Arizona First-Time Home Buyer Programs and Assistance

Arizona first-time buyer programs open now

Arizona Industrial Development Authority (Arizona IDA) / Arizona Department of Housing is the state's housing finance agency (homebuyer programs page). It runs 2 down payment or closing-cost assistance programs. Not required for Home Plus; for Arizona Is Home, has not owned a home in the last 3 years, waived for qualified veterans and purchases in HUD-designated targeted areas

• Home Plus. Terms: No-interest, no-payment deferred soft second mortgage, fully forgiven after 5 years/60 months; if refinanced or sold within 60 months the second lien must be repaid; interest rate on the underlying first mortgage set by Arizona IDA and may run slightly above market Must pair with: Conventional Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac, FHA, VA, or USDA first mortgage through an approved Home Plus lender Homebuyer education: required Where: statewide (every Arizona county, city, and ZIP code) Program page
• Arizona Is Home. Terms: Non-forgivable second mortgage; below-market 30-year fixed first mortgage; funding subject to annual availability and pauses once exhausted for the year Homebuyer education: required Where: Statewide EXCEPT Pima County, Maricopa County, and Chino Valley, Arizona Program page

City and county programs in Arizona

Local governments run their own down payment funds on top of the state programs. These can be combined with a state loan in most cases; each has its own income limit and area.

• City of Phoenix: Open Doors Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Program. Up to 10% of the home purchase price. Forgivable second loan. Income limit: At or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). First-time buyers only. Official page
• City of Tucson / Pima County (HOME Consortium): Down Payment Assistance Program. Maximum assistance of $50,000 or 20% of the contract sales price, whichever is less. Deferred second loan. Income limit: 80% AMI HUD limits: $55,900 (family of 1) to $105,450 (family of 8). Official page

How little you can put down

You do not need 20% down. Conventional loans go as low as 3% (through programs like Fannie Mae HomeReady and Freddie Mac Home Possible), FHA loans start at 3.5%, and VA and USDA loans can require nothing down. On Arizona's median-priced home (about $452,300), 3% down is roughly $13,569. Putting 20% down lets you skip private mortgage insurance, but most first-time buyers put down far less.

Who counts as a first-time buyer

For most programs, a first-time buyer is anyone who has not owned a primary residence in the last three years, so many repeat buyers qualify again. Arizona programs often add income and purchase-price limits, which is another reason to confirm the details with Arizona Department of Housing.

Stack a buyer rebate on top in Arizona

Down-payment assistance and a buyer commission rebate are two different things, and in Arizona you can use both. Assistance from Arizona Department of Housing helps with your down payment and closing costs; a buyer rebate returns about 2% of the price to you at closing (roughly $9,046 on a median-priced home), which can cover much of your closing bill.

See Arizona buyer rebates →   See Arizona closing costs →

You may qualify for more help in your county

City and county governments in Arizona run their own down payment programs on top of the state ones, and most can be combined with a state loan. Each county page lists the local programs, income limits and local closing costs alongside the state programs:

• Maricopa County: local help up to 6%

Official sources

• Arizona Industrial Development Authority (Arizona IDA) / Arizona Department of Housing
• Home Plus DPA | Arizona Industrial Development Authority
• Arizona Down Payment Assistance Programs - Home Plus and Arizona Is Home | Arizona IDA
• Home Plus - HomeBuyer Assistance Program | Arizona IDA
• Homeownership Opportunities | City of Phoenix
• Down Payment Assistance Program | City of Tucson
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: down payment options and how to prepare

Arizona program details last verified against Arizona Department of Housing on September 11, 2026.