The new location for this page is
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DHCA/MPDU/index.html

For Current MPDU Certificate Holders

Frequently asked questions

Random Selection Drawings

DHCA conducts a Random Selection Drawing to determine who will receive an opportunity to purchase MPDU homes.  This process is NOT a "lottery". Participants do not win a home; rather, they win the opportunity to purchase a home based on a number of factors.

When DHCA is notified by a developer or the current owner of an MPDU that they have a home or homes available for sale, the homes are listed on the MPDU website and are sold to approved MPDU purchase participants.

Approved MPDU purchase program participants must visit the MPDU website regularly to view announcements about homes that become available for sale.  Participants who are interested in a particular home need to click the corresponding link to enter the Random Selection Drawing for that development.  You will be prompted for your Participant/Certificate Number and the last name of the primary participant when registering.  After registering to participate in the Random Selection Drawing for a home, participants will automatically receive an email confirming they have signed up.

Those who are not eligible to enter the Random Selection Drawing for that property will be excluded from the drawing.  Ineligible households will be notified of the reason they were ineligible when the results of the drawing are posted on the MPDU website.

To be eligible to purchase an MPDU property, participants must:

  • be pre-approved for a mortgage loan equal to or greater than the sales price of the available property (for example, if the sales price for the unit is $156,000, then your certificate must show that you qualify for a mortgage of no less than $156,000);

  • have a household size appropriate for the number of bedrooms in the property (see chart below) unless an insufficient number of households of eligible size enters the drawing, and Household Size; and

    Household Size and Number of Bedrooms
    Household Size For Sale MPDUs Number of Bedroom
    1 person 1 or 2 bedrooms *
    2 people 1 or 2 bedrooms
    3 people 2 or 3 bedrooms
    4 people 2 or 3 bedrooms
    5 people 3 bedrooms
  • for MPDU properties in senior or adult communities, a household must have at least one household member age 55 or older AND no household members age 18 or younger.

After the entry deadline for the development has passed, DHCA will rank the participants who registered for the property based on the following factors:

  • Those who are eligible for the property will be grouped by Priority Points.

    Priority to purchase a home is given to participants who have accumulated the most "Priority Points".  The maximum number of Priority Points that a household can have is five (5). Points are assigned on the following basis:
    • Living in Montgomery County - 1 point
    • Working in Montgomery County - 1 point
    • For each consecutive year an approved MPDU purchase program participant - 1 point per yea r (maximum of 3 years)

The following chart illustrates how points are assigned:

Conditions and Number of Years
Condition Year One Year Two Year Three +
(maximum points)

Living & Working In County

3 4 5

Living OR Working in County

2 3 4

NOT Living or Working in County

1 2 3

  • The eligible registered participants in each priority point group will be randomly ranked using the randomize function of the computer.  The final list with rankings in each group will be published on the MPDU website.
  • The household ranked first has the first opportunity to purchase a home. If they decline, the household ranked second has the opportunity to purchase, followed by the household ranked third, etc. Declining to purchase a home does NOT in anyway penalize a household in future selections.  The builder's sales agent will contact the highest ranked participants, beginning with number 1 in the group with 5 priority points.  The number of participants that will be contacted depends on the number of homes available in that selection process.  For example, if 5 homes are available, the 5 highest ranked participants will be contacted.  If 1 home is available, only the top-ranked participant will be contacted.
  • Do not contact the MPDU Office to see when you will be called by the builder's sales agent.  The MPDU Office does not have this information.
  • The opportunity to purchase a resale MPDU is also assigned using a point-weighted RSD, as described above.  However, for many resales, in order to enter the RSD, interested participants must first attend one of two open houses that are held prior to the RSD in order to view and inspect the property.  The dates of these open houses are listed in the property description on the resale webpage.

How to Update Information about Your Certificate

The MPDU Office no longer accepts documents by mail, e-mail, or fax .To limit potential virus exposure and improve security, the MPDU office has developed the MPDU Application Portal, a confidential online system.

You must notify the MPDU office for changes in your household size, address, contact information or income. Please visit the MPDU application portal and upload any supporting documents. Please be aware that it may take up to 30 days for your information to be updated; therefore, it is important to upload the supporting documents as soon as the change takes place so that you will not miss opportunities to buy an MPDU. You will be notified by e-mail if additional documentation is required.

  • For a change in household size (new baby): a birth certificate or letter from a hospital or a federal tax return showing a change in a number of dependents and names.
  • For a change in marital status (getting married, getting divorced): marriage certificate or divorce decree.
  • For a change of address: a copy of your driver’s license, lease, or utility bill.
  • For a change of contact information (new cell phone or e-mail): enclose a short note with changes.
  • For a change in income (more than $2,000): Two (2) most recent pay stubs or four (4) if paid weekly or letter on company letterhead verifying new employment and salary, PLUS a new pre-qualification letter from an HOC participating lender.

To receive instructions to create your online account and access the MPDU Application Portal click  here.

If you already have access to the MPDU Application Portal click  here. Once you are logged in, please go to the MPDU Application Portal then to the Update Current Certificate tab.

Special Note: Only Current certificate holders can update information. If your certificate is eligible for renewal (expires within 60 days) or if your certificate is already expired, please refer to the Steps and Instructions for renewing certificate holders and returning applicants below.

