By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated October 21, 2026

Phoenix AZ Down Payment Assistance & Homebuyer Programs

See programs you qualify for

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Compare Phoenix down payment assistance from the city's Open Doors loan, Maricopa County's Home in Five and Arizona's Home Plus, priced against a $420,700 median.

Verified Oct. 2026

Median home value
$420,700
Census ACS 2020-2024
3% down
$12,621
Before closing costs
Closing costs
$9k–$13k
Planning estimate
Assistance paths
4 programs
Plus 6 mortgage options

Start with the program that matches the property

Start with the program that matches the property: Open Doors pays as much as 10% on city-of-Phoenix homes priced at or under $470,250 for households near $89,900 for four. Home in Five spans all of Maricopa County with no price cap, and Home Plus works statewide; both accept repeat buyers.

City

City of Phoenix Open Doors Down Payment Assistance

Up to 10% of the price

A 0% deferred loan capped at a tenth of the price, forgiven after the affordability period, for first-time buyers at or under 80% of AMI.

County

Home in Five Advantage Down Payment Assistance

Up to 6% of the first loan

Run by the Phoenix and Maricopa County IDAs: 3% to 6% for buyers earning up to $153,440, with no first-time rule on most options.

State

Arizona IDA Home Plus Down Payment Assistance

Up to 4% of the first loan

Arizona IDA's statewide loan of up to 4%, forgiven after 60 months, with a $155,386 income limit and year-round funding.

Plan the cash

What buying in Phoenix costs

Median home value$420,700
3% down payment$12,621
Estimated closing costs$8,500–$12,500
Estimated cash before assistance$21,121–$25,121

Estimate only, not a quote. Estimated for a $420,700 Phoenix sale: title, escrow and lender charges, appraisal and inspection, homeowners insurance and tax escrow, before any program origination fee.

Keep cash help separate

Down payment assistance in Phoenix

City of Phoenix Open Doors Down Payment AssistanceMaximum:Up to 10% of the priceBest fit:Lower-income first-time buyers inside city limitsRepayment / limit:0%, forgiven after up to 15 years
Home in Five Advantage Down Payment Assistance (Maricopa County)Maximum:Up to 6% of the first loanBest fit:Buyers anywhere in Maricopa County, any priceRepayment / limit:Forgiven over 3 or 7 years, or at 30
WISH Down Payment Matching Grant (FHLBank San Francisco)Maximum:Up to $32,837 (4:1 match)Best fit:Low-income savers banking with a member lenderRepayment / limit:Grant, 5-year retention; Member bank funds, first come
Arizona IDA Home Plus Down Payment AssistanceMaximum:Up to 4% of the first loanBest fit:Repeat buyers who can stay five yearsRepayment / 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.

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

Income under 80% of AMI

Book an Open Doors appointment

A four-person household at $89,900 or less may qualify for a loan worth a tenth of the price on a city-of-Phoenix home costing $470,250 or less; Trellis and CPLC run intake.

Owned a home before

Compare Home in Five and Home Plus

Neither requires a first-time buyer, except Home in Five's 7-year option. Home Plus forgives at 60 months; Home in Five's 3-year second forgives monthly.

Price above $470,250

Use a Maricopa-wide loan

Open Doors stops at $470,250, while neither Home in Five nor Home Plus sets a purchase price limit, so larger Phoenix homes still fit their 3% to 6% seconds.

Property and geography checks

Open DoorsWhere:City of Phoenix jurisdiction onlyGate:Price up to $470,250, city inspection, two-year home warranty and a $1,000 minimum buyer investment
Home in Five AdvantageWhere:Anywhere in Maricopa CountyGate:640 FICO, 45% debt ratio, 1% origination fee; 8-hour class from an Arizona agency
Home PlusWhere:Every Arizona county and zip codeGate:Income up to $155,386 (April 6, 2026); Home Plus 30-year fixed first loan from a participating lender
FHLBank WISHWhere:Member banks in AZ, CA and NVGate:Household at or below 80% of AMI; member must reserve funds before the March 12, 2027 deadline

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.

We’ll fill in its city and state on the free eligibility check. A mailing address that says Phoenix 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-priced home with Home in Five at 6%

Price$420,700
Down payment$14,725
Closing costs$14,560
Home in Five Advantage 6%−$24,359
Estimated gap$4,926

FHA 3.5% down, financing $405,975. Closing costs include the program's 1% origination fee of $4,060 on top of $10,500 in customary costs.

Open Doors on a $330,000 home

Price$330,000
Down payment$11,550
Closing costs$9,000
Open Doors loan−$19,550
Estimated gap$1,000

Open Doors sizes help to need, capped at 10% of price ($33,000 here); the buyer still invests the $1,000 minimum.

