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Home / Arizona / Arizona First-Time Home Buyer
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Buying your first home in Arizona is more about matching the right loan and the right assistance to your situation than it is about a single statewide "first-time program." Some help requires first-time status. Some of the best options, including Home Plus, do not. We can offer Home Plus and Home in Five through Loan Factory, subject to eligibility and available program funds, and we will sort that out with you.
Illustrative only. Program availability and eligibility vary.
In Arizona, "first-time home buyer programs" is a search people actually use. The useful answer is a map of loan types, assistance, and what "first-time" does and does not mean, with current local facts.
FHA allows as little as 3.5% down with a 580 or higher credit score, subject to eligibility. Some conventional programs allow 3% down. Eligible VA and USDA loans can be 100% financing.
Home Plus can add up to 4% of the first mortgage, statewide. Home in Five can add 3% to 6% in Maricopa County. See Arizona down payment assistance.
FHA and many conventional programs allow documented gift funds from eligible donors toward your down payment. We will tell you what documentation the loan needs.
Several Arizona programs require a homebuyer course. Our free First-Time Homebuyer Webinar walks through the process. Home in Five requires an 8-hour course from an approved Arizona agency.
FHA guidelines are built to be more flexible on credit than many conventional loans. A lower score does not automatically close the door, and it does not guarantee approval either.
Not every lender offers every first-time or assistance program. As an independent broker powered by Loan Factory, we compare across 220+ wholesale lenders.
Do not assume you are in or out until we look at the actual rule.
"First-time homebuyer" is not one legal definition for every loan. Each program writes its own rule. In many housing programs, it means you have not owned a principal residence during the three-year period ending on the purchase date. That is why someone who sold a home four years ago and has been renting may still count as a first-time buyer. Some programs also make exceptions for displaced homemakers, single parents, or qualified veterans.
Two Arizona facts that surprise people:
The Arizona IDA's statewide program is open to repeat buyers, as long as income, credit, education, and the first-mortgage rules are met. The income limit is $155,386 as of April 6, 2026. If you have owned a home before, this may still be your path.
The 7-year forgivable second loan is limited to first-time homebuyers who have been Arizona residents for at least six months. The 3-year, 10-year, and 30-year options do not list that requirement in the June 10, 2026 guidelines. The 7-year option also had its funds fully used as of June 25, 2026, so confirm current availability.
We will tell you whether the program that fits you cares about first-time status, and how that program defines it, before you spend time on a course or an application. All assistance is subject to eligibility.
Most first-time Arizona buyers are combining a government-backed or conventional first mortgage with, when they qualify, a state or county second loan.
As little as 3.5% down when the minimum decision credit score is 580 or higher, or 10% down for scores from 500 to 579, under HUD Handbook 4000.1. FHA is for a primary residence. Gift funds and Arizona DPA can help with the cash to close. Your loan amount must stay within the 2026 FHA county limit: $557,750 for a one-unit home in Maricopa and Pinal, $609,500 in Coconino, and $541,287 in the other Arizona counties.
Eligible borrowers may put as little as 3% down on certain conventional loans, such as Fannie Mae HomeReady or Freddie Mac Home Possible, subject to income and other rules. Private mortgage insurance is typically required below 20% down, and unlike FHA mortgage insurance, it can usually be removed once you have enough equity. See Conventional 3% down vs. FHA 3.5% down and FHA vs. Conventional.
Eligible veterans, service members, and certain surviving spouses may buy a primary residence with no down payment, subject to entitlement and lender guidelines. Arizona has a large military community, including Luke Air Force Base, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, and Fort Huachuca. A VA loan can also pair with Arizona DPA for closing costs, if the program allows it.
USDA guaranteed loans are for eligible rural and some suburban areas, with income limits and a property-location map set by USDA. There is typically no down payment. Parts of Arizona outside the core of Phoenix and Tucson may qualify; we check the address on USDA's map rather than guessing by city name.
If you are short on cash to close, a first mortgage plus a program second loan can be the combination that makes the purchase possible. Pick My Mortgage Rate, Jerry Kindig's team through Loan Factory, can offer Arizona Home Plus and Home in Five, subject to eligibility and available program funds. The two programs we describe with current official terms are:
Forgiven on the fifth anniversary. 620 minimum credit. $155,386 income limit as of April 6, 2026. First-time status not required. Funding is described by the Arizona IDA as available all year.
Several repayment structures, including monthly-forgiveness options. 640 minimum credit (660 for manufactured homes). $157,360 program income limit as of June 10, 2026. An 8-hour Arizona homebuyer course is required.
Read the full terms, including which options are currently funded, on Arizona down payment assistance. Arizona Is Home, a separate Arizona IDA first-time program, had its 2026 funds exhausted as of October 6, 2026, and is retired for the rest of the year. It also was not available in Maricopa County, Pima County, or Chino Valley.
