Advantage (Down Payment & Closing Cost Assistance)
MaineHousing (Maine State Housing Authority)
Amount: $5,000 grant toward down payment, closing costs, and prepaid escrow expenses. No interest rate add-on, no increase in loan amount, and no second mortgage — confirmed via MaineHousing's official Advantage Summary sheet (rev. 021726).
Type: Grant paired with a MaineHousing First Home Loan, Salute ME, or Mobile Home Self-Insured mortgage
Must be used with an eligible MaineHousing first mortgage (First Home, Mobile Home Self-Insured, Uninsured, Purchase Plus Improvement, Salute ME, or MaineHousing-approved Private Mortgage Insurance). Same income and purchase price limits as the First Home Loan Program apply (income limits range roughly $97,900-$146,625 depending on household size and county, effective June 1, 2026, per MaineHousing's homebuyer limits chart). Minimum credit score 640. Requires a minimum borrower cash contribution of 1% of the loan amount (gift funds allowed). No liquid asset test. Must complete a hoMEworks-approved homebuyer education course prior to closing. No cash back allowed at closing; any principal reduction must be under $500.
First Home Loan Program
MaineHousing (Maine State Housing Authority)
Amount: Below-market fixed-rate first mortgage (not a cash grant itself, but the required base loan that unlocks Advantage, First Generation, and SaluteME assistance). Little-or-no down payment options exist when combined with FHA/RD/VA guaranty or MaineHousing-approved private mortgage insurance.
Type: First mortgage loan program
Must qualify as a first-time homebuyer, defined as not having held ownership interest in a principal home in the past 3 years. Minimum credit score of 640 with acceptable credit history. Household income limits vary by family size and county (MaineHousing states most Maine households are income-eligible). Debt-to-income guidance of roughly 30-33% of monthly income for housing costs. Purchase price limits vary by location and property type. Eligible properties include single-family homes, owner-occupied 2-4 unit buildings, condos, and mobile homes (built within last 20 years).
First Generation Program
MaineHousing (Maine State Housing Authority)
Amount: $10,000 grant toward down payment and closing costs, no repayment required, plus a 1.00% interest rate discount off the First Home Loan rate (zero-point option).
Type: Grant + interest rate discount, paired with a MaineHousing First Home Loan
At least one borrower must never have lived in a home owned by their biological/legal parents or guardians during their lifetime, OR have spent time in foster care as a child. Must complete both a Financial Literacy class and a hoMEworks/MaineHousing-approved homebuyer education class. Minimum borrower contribution of 1% of loan amount required. Same household income limits as First Home Loan Program apply (most Maine households are income-eligible, varies by household size and county).
SaluteME
MaineHousing (Maine State Housing Authority)
Amount: 0.50% interest rate discount off the standard First Home Loan rate; can be layered with the $5,000 Advantage down payment/closing cost grant.
Type: Interest rate discount mortgage program for military-affiliated buyers
Available to active-duty military, veterans, and retired military personnel purchasing a home in Maine. Same underlying First Home Loan income limits and 640 minimum credit score apply; combinable with Advantage assistance.