Down Payment Assistance in Arizona (2026): Home Plus, Home in Five, and Phoenix Open Doors

by Jesus Sanchez

For many buyers, the monthly payment is not the hard part. The cash to get in the door is. Between the down payment and closing costs, a $350,000 home can easily call for more than $15,000 up front with an FHA loan. Arizona has several programs that can cover part of that, and some of them are forgiven entirely if you stay in the home long enough.

Here is how the main programs work in 2026, in plain terms. Program rules come from each program's own website as of October 2026. Your lender confirms what you actually qualify for.

Home Plus (statewide, from the Arizona IDA)

Home Plus is the one program that works everywhere in Arizona: every county, city, and zip code, including Maricopa County (Surprise, Buckeye, Goodyear, and the rest of the West Valley) and Pinal County.

How much: up to 4% of the loan amount for down payment and closing costs.
Income limit: borrower income up to $155,386 per year (effective April 6, 2026). The limit counts the income of the people on the loan, not everyone in the household.
Credit: minimum credit score of 620.
Education: one borrower completes a homebuyer education course before closing.
How it is paid back: the standard Home Plus assistance is a second mortgage with 0% interest and no monthly payment, forgiven after 5 years (60 months). If you sell or refinance before then, it must be repaid. The program also mentions non-forgivable options, so ask your lender which one you are being offered.
Loan types: it pairs with FHA, VA, USDA, HUD 184 (Tribal), and two conventional options (Fannie Mae HFA Preferred and Freddie Mac HFA Advantage).
Manufactured homes: allowed with FHA, VA, USDA, and Fannie Mae HFA Preferred loans, but not with Freddie Mac HFA Advantage.
First-time buyer? Not required.

One trade-off to understand: the interest rate on a Home Plus loan can be a little higher than a loan where you bring your own down payment. Ask your lender to show both payments side by side so you can decide.

Home in Five Advantage (Maricopa County, including the West Valley)

If you are buying in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, Surprise, Buckeye, Goodyear, and the rest of the West Valley, Home in Five Advantage is another option, run by the Maricopa County and Phoenix Industrial Development Authorities.

How much: assistance of up to 6% of the loan amount, depending on the option.
Income: the program site lists annual income up to $153,440, with different limits for some options.
Credit and debt: minimum credit score of 640 and a debt-to-income ratio up to 50%.
Home: any new or existing house, condo, or townhouse in Maricopa County, bought as your main home (you move in within 60 days of closing). No purchase price cap.
Education: an 8-hour homebuyer education course through an Arizona-based HUD-approved housing counseling agency.

Funding note: the program announced that funds for its 7-year forgivable option with a 30-year first mortgage were fully used as of June 25, 2026, and the Home in Five Platinum program's funds were used up as of June 9, 2026. Other options remain, so ask a participating lender what is open the day you apply.

Open Doors (City of Phoenix only)

For a home inside Phoenix city limits, the City's Open Doors program can add a larger amount for buyers who meet its income limits.

How much: up to 10% of the purchase price, based on need.
Who qualifies: first-time homebuyers (as defined by FHA) with household income at or below 80% of the area median. For 2026 that is, for example, $71,950 for a household of two and $89,900 for a household of four.
Home: inside the City of Phoenix, purchase price no more than $470,250, and it must pass a property inspection.
Your part: a minimum investment of $1,000 (or more if your lender requires it).
Education: an 8-hour homebuyer class plus one-on-one counseling with a HUD-approved agency.
How it is paid back: a 0% deferred loan with no monthly payment, forgiven after the affordability period (up to 15 years, depending on the amount). It is due if you sell, move out, or refinance before then.
It can be combined with other assistance programs.

What about Pinal County and Casa Grande?

Buyers in Casa Grande, Maricopa (the city), Eloy, Arizona City, and the rest of Pinal County can use Home Plus. The state's other rural-county program, Arizona Is Home, ran out of 2026 funding and closed for the rest of the year on October 6, 2026. Pinal County's own HOME program offers down payment help only when it has an active program running, so check with the county before counting on it.

How to get started

Talk to a participating lender first. None of these programs take applications directly from buyers. The lender checks your eligibility and runs the numbers. I can connect you with a lender who works with these programs.
Take the homebuyer class early. It is required for every program above, and finishing it before you shop keeps your closing on schedule.
Know your price range. Try the affordability calculator and the mortgage calculator, then browse homes in that range in Surprise, Buckeye, Casa Grande, or anywhere in Arizona.
Tell your agent you are using assistance. It affects how we write the offer and the timeline.

If you want help sorting out which program fits the area you are looking in, call or text me at 480-531-0428 or send me a message. Hablo español.

I am a real estate agent, not a lender. Program details here are general information from each program's published materials as of October 2026 and can change at any time. Eligibility, rates, and terms are determined by the program and your lender.

Jesus Sanchez
Sanchez Group | Real Broker
480-531-0428 · card.realsanchez.com
Real Broker AZ, LLC · 3707 E Southern Ave #1074, Mesa, AZ 85206