Live in Baltimore - Buying into Baltimore East FAQ

What are the Buying Into Baltimore Fairs and Neighborhood Tours?

The Buying Into Baltimore Fairs & Neighborhood Tours are produced by the Live Baltimore Home Center, and sponsored by the City of Baltimore. These are a series of two fairs that focus on one half of the city at a time, in an effort to introduce participants to the Baltimore's variety of neighborhoods and housing styles and encourage them to buy homes. The City of Baltimore has made a total of $300,000 available in incentive monies for 100 new home-buyers. Fifty (50) individuals from each fair are eligible to receive a $3,000 home-buying award per fair (50 awards will be awarded at Western Fair & 50 awards will be awarded at Eastern Fair) that can be used towards down-payment and closing costs.

How does the program work?

All activities are free and open to the public.
Pre-registration will be available online at www.livebaltimore.com about 6 weeks prior to the date of the fair.
The event consists of homeownership education sessions, exhibits and neighborhood tours
Education sessions consist of 30 minute workshops beginning at 9:00am on topics such as Applying for a Mortgage; Finding a Home in Baltimore City; Renovating a Home; Baltimore City Homeownership Incentives; and Understanding How A Buyer’s Agent Works For You
Visit with exhibitors such as mortgage lenders, real estate agents, title companies, new construction development, homeownership counselors, neighborhood associations, etc.

Neighborhood Tours: Guided or Self-Driven?

Tours will introduce you to many different neighborhoods of Baltimore City that you never knew existed and provide you with detailed neighborhood highlights and history.
View a variety of neighborhoods and homes, ranging in style, price and geographic location - all with the ease of someone else doing the driving.
You will receive a print out of homes for sale within the respective tour regions.
Tours have been designed to show you many hidden neighborhood highlights.

Guided Tours

Each narrated tour stops at four sample homes for sale; at each home your ticket will be stamped (proving that you participated in event).
Tours are narrated by neighborhood members to provide first-hand knowledge of the toured areas.
There are four individual home tours. Each tour will have eight departure times which begin at approximately 10am, with the last departing at approximately 2PM.
Event registration completed either on-line or the morning of the event, does not guarantee seats on any of the guided tours.
You must sign up for each guided bus tour individually and only after you have completed event registration.
If you arrive early enough you can attend up to two tours.

Self-Driven Tours

You are welcome to drive the tour routes yourself and maps will be provided.
Pick up a self-drive map/directions packet in the Exhibit Area from the “City of Baltimore” Table; at each home your ticket will be stamped (proving that you participated in event).
Maps are available beginning at 10am the day of the event.
Be sure to visit at least four (4) of the 16 homes on the tour and get your Award Ticket stamped.

What are the fair boundaries?

The fairs are split between the Western and Eastern regions of the City. We have drawn a virtual vertical line running through the city, north to south and have divided the two regions. The boundary is not a straight line so as not to split any neighborhood in areas.

Any property within the WESTERN fair boundaries is eligible for the $3,000 award for the WESTERN Region Fair, May 12th, 2007.

Any property within the EASTERN fair boundaries is eligible for the $3,000 award for the EASTERN Region Fair, Sept. 15th, 2007.

Boundary dividing line:

Starting from the North (Baltimore City/Baltimore County Line)
Head south on Charles St.
To west on 29th St.
To south on Howard St.
To west on Camden St.
To east on Russell St. and continue to County Line
Click here for a map of the fair boundaries

How do I get the $3,000 award?

Bring your validated/stamped ticket & signed contract of sale to the City's Homeownership Institute office (417 E. Fayette St. Suite 1125 - contact info will be on ticket).
You will be eligible for the award funds if all of the following conditions are met:
- Housing counseling certificates are required before a commitment letter for award funds will be issued. Counseling must be completed prior to signing a contract of sale. We urge you to get this housing counseling prior to submitting a contract on a home. Click here for a list of housing counseling agencies.
- You are one of the first 50 people to submit both validated ticket and signed contract of sale to the City's Homeownership Institute Office.
- You close on your new home within 90 days from the event date.
- Your property is within the fair boundaries.
- You must use a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac approved lender.
- You must use this home as your primary residence.
- The mortgage amount cannot exceed $417,000.
- Buyer must invest a minimum of $1,000 from their own resources.
- The award is secured by a Deed of Trust, written for a five-year term, while reducing 20% for each year of occupancy and released after the five year period.
- No contracts signed prior to Sept 15, 2007 (for the Eastern Fair) will be accepted.
- Purchase contracts must be signed and dated after the event, not before.
Further questions? Call the City's Homeownership Institute directly at 410-396-3124.

