By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated October 26, 2026

Chandler AZ Down Payment Assistance & Homebuyer Programs

See programs you qualify for

Compare the Maricopa County, Arizona IDA and FHLBank down payment assistance a Chandler buyer can use against a $507,800 median value, plus the city's land trust homes.

Verified Oct. 2026

Median home value: $507,800; Census ACS 2020-2024
3% down: $15,234; Before closing costs
Closing costs: $10k–$15k; Planning estimate
Assistance paths: 3 programs; Plus 6 mortgage options

Start with the program that matches the property

Start with the program that matches the property: at a $507,800 median, Chandler buyers need help with no price ceiling, and Home in Five has none. Home Plus covers 620 to 639 scores, and the city's own route is a Newtown land trust home.

County

Home in Five Advantage Down Payment Assistance

Up to 6% of the first loan

Pays 3% to 6% of the first loan on any Chandler address with no price limit, for households earning up to $153,440.

State

Arizona IDA Home Plus Down Payment Assistance

Up to 4% of the first loan

Self-funded and open all year, Home Plus is the 4% option when a Chandler buyer's score falls below Home in Five's 640 floor.

Lender network

WISH Down Payment Matching Grant

Up to $32,837 (4:1 match)

A member bank can turn 8,209 dollars of a first-time buyer's savings into a 32,837 dollar grant for households under 80% of AMI.

Plan the cash

What buying in Chandler costs

Median home value	$507,800
3% down payment	$15,234
Estimated closing costs	$10,200–$15,200
Estimated cash before assistance	$25,434–$30,434

Estimate only, not a quote. Two to three percent of the $507,800 Census median: lender and title charges, escrow, prepaid insurance and taxes, HOA transfer fees, and the 1% Home in Five origination fee.

Keep cash help separate

Down payment assistance in Chandler

Program	Maximum	Best fit	Repayment / limit
Home in Five Advantage Down Payment Assistance (Maricopa County)	Maximum:Up to 6% of the first loan	Best fit:Chandler buyers with a 640 score earning ≤$153,440	Repayment / limit:Forgiven over 3, 7 or 30 years
WISH Down Payment Matching Grant (FHLBank San Francisco)	Maximum:Up to $32,837 (4:1 match)	Best fit:First-time savers below HUD's 80% income line	Repayment / limit:Grant with a retention period; Member requests through Mar 12, 2027
Arizona IDA Home Plus Down Payment Assistance	Maximum:Up to 4% of the first loan	Best fit:620 to 639 scores staying five years or more	Repayment / limit:0%, forgiven after 60 months

Mortgage options that may pair with assistance

These are financing routes, not additional cash awards. Eligibility and compatibility still depend on the lender and program rules.

FHA3.5% down payment
Good Neighbor Next DoorConditional: HUD homes in revitalization areas50% off the list price
Home Possible3% down payment
HomeReady3% down payment
HUD $100 DownConditional: HUD-owned homes with an FHA loan100 dollars down
VA0% down with full entitlement

HomeReady and Home Possible are conventional mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; FHA, VA and USDA loans are government-backed.

Make a decision

Find your best starting point

FHA buyer, 640+ score

Take the 3-year forgivable second

Home in Five's FHA option pays 3% to 6% and forgives 1/36 each month, so a Chandler buyer who stays three years owes nothing back.

Credit score of 620 to 639

Price Home Plus instead

Home in Five stops at 640, so Home Plus is the 4% second for these buyers; it is forgiven only after the 60th month, with no partial credit.

Saving toward a condo

Ask a member bank about WISH

WISH matches savings 4 to 1 through an FHLBank San Francisco member bank, which files the request for the household, not the buyer.

Property and geography checks

Program	Where	Property / lender gate
Home in Five Advantage	Where:All of Maricopa County, Chandler included	Gate:640 FICO, 8-hour Arizona course, 1% origination fee; the second cannot be subordinated in a later refinance
Home Plus	Where:Statewide, every Arizona zip code	Gate:Must use the Home Plus first mortgage; repaid in full on a sale or refinance before month 60
FHLBank WISH	Where:Through FHLBank San Francisco members	Gate:Income at or below 80% of HUD AMI; first-time buyers only; member requests close March 12, 2027
VA and FHA loans	Where:Owner-occupied Chandler homes	Gate:Condos need project approval, and HOA dues count in the payment the lender qualifies

The fastest way to avoid a bad match

Check the address, property type and price cap before comparing assistance amounts.

A larger advertised benefit doesn’t help if the home or lender is outside that program’s rules.

Have a home in mind? Enter its address.

We’ll fill in its city and state on the free eligibility check. A mailing address that says Chandler isn’t always inside city limits, so confirm with the program before you make an offer.

See the math

Three realistic purchase examples

Illustrations only. Approval, availability and program combinations depend on current rules.

Median Chandler house with FHA and Home in Five

Price	$507,800
Down payment	$17,773
Closing costs	$13,000
Home in Five Advantage 4%	−$19,601
Estimated gap	$11,172

Four percent of a 490,027 dollar FHA base loan; closing costs include the 1% origination fee.

630 score on a $420,000 Chandler townhome

Price	$420,000
Down payment	$14,700
Closing costs	$10,500
Home Plus 4%	−$16,212
Estimated gap	$8,988

Four percent of a 405,300 dollar FHA Home Plus loan; a sale before year five repays the whole second.

