Arizona first-time home buyer programs include statewide down payment assistance through the Arizona Industrial Development Authority (AzIDA/Home+Plus), local city and county DPA, and federal loan options like FHA, VA, and USDA. Below are concise, official-led program notes to help buyers and their lenders check fit quickly.
Arizona Industrial Development Authority (AzIDA) Programs:
Updated July 15, 2026AzIDA operates the statewide Home+Plus DPA and administers the Arizona Is Home (AIH) initiative through participating lenders. Always confirm county availability and exact product terms with the lender. Key admin pages: HomePlus (AzIDA) and the HomePlus program summary and lender guides linked below.
HOME+PLUS Home Buyer Down Payment Assistance Program:
Eligibility: First-time and repeat buyers depending on the product variant; available statewide through approved participating lenders.
Offerings: Paired with a 30-year fixed first mortgage (conventional/FHA/VA/USDA). Assistance commonly up to 4% of the first mortgage for down payment and/or closing costs. Assistance may be a forgivable second or a deferred second lien depending on the product—check the lender product matrix for forgivable-term options. See AzIDA HomePlus pages and the program summary for lender-specific rules. (HomePlus program summary (PDF)).
Requirements / typical ranges:
- Household income: statewide cap shown in AzIDA materials at approximately $155,386 (effective April 6, 2026); county/AMI-specific limits and product caps may be lower—confirm by county and loan product. (HomePlus program summary).
- Minimum credit score: lender- and product-dependent. Many participating lenders show common minimums in the low 600s for selected Home+Plus products; some local IDA variants list minimums around 640—verify with your lender and the participating lender matrix. (Participating lenders list).
- Debt-to-income: commonly evaluated by automated underwriting; guideline examples are around ≤45% typical, with higher ratios possible with compensating factors—confirm with the lender.
- Homebuyer education: at least one borrower must complete an approved counseling or education course before closing.
- Forgiveness: some Home+Plus forgivable second options forgive over a set term; other seconds are deferred but not forgivable—check the specific product summary. (lender product summary).
Arizona Is Home (AIH):
Benefits: Historically a below-market 30-year fixed mortgage combined with DPA (commonly 3%–4% in many materials).
2026 notes: AIH availability is county- and administrator-specific. HomePlus lender guidance for 2026 notes an annual allocation reference of $55 million and states that AIH DPA reservations for 2026 will be non-forgivable (balance due on sale or refinance). Confirm county availability and product terms on the program portal before advising buyers. (Arizona Is Home — HomePlus / AzIDA) (HomePlus lender support notes).
Local & County Programs (Examples):
Many cities and counties run additional forgivable or deferred DPA that can stack with statewide programs. Below are official program highlights—always verify with the local admin site or an approved participating lender.
Maricopa County
Home in Five Advantage Program: Administered by the Maricopa and Phoenix IDAs. Official program materials list DPA options commonly sized at 3%–6% for various product tiers, with some product variants that include forgivable 7-year or 10-year seconds depending on the product code. Published guidance shows a common minimum FICO around 640 for many Home in Five products—confirm the current eligibility matrix and product code with Home in Five lender resources. (homein5advantage.com) (Home in Five guidelines (PDF)).
Pima County / Tucson
There are two commonly confused paths in Pima/Tucson—confirm which one your lender will use:
- City of Tucson Down Payment Assistance (City HOME DPA): The City of Tucson official fact sheet states maximum assistance is $50,000 or 20% of the contract sales price (whichever is less); loans are deferred with an affordability period and HUD‑certified counseling is required before purchase. (tucsonaz.gov DPA).
- Pima‑Tucson Homebuyer’s Solution (PTHS) and CIC admin programs: Administered through local IDAs with Community Investment Corporation (CIC) administering some variants, PTHS and related products have multiple variants for DPA and MCCs—check the current PTHS lender product guide or CIC admin pages for exact assistance percentages, income limits, purchase-price caps, and forgiveness terms. (cictucson.org) (Tucson IDA homebuyers).
Phoenix
Open Doors Down Payment Assistance: The City of Phoenix Open Doors materials describe a deferred 0% second with assistance up to 10% of purchase price for many eligible households at or below 80% AMI; recent published materials list a purchase price cap (example in recent materials: $447,000). Some outreach documents reference a practical cap commonly cited in city materials in the low five figures for specific borrower tiers; confirm the current maximum assistance, forgiveness schedule, and affordability period with Phoenix Housing. (phoenix.gov/housing) (Open Doors fact sheet (PDF)).
Additional Information:
- Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC): MCCs convert a portion of annual mortgage interest into a federal tax credit. In Pima County, CIC administers MCCs and notes credits commonly up to $2,000 per year—availability, purchase-price limits, and income caps vary by county; apply for an MCC before closing. (CIC Tucson MCC).
- USDA Loans: 0% down for eligible rural properties; county eligibility maps and income limits apply—confirm eligibility on the USDA RD site and with your lender.
- VA Loans: VA-backed purchase loans can allow financing with no down payment for eligible veterans/active duty when the sales price does not exceed the appraised value; entitlement and funding-fee rules apply — verify with a VA-approved lender. (VA Purchase Loan — VA.gov).
- FHA Loans: FHA allows minimum down payments of about 3.5% for borrowers meeting FHA credit guidelines; lender overlays and loan-level requirements vary — consult an FHA-approved lender. (HUD / FHA overview).
Confirm program income caps, county/purchase-price limits, DPA forgiveness schedules, and whether a DPA is a forgivable grant or a deferred/repayable second mortgage before advising a buyer—the linked admin pages above are the primary sources used for this guide.
Seeking Agents® connects you with Arizona agents experienced in these programs who compete to offer reduced commissions or added services—free for buyers and sellers. For lender-level product confirmation, direct buyers to an approved participating lender listed on the program admin sites.