MMP 1st Time Advantage 5%
Down-payment assistance equal to 5% of the first mortgage.
Eligible first-time Maryland homebuyers and applicable MMP exceptions.
See programFully Targeted Area
Dorchester homebuyer programs
Dorchester County is entirely within a Maryland Targeted Area, which can broaden program access for qualified repeat buyers while preserving the statewide first-time buyer options.
Find Programs I May Qualify For$164,5202026 MMP household income — 1–2 people
$191,9402026 MMP household income — 3+ people
$692,2112026 max acquisition cost shown for the standard area
$541,2872026 CDA maximum mortgage limit
Fully Targeted Area: All properties in this jurisdiction are in a Maryland Targeted Area. Qualified repeat buyers may be able to use products otherwise limited to first-time buyers.
Statewide options
Programs worth checking in Dorchester
These are some of the Maryland programs that can apply here. The finder uses your buyer profile to narrow the list.
HomeStart 6%
Down-payment assistance equal to 6% of the first mortgage.
Eligible MMP first-time buyers whose qualifying income is at or below 50% of Area Median Income for the county.
See programFirst Homes for First Responders and Teachers
5% down-payment and closing-cost assistance plus an MMP first-mortgage rate 0.50 percentage point below the standard 1st Time Advantage 5% product.
Eligible first-time buyers working full-time in qualifying Maryland teacher or first-responder positions, including certain relocating workers with qualifying offers.
See programMaryland SmartBuy 3.0
Student-loan payoff assistance up to 15% of the purchase price, capped at $25,000.
Eligible buyers with at least $1,000 in student debt; generally first-time buyers or repeat buyers purchasing in a Targeted Area.
See programHomeAbility
A second loan for up to 25% of the purchase price, capped at $45,000, for down payment and closing costs.
Eligible first-time buyers with a documented disability, or qualifying guardians/main caregivers for an immediate family member with a disability who will live in the home.
See programMMP Flex 3%
Down-payment assistance equal to 3% of the first mortgage.
Eligible first-time and repeat Maryland homebuyers.
See programHomeStart and HomeAbility income markers
50% AMI: $47,500
80% AMI: $76,000
These 2026 qualifying-income figures are used for products such as HomeStart (50% AMI) and HomeAbility (80% AMI). MMP household-income limits still apply separately.
Common questions
Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer?
No. MMP Flex is available to eligible first-time and repeat buyers. Targeted Area rules can also create additional options for repeat buyers.
Does a match mean I qualify?
No. It means the program appears worth reviewing. Final eligibility depends on the program, property, lender, insurer/agency and underwriting requirements.
Can I combine programs?
Sometimes. Layering depends on the specific programs and loan type. The finder flags potential combinations for review rather than promising that every source can be stacked.
Find your Dorchester program matches
Use the finder to compare your location, income, household size, first-time status, credit range and specialty-program factors.
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