For a first home in Maricopa County, also check the 2026 loan limits so the price you shop is one a program loan can actually reach.
A state or county program is not always the best fit. We will show you the alternatives.
Besides Arizona's state and county programs, we also have access to other lender down payment assistance programs. Those programs may be a better fit for your situation, and they are available in all of the states where we are licensed. See where we are licensed.
We do not list those lender programs by name on this page, and we do not publish amounts or terms for them, because the right option depends on your file and on current lender guidelines. When you talk with us, we will compare them side by side with Home Plus, Home in Five, and a loan with no assistance, subject to approval and eligibility.
An illustrative look at buying a first home in Arizona with us.
Our First-Time Homebuyer Webinar covers the process, loan types, assistance, and common mistakes. You can watch it on demand and return to it later.
Income, credit, savings, the county, and military or rural eligibility decide the path. We will be direct about what fits and what does not. This is not an approval.
A pre-approval letter helps you shop with a clear ceiling, including the county loan limit and any assistance. See prequalification vs. preapproval.
Finish any required course before closing. We coordinate the first mortgage and, if you are using it, the assistance second loan. All loans subject to approval.
Illustrative example. Timelines and requirements vary. All loans subject to approval.
You do not need every document on day one. Our AI application tells you exactly what to upload. All loans subject to approval.
Pay stubs, W-2s or tax returns, and a list of monthly debts. Self-employed buyers should also see self-employed and 1099 mortgages.
Program floors start at 580 for maximum FHA financing, 620 for Home Plus, and 640 for Home in Five. Your actual options depend on the full file.
Appraisal, earnest money, and any minimum contribution the first mortgage requires. Gift funds may help, if allowed and documented.
FHA, VA, USDA, and these Arizona assistance programs are for a primary residence.
Required by Home Plus (at least one borrower) and by Home in Five (8 hours, approved Arizona agency). Our webinar is a strong start and may or may not satisfy a given program. We will tell you which course the program wants.
Close a loan with another lender at a lower combination of interest rate, fees, and monthly mortgage insurance, and we'll send you a $2,000 check.
The main building blocks are an FHA, conventional, VA, or USDA first mortgage, often combined with Home Plus (statewide, up to 4%) or, in Maricopa County, Home in Five Advantage (3% to 6%), both of which we can offer through Loan Factory, subject to eligibility and available program funds. Home Plus does not require first-time status. Some Home in Five options do. Eligibility varies, and all loans and assistance are subject to approval.
No, not for every program. Home Plus is open to repeat buyers. Home in Five requires first-time status only on its 7-year forgivable option. Always confirm the definition the program uses. If you owned a home more than three years ago, you may still count as a first-time buyer on programs that use a three-year lookback.
Eligible FHA borrowers may put as little as 3.5% down. Some conventional loans allow 3% down. Eligible VA and USDA loans may require no down payment. Arizona assistance can cover some or all of the cash to close, subject to program rules. Closing costs are separate; see our Arizona closing costs page.
FHA allows maximum financing at a 580 minimum decision credit score, and 10% down at 500 to 579, under HUD rules. Home Plus publishes a 620 floor. Home in Five publishes 640. Lenders can set higher minimums. A score is only one part of the file. All loans are subject to approval.
Yes. Our free First-Time Homebuyer Webinar is a good place to start and is on demand. If you use Home Plus, at least one borrower must finish an approved course before closing. If you use Home in Five, you must finish an 8-hour course from an approved Arizona counseling agency. We will point you to the course the program requires.
The two programs we can currently document, Home Plus and Home in Five, use second mortgages, not gifts. They can be forgiven over time if you follow the program terms, and they are typically due if you sell or refinance early. Some city programs may use different structures. We will explain the exact repayment terms before you commit.
Yes. We can offer Arizona Home Plus and Home in Five through Loan Factory, subject to eligibility and available program funds. Besides those state and county programs, we also have access to other lender down payment assistance programs that may be a better fit, available in all of the states where we are licensed. We do not list those programs by name, or their amounts or terms, on this page. We will compare them side by side, subject to approval and eligibility.
Possibly, after the waiting period for your loan type has passed, and subject to approval. FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional loans each have their own rules. See Buying a home after bankruptcy for the official waiting periods, then talk with us about your dates.
Written by Jerry L Kindig III, NMLS #2397823, a mortgage loan originator licensed in Arizona. Loan Factory, NMLS #320841. Equal Housing Opportunity. Program rules, income limits, assistance amounts, and loan limits change. Confirm current terms with the program administrator and a licensed loan officer before you make a decision. All loans and assistance are subject to approval and eligibility. Nothing on this page is a promise of approval, a loan offer, or a commitment to lend.
Complete the form to receive the First-Time Homebuyer Webinar. If you would rather talk through Arizona programs with a licensed loan officer, call or text, email, or apply with AI. All loans subject to approval.