Are only the sample homes for sale on the tour eligible for the $3,000 award?

No, as long as the property you wish to purchase is within the fair boundaries (West of boundaries applicable for West Fair, East of boundaries for East Fair) and is under the $417,000 price limitation, that home is eligible for the award funds.

I have a home for sale - can I get it to be included on the tour?

The property must be listed on the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS) to be considered.
Live Baltimore does take submissions for consideration but cannot guarantee any properties being included on the tours.
If you are a real estate agent, you may fax Live Baltimore the MLS listing to 410-637-3751. (This listing provides address, home price, MLS# <important for pulling this information>, neighborhood and other pertinent information needed).
Live Baltimore, together with volunteer real estate professionals pulls listings, visits homes, and makes final decisions on what homes are chosen.
Homes to be featured on the tours will not be disclosed until the day of the event.

Interested in volunteering for the event?

Wonderful! We love our volunteers - without them, events like this wouldn't be possible!
Volunteer at one of the year's most exciting events! You can help with AM Set-Up, be a Tour Narrator, or help out throughout the day. Please specify what area you'd like to volunteer in and what times you are available.
Click here to sign up for volunteer opportunities online or call 410.637.3750 ext. 16.

How do I get there by car?

Get Mapquest directions to Baltimore City College High School, 3220 The Alameda, Baltimore, MD 21218
From the North:
Take 83 South to Exit 7 toward 28th Street. Make a left onto Charles Street. Turn right on 33rd Street. Baltimore City College High School will be on the right (south side of 33rd Street between Loch Raven Boulevard and The Alameda. Please park in the lot on the Loch Raven Blvd. side of the building.
From the South:
Take 83 North to Exit 7 toward 28th Street. Make a left onto Charles Street. Turn right on 33rd Street. Baltimore City College High School will be on the right (south side of 33rd Street between Loch Raven Boulevard and The Alameda. Please park in the lot on the Loch Raven Blvd. side of the building.
From the East:
Take I-70 East towards Baltimore. Take exit 91 A-B towards 695 South. Then take exit 11A onto 95 North towards Baltimore. Take exit #53 onto 395. At the end of 395 make a right onto Pratt Street. Pass ESPN Zone. Make left onto President Street. President Street becomes 83 North. Take 83 North to Exit 7 toward 28th Street. Make a left onto Charles Street. Turn right on 33rd Street. Baltimore City College High School will be on the right (south side of 33rd Street between Loch Raven Boulevard and The Alameda. Please park in the lot on the Loch Raven Blvd. side of the building.
From the West:
Stay STRAIGHT to go onto US-50 W. Merge onto I-97 N via EXIT 21 toward BALTIMORE. Merge onto I-695 W / BALTIMORE BELTWAY INNER LOOP via EXIT 17A toward BALTIMORE / TOWSON. Take 95 North to 395. At the end of 395 make a right onto Pratt Street. Pass ESPN Zone. Make left onto President Street. President Street becomes 83 North. Take 83 North to Exit 7 toward 28th Street. Make a left onto Charles Street. Turn right on 33rd Street. Baltimore City College High School will be on the right (south side of 33rd Street between Loch Raven Boulevard and The Alameda. Please park in the lot on the Loch Raven Blvd. side of the building.
From Washington, D.C.:
Take 95 North to 395. At the end of 395 make a right onto Pratt Street. Pass ESPN Zone. Make left onto President Street. President Street becomes 83 North. Take 83 North to Exit 7 toward 28th Street. Make a left onto Charles Street. Turn right on 33rd Street. Baltimore City College High School will be on the right (south side of 33rd Street between Loch Raven Boulevard and The Alameda. Please park in the lot on the Loch Raven Blvd. side of the building.

How do I get there on Public Transportation?

From Downtown Baltimore:
The route #3 bus runs from the Inner Harbor to Towson, MD with a stop at 33rd Street and the Alameda. Baltimore City College is also located at 33rd Street and the Alameda. For the #3 bus route and map, please click here.
From Washington, DC:
Amtrak train service from Washington DC – Union Station runs to Baltimore’s Penn Station on Saturdays. Visit www.amtrak.com for schedule and fare information. From Baltimore’s Penn Station, the 10-12 minute taxi cab ride to Baltimore City College High School and is approximately $7-10. You may also take the #3 bus as described above.

Where can I stay in Baltimore City?

CLICK HERE for more information on hotels in Baltimore