AUGUST 29

Baltimore – State employees got a special treat at lunch on Wednesday; free ice cream and information on the great deals available to homebuyers through special incentives through the Maryland Mortgage Program.

Lunchtime temperature hovered in the mid-80s, so the ice cream was welcome.

But with interest rates at record lows and significant downpayment and settlement cost assistance, the special Maryland Mortgage Program deals may have been even more welcome.

Secretary Skinner has dubbed this the Summer of Savings, in recognition of a series of innovative homeownership programs aimed at veterans, first time homebuyers and families looking for their dream home in Baltimore City, parts of Prince George’s County and targeted neighborhoods throughout the state. Learn more about the Maryland Homefront, the Targeted Areas Initiative and the Save-A-Home program.

Each of the initiatives offers discounts off the Maryland Mortgage Program’s already low rates and significant downpayment and settlement cost assistance for qualified buyers. Moreover, those programs can be combined with incentives offered by Baltimore and longstanding programs such as DHCD’s House Keys 4 Employees.

“Under the leadership of Governor O’Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, we are committed to doing what we can to ensure that any qualified family that wants to own a home has the opportunity to do so,” said Deputy Secretary Clarence Snuggs during the event at state offices in Baltimore.