Buying Into Baltimore

Buying Into Baltimore is sponsored by Live Baltimore (in partnership with Baltimore City). This incentive provides $5,000 to use toward buying a home anywhere in Baltimore City.

Buy Back the Block - Live Baltimore Photo by J. J. McQueen for the Mayor of Baltimore City The Buy Back the Block program provides grants to Baltimore City residents who live and then purchase within the grant-eligible area.

The $15,000 home purchase grant reduces the amount of money you will need up front to buy a home. The $20,000 home purchase & renovation grant reduces the amount of money you will need up front to buy and renovate a home. These grants do not need to be repaid.

You may be eligible for either grant if you: Currently live at a grant-eligible address where you have resided for the last 12 or more consecutive months. Will purchase and live in a home located in the grant-eligible area as your primary residence. Have a total household income below $144,720 or 120% AMI , whichever is greater.

Do not currently own any real estate. Will complete homeownership counseling before making an offer on a home. Will work with a program-approved mortgage lender to obtain a fixed-rate mortgage.

Will contribute at least $1,000 of your own funds to a home purchase. View the full program terms & conditions Check if your current or purchase address is in the grant-eligible area. Take the Eligibility Quiz Start the Buy Back the Block process by taking this short quiz!

Find lenders, counseling agencies, and answers to FAQs here. Use the map below to learn if your current or purchase address is in the grant-eligible area. Please note that the grant-eligible area is defined by the most recent version of Baltimore City’s Housing Market Typology Map, specifically categories D through J.

Learn more about the Housing Market Typology Map . Here are the steps to get you started on checking your address: Click in the search field on the top right portion of the map below labeled “Find address or place. ” Type your address.

A list of options will appear. Choose your address from the list. The map will zoom in on the area and show a pin.

Yellow means eligible; gray is ineligible. To search for another address, click the “Clear search location” button. For the Spanish version of this interactive map, select the language from the dropdown menu on the right.

Download a PDF of the grant-eligible map iFrames are not supported on this page. Program-approved mortgage lenders You must work with one of the program-approved mortgage lenders to receive Buy Back the Block funds. For the $15,000 home purchase grant work with an approved Buy Back the Block lender to get pre-qualified for a fixed-rate mortgage.

Your mortgage amount cannot exceed the current FHA mortgage limit for a single-family home. For the $20,000 home purchase & renovation grant work with an approved Buy Back the Block lender to get pre-qualified for a fixed-rate purchase and renovation mortgage (such as an FHA 203(k), Fannie Mae HomeStyle, Freddie Mac CHOICERenovation, or other). Your mortgage amount cannot exceed the current FHA mortgage limit for a single-family home.

Renovation guidelines vary by loan product. Speak with your lender for details. Download a PDF of program-approved lenders Descargue un PDF de los prestamistas aprobados In order to be eligible for the Buy Back the Block program, you must earn a homeownership counseling certificate from a City-approved counseling agency BEFORE making an offer on your home.

Counselors can also help you determine if you are ready for homeownership and review any credit issues that need to be addressed before applying for a mortgage. Some agencies offer additional services, such as post-purchase education, default and delinquency counseling, community outreach, and credit and budgeting classes. Homeownership certificates are valid for 12 months from the date of completion.

View the list City-approved counseling agencies Learn About Other Homebuying Incentives Hear Stories of Past Grant Recipients Attend A Homebuying Event Have more questions about Buy Back the Block? We’re here to help. Send us an email or call 410-637-3750 for one-on-one assistance.

The Buy Back the Block program is administered by Live Baltimore in partnership with the City of Baltimore. Funding for Buy Back the Block is made possible through an award from the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, as well as a grant from the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs. Explore More Ways to Afford Your Home Down Payment & Closing Costs Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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