What is Buying Into Baltimore?

Buying Into Baltimore is a homebuying fair featuring four different neighborhood tours. The event is produced by the Live Baltimore Home Center and the $3,000 grant is provided by the City of Baltimore. There are two fairs, one for the West side in May and another for the East side in September.  The fairs provide homebuying education opportunities and introduce participants to the variety of Baltimore's neighborhoods and housing styles.

Through the City of Baltimore, a total of $300,000 is available for 100 new homebuyers. Fifty (50) individuals from each fair are eligible to receive a $3,000 homebuying award per fair (50 awards will be awarded at Western Fair & 50 awards will be awarded at Eastern Fair) to be used toward 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 different neighborhoods of Baltimore City and provide you with detailed neighborhood information and history.
• You will receive a printout of homes for sale within the respective tour regions.
• Tours have been designed to show you many hidden neighborhood highlights.

Guided Tours
• View a variety of neighborhoods and homes, ranging in style, price and geographic location - all with the ease of someone else doing the driving.
• There are four individual home tours. Each tour will have eight departure times, which begin at approximately 10am and the last departing at approximately 2pm.
• 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 area.
• Event registration does not guarantee seats on any of the guided tours. However, every effort will be made to accommodate your choice.
• You must sign up for each guided bus tour individually on the day of the event after you’ve officially checked in and registered on site.
• If you arrive early enough, you can attend up to two tours.

Self-Driven Tours
• You are welcome to drive the tour routes yourself. Maps will be provided.
• Maps and driving directions will be available at 10am the day of the event at the “city of Baltimore” table in the exhibit area..
• Be sure to visit at least four (4) of the 16 homes on the tour and get your Award Ticket stamped to qualify for the $3,000 award.

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.

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 

If you have a home in mind and want to know if it qualifies for the West or East side, Google the address and compare its location to the boundary line.

How do I get the $3,000 award?

Bring your validated/stamped ticket, signed contract of sale & photo ID to Baltimore Housing, Office of Homeownership (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:

• A housing counseling certificate is 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 the 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 are encouraged to 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 May 10, 2008 (for the Western Fair) will be accepted.

• Purchase contracts must be signed and dated after the event, not before.

• Further questions? Call Baltimore Housing, Office of Homeownership 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 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.

Can I volunteer at 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

How do I get there by car?

Get Google directions to Baltimore Polytechnic Institute High School, 1400 W. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21209

From the North:
Take 83 South to Exit 9 Cold Spring Lane. Make a left at the light at the end of the off-ramp onto Cold Spring Lane. Pass over 83 and the high school will be on your left. If you come to Falls Road, you've gone too far.

From the South:
Take 83 North to Exit 9. Take the first exit for Cold Spring Lane, heading east. The High School will be on your left once you get off the ramp.

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 9. Take the first exit for Cold Spring Lane, heading east. The High School will be on your left once you get off the ramp.

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 9. Take the first exit for Cold Spring Lane, heading east. The High School will be on your left once you get off the ramp.

From Washington DC:
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 9. Take the first exit for Cold Spring Lane, heading east. The High School will be on your left once you get off the ramp.

How do I get there on Public Transportation?

From Downtown Baltimore:
The #11 North bus runs 2-3 times each hour from downtown Baltimore, north along Charles Street. At the intersection of Cold Spring Lane and Charles Street, change buses to the #33 West bound on Cold Spring Lane. The bus drops off in front of Poly/Western High School. Click here for the route maps and schedule. The one-way bus fare is $1.60. You may also take the Light Rail, get off at the Cold Spring stop and walk East on Cold Spring ¼ Mile to Poly/Western High School. The one-way Light Rail fare is $1.60, You can get maps and schedules 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 Poly/Western 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