Arizona down payment assistance

Program rules and funding change. I confirm the current terms for your address before we plan around any of them.

How down payment help works

Down payment assistance usually sits behind your main mortgage as a second loan. Some programs forgive it over time. Others are due when you sell or refinance. The main loan is often FHA or conventional, and sometimes VA or USDA.

Assistance can be the reason a first-time buyer closes. It also adds paperwork, a class, and time, and some sellers prefer a simpler offer.

That's why I compare three options side by side:

• Your loan with assistance
• Your loan with a gift from family
• Your loan with no help at all

Sometimes the loan without assistance costs less over time. Sometimes assistance is what makes buying possible today. You'll see both before you choose.

New to buying? Start on Buy a Home and First-Time Home Buyer. buy a home first-time home buyer To pick the main loan, see Loan Options. loan types

HOME Plus: statewide help

HOME Plus is run by the Arizona Industrial Development Authority and is open in every Arizona county. It's the program I use most when a home is outside Phoenix city limits and Maricopa County programs don't fit.

The help is a 0% second loan with no monthly payment, forgiven after 5 years. It pairs with FHA, VA, USDA, and certain conventional loans. You don't have to be a first-time buyer, but at least one buyer completes an approved homebuyer course before closing.

Income limits apply and can change during the year, so I check the current limit when you have an address. Condos, manufactured homes, and new construction can bring extra steps, and your main loan still has to be approved.

Home in Five: Maricopa County help

Home in Five is offered through the Maricopa County and Phoenix Industrial Development Authorities for home purchases in Maricopa County. It isn't statewide. The homebuyer course is 8 hours, through an Arizona HUD-approved counseling agency.

Income limits apply, and the program has its own repayment and forgiveness rules. Before you choose it, I'll compare your cash to close and full monthly payment against a loan with a family gift or no help at all.

Competitive listings in Tempe and Chandler don't always wait for extra steps. If you need Home in Five to close, we'll write an offer that's clear about the timeline.

Phoenix Open Doors: inside city limits only

Open Doors is the City of Phoenix's program. It's a 0% deferred loan that can be forgiven over time if you stay in the home.

• Phoenix only. The home must be inside Phoenix city limits. A Phoenix mailing address doesn't always mean it's in the city. Glendale, Scottsdale, and unincorporated county pockets aren't Phoenix. I check the boundary for you.
• Education first. You'll complete a homebuyer class and one-on-one housing counseling before you close.
• Funding comes and goes. I check whether the program is open before we plan around it. If it's closed, we pivot.

Some help looks like a grant in a brochure and works like a second loan at closing. I'll show you what you're signing.

When assistance isn't the right fit

I'll tell you to skip assistance if:

• Your income or purchase price is over the current limit
• You won't live in the home
• You can't finish the homebuyer class before your contract deadlines (or we need to adjust the dates)
• A family gift covers your cash to close with a simpler loan
• The seller won't accept the timeline

Condos, manufactured homes, and leasehold properties need extra checks, so tell me the property type on day one.

Ready to find out what fits? Call or text (602) 448-4470. Bring your household size, a rough idea of your income, the city you're shopping in, and whether anyone is gifting money. For the 2026 comparison of assistance vs. a straight FHA loan, read my Arizona down payment help guide. blog, Arizona down payment help 2026