Maryland is relatively unique in that the state has 5 high cost counties with “high balance” loan limits up to $947,500 and the rest are $625,000 for one-unit properties in 2022.

The high cost counties are Frederick, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Calvert and Charles counties. This is great news for home buyers who would like to utilize traditional forms of financing such as VA, FHA, Conventional and USDA loans.

This is especially good news for veteran home buyers who already own a home with a VA loan and want to use the bonus entitlement also known as second tier entitlement to purchase another home with their VA entitlement because this is currently based on the county loan limits for each specific county.

The high cost counties with the higher loan limits allow for an increased purchase price with the bonus entitlement so to maximize the entitlement those 5 counties are the best place to look for a home without having to use a down payment.