Repeat buyer with Home Plus 4%

Price$420,700
Down payment$14,725
Closing costs$10,500
Home Plus 4%−$16,239
Estimated gap$8,986

Four percent of the $405,975 Home Plus FHA first loan; selling or refinancing before month 60 repays everything.

How to apply in Phoenix

  1. 1

    Call an Open Doors loan administrator

    Trellis or Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC)

    Open Doors reservations are limited, and Trellis and CPLC schedule the eligibility appointments. Both also appear on Home in Five's list of agencies with approved 8-hour courses, and Open Doors adds a one-on-one session with a HUD-certified counselor.

    Trellis 602-258-1659; CPLC 602-457-4609 · phoenix.gov

  2. 2

    Finish an Arizona-based homebuyer class

    An Arizona HUD-approved counseling agency

    Home in Five accepts only 8-hour courses from Arizona agencies, including online classes from ARC, CPLC, Newtown CDC, Trellis and Money Management International, with a co-branded certificate for your lender.

    homein5advantage.com

  3. 3

    Pick a Home in Five lender and term

    A Home in Five participating lender

    The lender prices FHA, VA and conventional first loans and the 3-year, 7-year, 10-year or 30-year second. Ask how much the 1% origination fee adds at your price.

    info@homeinfiveadvantage.com · homein5advantage.com

  4. 4

    Compare Home Plus pricing

    Arizona IDA participating lender

    Home Plus works in every Arizona zip code with a $155,386 income limit and year-round funding. Its first-mortgage rate may run slightly above market, so compare the payment against Home in Five.

    homeplusaz.com

  5. 5

    Look at Newtown's land trust homes

    Newtown Community Development Corporation

    The City's housing department points buyers to Newtown CDC's Community Land Trust for eligibility rules, available homes and applications, a route to below-market ownership in Phoenix.

    newtowncdc.org

Free eligibility check

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

  • Free
  • No credit check
  • Takes 2 minutes

Are you a first-time homebuyer?

YesNoNot sure
Question 1 of 6
HouseBuyerGuides.comhousebuyerguides

Local details matter

Buying considerations in Phoenix

Open Doors price line

Open Doors stops at $470,250, which is 95% of HUD's area median purchase price and $49,550 more than Phoenix's $420,700 typical value, so many starter homes still fit.

Low property taxes

The typical Phoenix owner's yearly property tax bill is $1,850 (Census), roughly 0.44% of the median value, so escrow stays small next to insurance.

City limits vs. Phoenix addresses

Open Doors needs a home inside the City of Phoenix jurisdiction; some Phoenix mailing addresses sit in other cities or county land, where only Home in Five and Home Plus apply.

Section 18 city homes

The City sells former Section 18 public housing homes with no income limit or first-time rule, but they are sold as-is and may need repairs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the City of Phoenix offer down payment assistance?+
Yes. The Housing Department's Open Doors program lends first-time buyers earning no more than 80% of AMI a 0% deferred loan of 10% of the price or less, forgiven after an affordability period of up to 15 years. The 2026 limit for a four-person household is $89,900, and appointments go through Trellis or Chicanos Por La Causa.
Can I use Open Doors for a home in Glendale, Tempe or unincorporated Maricopa County?+
No. Open Doors requires a home inside the City of Phoenix jurisdictional area, and some Phoenix mailing addresses fall outside it, so check the parcel's city with the county assessor first. Buyers elsewhere in the county can still use Home in Five Advantage, which covers all of Maricopa County, or Arizona IDA's statewide Home Plus.
Can a past homeowner use Home in Five Advantage in Phoenix?+
Yes. Home in Five Advantage has no first-time requirement on its 3-year, 10-year and 30-year seconds. Only the 7-year forgivable option is limited to people with no ownership in the past three years, income at or under $131,520 and six months of Arizona residency. Every option needs a 640 credit score, income up to $153,440 and an 8-hour class.
What does a $420,700 Phoenix home cost upfront with Home in Five?+
Roughly $29,285 before help, counting 3.5% FHA down, $10,500 of customary closing costs and Home in Five's 1% origination fee. A 6% Home in Five second on the $405,975 loan adds $24,359, leaving about $4,926. With Home Plus at 4% instead, there is no origination fee in this example and the buyer brings about $8,986.
What if I sell within three years of using Home in Five?+
Only the unforgiven share is repaid. The 3-year second is forgiven at 1/36 a month, so a buyer who sells in month 25 repays 12/36 of the assistance; the program's own example shows $2,800 owed on $8,400. The 30-year option forgives nothing until maturity, so an early sale repays it in full. Home Plus repays in full before month 60.

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

Sources

Last verified October 21, 2026.

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