First-time saver buying a $360,000 condo

Price	$360,000
Down payment	$12,600
Closing costs	$9,000
WISH matching grant	−$10,000
Estimated gap	$11,600

An FHA purchase with WISH alone; the 2,500 dollars the buyer saved counts toward the cash shown.

How to apply in Chandler

1
Ask about land trust homes
City of Chandler and Newtown CDC
Chandler's First-Time Homebuyers Program sells the house while Newtown holds the land in trust, for buyers below 80% of area median. Expect education, a counselor meeting and a ground lease orientation.
Newtown (480) 517-1589 · chandleraz.gov
2
Finish the 8-hour class
HUD-approved Arizona counseling agency
Home in Five accepts only a course from an Arizona-based HUD-approved agency, including limited online options. Newtown in nearby Tempe offers online homebuyer education and credit counseling.
newtowncdc.org
3
Price both seconds on one address
Home in Five and Home Plus lenders
Have one participating lender quote Home in Five's 3-year or 30-year second against Home Plus's 4% on the same Chandler home, including the 1% fee.
homein5advantage.com
4
Request WISH funds early
FHLBank San Francisco member bank
The Bank set aside 13 million dollars for 2026 WISH, and members may request funds through March 12, 2027. The member, not the buyer, files the request.
fhlbsf.com

Free eligibility check

3 assistance programs and 6 mortgage options may be available in Chandler. See which ones fit you.

Free
No credit check
Takes 2 minutes

Are you a first-time homebuyer?

Yes No Not sure

Question 1 of 6

housebuyerguides

Local details matter

Buying considerations in Chandler

Land trust resale rules

A Newtown land trust home in Chandler carries a ground lease, resale restrictions and shared equity, so the buyer's gain on a sale is limited by contract.

Housing from the 1990s

Census puts Chandler's median year built at 1997, so original roofs and AC units on many listings are close to 30 years old; budget for both in the inspection.

Mostly detached houses

Detached houses make up 67.5% of Chandler's housing units (Census ACS 2020-2024), so condos priced for WISH buyers are a smaller slice of the market.

Property tax stays modest

The median Chandler owner pays $2,258 a year in real estate tax, about 0.44% of the median value (Census ACS 2020-2024).

If local funding isn't available

Chandler offers no cash down payment program of its own; the city's homebuyer program is a Newtown land trust home for buyers under 80% of AMI. Chandler buyers who want cash help still have these routes.

Maricopa County

Home in Five Advantage pays 3% to 6% on any Chandler home with no price cap, for incomes up to $153,440 and scores of 640 or higher.

Arizona IDA

Home Plus pays up to 4%, forgiven after 60 months, statewide and year-round, with a $155,386 income limit as of April 6, 2026 and a 620 score minimum.

FHLBank San Francisco

WISH matches first-time buyer savings 4 to 1, up to $32,837, through member banks, for households under 80% of HUD AMI; 13 million dollars is set aside for 2026.

Land trust

Newtown CDC's community land trust lowers the price by selling the house without the land under a ground lease; call (480) 517-1589 to ask which Chandler homes are open.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Chandler City Hall pay part of my down payment?+

No, not in cash. Chandler's First-Time Homebuyers Program instead lowers the price: Newtown CDC holds the land in a community land trust and the buyer pays for the house. Buyers need income below 80% of area median, homebuyer education, a counselor meeting and a ground lease orientation. Cash help comes from county, state and lender-network programs.

Which Home in Five second fits an FHA buyer in Chandler?+

Usually the 3-year forgivable option. It pays 3% to 6% of an FHA or VA loan at 0% interest and forgives 1/36 each month, so the debt is gone after 36 months. The 7-year option needs first-time status, six months of Arizona residency and income under $131,520. The 10-year option charges 6% with monthly payments.

What does a median-priced Chandler house cost to close with help?+

About 11,000 dollars in one example. FHA's 3.5% down on $507,800 is 17,773 dollars, and closing costs near 13,000 dollars bring the total to 30,773 dollars. A 4% Home in Five second of 19,601 dollars leaves about 11,172 dollars for the buyer, before any seller credit.

My score is 630. Can I still get help buying in Chandler?+

Yes, through Home Plus. Arizona IDA's statewide program pays up to 4% with a 620 minimum, while Home in Five requires 640. The Home Plus second is forgiven only after the 60th month, so selling or refinancing sooner means repaying all of it.

Can WISH and Home in Five be used on the same Chandler home?+

Yes, if one member bank offers both and the buyer qualifies for each. WISH requires first-time status and income under 80% of HUD AMI, and only the member bank can request the grant. Home in Five's 3-year and 30-year seconds are open to repeat buyers too.

Buying elsewhere in Arizona? Compare all Arizona home buyer programs →

Sources

Last verified October 26, 2026.

Related Cities

Loan TypesFHA Credit Scores Are Changing in 2027: What Homebuyers Should Know Now
Closing CostsWhat Are Closing Costs and How Much Will You Pay? (2026)
Loan TypesHow FHA Loans Work: A First-Time Buyer's Guide (2026)
Down PaymentHow to Stack Down Payment Assistance Programs (2026)