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 October 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 resources 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 in product tiers up to about 4% of the first mortgage for down payment and/or closing costs, provided as a second lien (forgivable on program terms for certain product codes). See the official lender program summary and lender support pages for product-specific details. (HomePlus program summary (PDF)).
Requirements / typical ranges:
- Household income: statewide cap published in Home+Plus materials at approximately $155,386 (current cap shown in the Home+Plus program summary as of April 6, 2026); county/AMI-specific limits and product caps may be lower—confirm by county and underlying first-mortgage product. (HomePlus program summary).
- Minimum credit score: lender- and product-dependent. The Home+Plus lender materials show product minimums commonly in the low-600s for certain first-loan products (e.g., some product matrices cite 620 minimums); verify the exact minimum in the lender matrix or lender portal. (HomePlus lender support / HomePlus lender portal).
- Debt-to-income: commonly evaluated by AUS; guideline examples are often around ≤45% though higher ratios may be acceptable with compensating factors—confirm with the participating lender.
- Homebuyer education: at least one borrower must complete an approved counseling or education course before closing.
- Forgiveness & structure: some Home+Plus seconds are forgivable (forgiveness schedules are product-specific) while other seconds are deferred but not forgivable—consult the program summary and lender product matrix. (lender program summary).
Arizona Is Home (AIH):
Benefits: A below-market 30-year fixed mortgage combined with 4% DPA in many program materials. The AIH DPA is provided as a non-forgivable deferred second (balance due on sale or refinance) per the program admin page. (Arizona Is Home — HomePlus / AzIDA)
2026 notes: AIH availability is county- and administrator-specific (AIH is offered by the Arizona IDA in many rural counties but not in Maricopa or Pima per the admin page). The official program page currently shows the AIH DPA as non-forgivable and (per the HomePlus update) posted that 2026 reservations/funds were exhausted as of Oct 6, 2026—confirm current reservation status with the program portal or an approved lender before advising buyers. (Arizona Is Home).
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 second-loan DPA options commonly sized at 3%–6% for various product tiers and multiple term/forgiveness structures (3-, 7-, 10-, 30-year options depending on the product code). Confirm the current eligibility matrix and the lender product guide for exact FICO, income limits, and product codes. (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 page and fact sheet state 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) (Tucson DPA fact sheet (PDF)).
- Pima‑Tucson Homebuyer’s Solution (PTHS) and CIC admin programs: Administered through local IDAs with Community Investment Corporation (CIC) administering some variants; these programs 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 fact sheet describes a deferred 0% second with assistance up to 10% of purchase price for households at or below 80% AMI. The fact sheet shows the HUD-based 95% median purchase-price reference at $470,250 (fact sheet dated Aug 25, 2026) — confirm current purchase-price limits 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. (USDA RD Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program).
- 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.