If you're trying to get the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit or the $6,500 credit for certain repeat buyers, this shouldn't be news to you: Your deadline is Friday. That's the last day you can enter into a binding contract, as the IRS puts it, and still qualify.
That's not the only thing you'll need to do to qualify, naturally. You can peruse the list on the IRS site, or read some frequently asked questions here.
I'm interested in hearing from buyers in Baltimore and 'burbs who are trying to get under contract before the credit clock runs out. (And, for that matter, anyone purposely waiting until afterward to look.) You can send me an email at jamie.smith.hopkins(at)baltsun.com.