How to Renew Your Certificate or Re-Apply to the MPDU Program

Due to the continuing economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, all MPDU sales certificates that were originally scheduled to expire between February 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021 have been extended by one year from their original expiration date, without requiring submission of an MPDU renewal application. These certificate holders will still receive a priority point for this year, even though the requirement to recertify has been postponed by a year. Certificate holders will be able to begin renewal of their certificates within 60 days of their new expiration date. 
If you are not able to renew your certificate by your new expiration date, or if your certificate expired before February 1, 2020, you will need to re-start the MPDU application process, and you will lose any points that were awarded to you previously when your certificate was valid. ​ You may register for the First-Time Homebuyer class and the Orientation Seminar here.  (You do not need to re-take any class that you took within the past two years.)  
Steps and Instructions for renewing certificate holders and returning applicants:
The MPDU Office no longer accepts paper applications. To limit potential virus exposure and improve security, the MPDU office has developed the MPDU Application Portal, a confidential online system for submitting new and renewal certificate applications or re-applications.
All renewing certificate holders and any participant that previously applied and whose application was denied or incomplete will need to take an online MPDU Application Tutorial (formerly the Application Session) before submitting an application. The Application Tutorial is an online training that includes tests that you must pass with a score of 80% or better. You will be able to review the tutorial and re-take the tests as many times as you wish.

Steps and Instructions

Step

Instructions

Step 1. Verify your renewal or re-application  eligibility

  • If you are an MPDU certificate holder with a current certificate that is within 60 days of the expiration date, please continue to Step 3. Please note that the system will not allow you to start your renewing application if your certificate's expiration date is with more than 60 days.
  • If your certificate expired less than 90 days ago, please continue to Step 3. 
  • If your certificate expired more than 90 days ago or if you previously submitted your application and your application was denied or incomplete, you must re-apply to the MPDU Program. If you have taken both the First Time Homebuyer class and the Orientation Seminar within the last two years, please continue to Step 3. If it has been more than two years since you attended either one or both classes, you must re-take the expired class. To register for the First Time Homebuyer class or the Orientation Seminar click  here

Step 2. Gather all the required documents to submit with your certificate renewal or re-application

MPDU Application  Checklist:​
  1. First Time Homebuyer Certificate issued within the past two years. ( See sample). (Only if you are re-applying after your certificate expired more than 90 days ago or your application was denied or incomplete). ​​ ​​​
  2. Mortgage Pre-Qualification Letter with a pre-qualified amount of no less than $150,000 and issued within the last three months. ( See sample). ​
  3. Federal Tax Return: The most recently filed Federal Income Tax return(s) ( Forms 1040 and W-2) for every wage earner or IRS letter certifying no tax return was filed. ( See sample).
  • Self-prepared taxes are not acceptable. Obtain a Tax Return Transcript and all other tax-related transcripts at no cost from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript or call 800-908-9946. ( See sample).
  • If you are a self-employee and filled out a 1040 with form (s) 1099 Miscellaneous, 1099 NEC or a Scheduled C- Profit or Loss, ( see samples) of the document pages that must be provided.​​​

       4.  Proof of gross income: Two (2) most recent pay stubs, or four (4) if paid weekly, for every wage earner in the household and from each current employer. ( See samples).

  • If unable to provide pay stubs because you have new employment or current employer does not supply with pay stubs, please print a Verification of Income form (PDF). Bank statements are not acceptable.
  • If self-employed, a notarized Year-To-Date summary of income and expenses (this statement must be from current year starting from January to present) and Schedule C from your federal income tax return.( See samples).
  • If retired, proof of pension income and/or social security income. ( See sample).
  • If receive other income such as Child Support, Alimony, Social Security, etc., provide statements from the agency issuing this income. Bank statements are not acceptable.​​.

     5. ​​Proof of residence: If your current taxes do not show your current address, provide copy of any two of the following: current rental lease, utility bill, and or driver’s license showing new address.

     6.​ Other documents for special situations: (Only if applicable).​​

  • Divorce or separation agreements (if applicable or if the most recent tax return was filed as “married”).
  • If you have a newborn child who was not listed on your recent tax return, provide a copy of the child’s birth certificate.
  • If you have an adult child or relative such a parent that you are claiming on your taxes as your dependent, you must provide a Verification of Non-Filing Taxes (Form 4506-T) for each listed dependent. Obtain this form and all other tax-related transcripts at no cost from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript or call 800-908-9946. ( See sample).
Step 3. Take an online MPDU Application Tutorial 

Before taking an online Application Tutorial and submitting your renewal application, you will need to create an online account for the MPDU Application Portal if you have not created an account yet. In the Portal, you will be able to access your certificate or participant  information and follow the instructions about eligibility for renewing or re-applying . If your certificate expired more than 90 days ago or if you previously submitted your application and your application was denied or incomplete, you must re-take the MPDU classes if it has been more than two years since you attended either one or both of the first two classes as stated in Step 1.

Click here to receive instructions to create your online account and access ​the MPDU Application Portal if you haven’t created an account yet. 

If you already have access to the MPDU Application Portal and or need to provide additional documents requested by the MPDU office, click here .