money from a state or local housing agency that covers part of your down payment or closing costs. It usually comes in one of three forms:

• Grants: Funds that do not have to be repaid as long as you meet the program's conditions.
• Deferred second loans: A second mortgage with no monthly payment, repaid when you sell, refinance, or pay off the first loan.
• Forgivable loans: A second loan that is forgiven over a set number of years if you stay in the home.

Most programs are paired with a standard first mortgage — often a conventional loan with 3% down or an FHA loan with 3.5% down — so the assistance stacks on top of a program you may already qualify for.

Programs by State

Maryland: The Maryland Mortgage Program, administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development, offers several assistance products that pair with its first mortgages, including matching funds tied to specific employers and communities.

Virginia: Virginia Housing offers down payment and closing cost grants alongside its first-mortgage programs, with eligibility based on income, purchase price, and first-time buyer status.

District of Columbia: The Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) provides deferred assistance to eligible first-time buyers, and DC Open Doors offers down payment assistance without a first-time buyer requirement.

Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency's Keystone programs include assistance loans that can be combined with its first mortgages for eligible buyers.

Income limits, purchase price limits, and homebuyer education requirements vary by program and change every year, so current figures should always be confirmed at the time you apply.

What to Have Ready

• Recent pay stubs and two years of W-2s or tax returns
• Two months of account statements for the funds you plan to use
• A homebuyer education certificate, if the program requires one
• Photo identification and your address history for the past two years

Next Steps

We originate loans that pair with these programs and can tell you which ones your application may qualify for. Contact us or start your application, and a licensed loan officer will walk you through the programs available in your state.