Mortgage Broker
in Maryland
Channel Marker Mortgage is headquartered in Annapolis and licensed across all 24 Maryland counties plus Baltimore City. We've closed hundreds of loans for Maryland buyers — first-time buyers, move-up buyers in Howard County, jumbo buyers in Bethesda, retirees downsizing on the Eastern Shore, and waterfront buyers from Kent Island to St. Mary's.
Why Channel Marker for a Maryland mortgage
We're a Maryland-based mortgage broker, not a retail bank. The difference matters.
Wholesale rates
As a broker, we shop your loan across 100+ wholesale lenders. The same loan that costs you 7.0% at a retail bank often costs 6.5% through us — because retail banks layer their own margin on top of the wholesale rate.
Local Maryland expertise
Maryland's tax structures, county-specific transfer rules, and unique closing customs trip up out-of-state lenders. We work the Maryland market every day — we know the friction points before they show up in your timeline.
Real loan officers
Book a call, talk to one of seven licensed Maryland loan officers — all based in or working the Maryland market every day. The same person who pre-approves you walks the deal to closing.
The Maryland mortgage market in 2026
Maryland is one of the most economically diverse housing markets on the East Coast. Median home prices range from roughly $220,000 in Baltimore City to over $700,000 in Montgomery and Howard Counties, with Anne Arundel sitting near $560,000 as the regional average. The state's affluent core — DC commuter counties — has been tight for years; the western counties and Eastern Shore offer meaningfully more inventory and a lower entry price.
Top metros we cover: Annapolis, Baltimore, Columbia, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Rockville, Frederick, Towson, Gaithersburg, Salisbury, Cumberland, Hagerstown, Easton, Ocean City.
Maryland's combined transfer and recordation tax structure adds roughly 2.0–2.5% of purchase price to closing costs (split by custom between buyer and seller). It's higher than Virginia's; lower than DC's. A first-time buyer in Maryland is exempt from the buyer's half of the state transfer tax — a real saving worth claiming. We cover the full math in our DMV closing costs guide.
Loan programs available in Maryland
We're licensed for and regularly close every major loan product in Maryland.
- Conventional loansThe 2026 conforming loan limit applies to most Maryland counties — including Anne Arundel and Howard — at $832,750. Five high-cost counties (Calvert, Charles, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George's) sit at the elevated cap of $1,249,125.
- FHA loansLow down payment (3.5%), more flexible credit requirements. FHA limits in Maryland follow the conforming-county pattern.
- VA loansZero down for eligible veterans, active duty, and surviving spouses. No upper loan limit for borrowers with full entitlement. See our VA Home Loans in the DMV guide.
- USDA loansZero-down financing for properties in USDA-eligible rural areas. Portions of Anne Arundel, Cecil, Carroll, Frederick, Charles, St. Mary's, and most of the Eastern Shore qualify.
- Jumbo loansAbove the conforming cap. Competitive rates and asset-based qualification options across our wholesale jumbo lender network.
- Bridge loansFor buyers who need to purchase before selling. Particularly relevant in tight Maryland markets where contingent offers don't compete.
Special Maryland situations — where a broker beats a bank
A retail bank pre-approves you against its single underwriting box. If you fit, you get the loan. If you don't, you don't. A multi-lender broker has access to over 100 wholesale lenders, each with its own underwriting criteria. We use that to close loans for situations a retail bank either can't or won't.
Self-employed and 1099 buyers
Bank statement loans qualifying you on 12 or 24 months of business deposits rather than tax returns. Common for Maryland real estate agents, charter captains, contractors, and freelancers — exactly the kind of file a retail bank tends to bounce.
Waterfront and flood-zone properties
Eastern Shore, Annapolis waterfront, Solomons, Kent Island — flood insurance, elevation certificates, and FEMA documentation are routine but require lenders comfortable with the file. We work with the ones who are.
Septic and well properties
Western Maryland and Eastern Shore. Inspection, certification, and property condition requirements vary lender by lender; we know which ones accept what without surprises late in the deal.
Historic homes
Federal Hill, Mount Vernon, downtown Annapolis. Some lenders won't finance pre-1900 construction; some require historic designation paperwork. We work with the ones who don't get spooked.
Bridge loans
Buy your next Maryland home before selling your current one. Most retail lenders have stopped writing this product. We still close them.
Move-up and contingent buyers
Selling a Howard County starter to step up to Bethesda, or selling a DC condo to land in Anne Arundel — we structure financing that wins in tight Maryland markets where contingent offers struggle.
If your file doesn't fit a vanilla 30-year-fixed at 20% down, the brokerage model is built for you. We close the deals retail banks call "complicated."
Counties we serve
All 24 Maryland counties plus Baltimore City.
Maryland-licensed loan officers
Every member of the Channel Marker team is licensed in Maryland. Book directly with whoever fits your situation.
Frequently asked questions about Maryland mortgages
What's the minimum down payment for a Maryland home?
Zero for VA-eligible borrowers and qualifying USDA properties. 3.5% for FHA. 3% for some conventional first-time-buyer programs. 5% for standard conventional.
Can a self-employed buyer get a mortgage in Maryland without two years of tax returns?
Yes. Bank statement loans qualify self-employed and 1099 borrowers on 12 or 24 months of business deposits rather than tax returns. Rates are slightly higher than conventional but the underwriting is built for the income profile most retail banks reject. Common file for Maryland real estate agents, charter captains, contractors, and consultants.
How does the Maryland first-time-buyer transfer tax exemption work?
Maryland's state transfer tax is 0.5% of the purchase price, and customary practice is for buyer and seller to split it. First-time Maryland buyers are exempt from the buyer's half (0.25%). On a $500,000 purchase, that's $1,250 saved at closing. The exemption requires you certify, in writing on the contract, that you're a first-time Maryland buyer.
What's the 2026 conforming loan limit in Maryland?
Most Maryland counties — including Anne Arundel and Howard — use the standard 2026 conforming limit of $832,750. Five high-cost counties (Calvert, Charles, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George's) sit at the elevated cap of $1,249,125 because their median home prices push above the threshold.
Can I get a VA loan in Maryland?
Yes. We close VA loans across the state — particularly common around Pax River, Naval Academy Annapolis, Fort Meade, and Joint Base Andrews. With full VA entitlement, there's no upper loan limit. Our VA Home Loans in the DMV guide covers the rules in detail.
How long does it take to close a Maryland mortgage with Channel Marker?
Our average closing timeline runs about 11.5 days from clear-to-close — meaningfully faster than the 30-to-45-day industry standard. As a broker, we route each file to the wholesale lender best positioned to close it quickly, and our team manages the file actively from contract through funding so the small things that slow most closings down get caught early.
Get a Maryland-specific loan estimate
Online calculators get you in the right ballpark. They miss the local nuances — county-specific transfer taxes, first-time-buyer exemptions, lender credits, jumbo-vs-conforming break points. We model your specific scenario in writing and give you the number that actually shows up at closing.
Book a 15-minute call