Down Payment Assistance in Phoenix: What Actually Exists, and Who Runs It

Published September 8, 2026 by Erik Miller, Mortgage Expert · NMLS #263103

The down payment is the number that stops most first-time buyers before they ever talk to a lender. So it is worth knowing that Arizona has several real down payment assistance programs, that they are run by different agencies, and that they do not all cover the same map. A program that works in Flagstaff may not apply to a house in Glendale, and the reverse is also true.

Here is the lay of the land for Phoenix-area buyers as of this writing. Program terms change, so treat this as a map, not a rate sheet.

First, what "assistance" usually means

Most Arizona down payment assistance is not a grant you spend freely. It is typically structured as a second mortgage that sits behind your main loan, and depending on the program it may be forgiven over a set number of years, repaid when you sell or refinance, or paid down monthly. The assistance usually covers some or all of the down payment and, in some programs, part of the closing costs.

The important part: the assistance is tied to a specific first mortgage. You cannot shop for a loan anywhere and then bolt assistance on afterward. The lender has to be approved for the program, and the loan has to be set up for it from the start.

Home Plus: the statewide option

Home Plus is run by the Arizona Industrial Development Authority and is available across the state, including Maricopa County. It pairs a 30-year fixed-rate first mortgage, which can be conventional, FHA, VA, or USDA, with down payment assistance structured as a forgivable second mortgage. There are income limits and purchase price limits, a minimum credit score, and a homebuyer education requirement.

Home Plus is the program most Phoenix buyers end up looking at first, simply because it is the one that reliably covers the whole metro.

Home in Five Advantage: Maricopa County's own program

Home in Five Advantage is offered by the Maricopa County and Phoenix industrial development authorities and is specific to homes inside Maricopa County. Assistance is a percentage of the loan amount, delivered as a forgivable second mortgage, with a higher tier for certain groups such as K-12 teachers, first responders, military members and veterans, and lower-income buyers. It also carries income limits, a credit score floor, and a homebuyer education requirement.

If the house is in Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, or anywhere else in Maricopa County, this is the program to compare directly against Home Plus.

Arizona Is Home: read the county map carefully

This is the one that confuses people, and it is the reason this article exists.

There are two programs that use the name "Arizona Is Home." The version run by the Arizona Industrial Development Authority, alongside Home Plus, is offered in every Arizona county except Maricopa and Pima. A Phoenix-area buyer who reads about that program online and assumes it applies to them will be disappointed at the application stage.

The Arizona Department of Housing runs a separate program under the same name that is aimed at first-time buyers in Maricopa and Pima Counties. Availability depends on the funding cycle, so whether it is open on the day you apply is something we confirm at the time rather than something you can count on from a web page.

If a lender tells you "Arizona Is Home" applies to your Phoenix purchase, ask which agency's program they mean. It is a fair question and a good lender will have a specific answer.

City and county programs

Several cities and the county itself run smaller programs for buyers inside their boundaries, often tied to HUD funding. These are narrower, come and go with budgets, and usually have their own income limits and repayment terms. They can sometimes be combined with a state program. We check what is currently funded for the specific address rather than assuming.

How to think about it

A few things we tell every buyer who asks about assistance:

• The property address decides the menu. County lines matter. Before you fall for a house, we can tell you which programs its address qualifies for.
• Income limits are household limits. They count everyone who will be on the loan and, in some programs, everyone who will live in the home.
• Assistance changes the first mortgage. The rate and terms on an assisted loan are set by the program, not shopped individually. That trade-off is worth it for many buyers and not for others. We show you both paths side by side.
• Education is required, not optional. Almost every program requires a homebuyer education course. Get it done early so it is not the thing holding up your closing.
• Nothing here is a commitment to lend. Eligibility is determined when you apply, against the program rules in force that day.

If you are buying in the Phoenix area and the down payment is the thing in your way, call me. We will look at the address, your household income, and your credit picture together and tell you honestly which programs are realistic.

Erik Miller, Mortgage Expert, NMLS #263103. Patriot Home Mortgage, Company NMLS #715386, AZ NMLS #BK-976140. Licensed in Arizona. Equal Housing Lender. Program availability, income limits, and terms are set by the sponsoring agencies and change without notice. This article is general information, not a loan offer, an approval, or a commitment to lend.

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