Maricopa County, AZ First-Time Home Buyer Programs and Down Payment Help

Maricopa County buyers can apply to 2 local down payment programs, with help up to 6% through Home in Five Advantage / Home in Five Platinum, on top of Arizona's statewide programs. Figures below were read from the administering agencies' own pages on September 11, 2026.

Local programs in Maricopa County

These are run by City of Phoenix, Maricopa County (countywide, incl. incorporated cities), separate from the state housing finance agency, and can usually be combined with a state loan. Check the program page for current funding before you apply.

Program	Type	Amount	Income limit	First-time only	Where
Open Doors Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program City of Phoenix (City of Phoenix Housing Department) · source	deferred 0% interest forgivable second (federal HOME funds)	Up to 10% of purchase price, capped at $15,000	At or below 80% of Area Median Income (4-person: $89,900)	Yes	Property must be within Phoenix city limits;
Home in Five Advantage / Home in Five Platinum Maricopa County (countywide, incl. incorporated cities) (Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority (MCIDA) and Phoenix Industrial Development Authority (jointly)) · source	silent second mortgage, forgivable over 5 years	Up to 6% of the loan amount for down payment and closing costs	Program income cap approximately $108,920/year per third-party summary; confirm at source	No	Anywhere in Maricopa County

Open Doors Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program. Loan forgiven over a period of 5 to 15 years depending on award amount.
Home in Five Advantage / Home in Five Platinum. Minimum credit score: 640 Open to both first-time and repeat homebuyers (not first-time-only, unlike the city HOME programs). Assistance is a silent second mortgage: no interest, no payment, forgiven monthly over 5 years of continued ownership;

Income limits in Maricopa County

Down payment programs here are keyed to HUD's income limits for Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ HUD Metro FMR Area (Maricopa County) (fiscal year 2026): the area median family income is $112,250 and the 80% limit that most programs use is $89,900 for a four-person household. Limits scale with household size; each program page has the full table. HUD income limits

Arizona statewide programs you can also use in Maricopa County

Arizona Industrial Development Authority (Arizona IDA) / Arizona Department of Housing (homebuyer programs page) runs 2 statewide programs open to buyers anywhere in Arizona, with down payment help up to 4% of the loan (about $18,092 on a median-priced home) through Home Plus. Most local programs above can be combined with a state first mortgage; check each program's pairing rule.

Program	Type	Amount	First-time only	Min. credit	Income limit
Home Plus source	Forgivable second loan	Up to 4% of the loan amount for down payment and closing costs	No	n/a	Borrower(s) annual income not to exceed $155,386, as of 4/6/2026 (single statewide limit, not tiered by county)
Arizona Is Home source	Second mortgage	4% down payment assistance combined with a below-market 30-year fixed-rate first mortgage	Yes	n/a	At or below 100% of Area Median Income (AMI); exact dollar limit not published on this page

Full Arizona program details, limits and how to apply →

Maricopa County closing costs that differ from the rest of Arizona

Transfer tax: No local (or state) real estate transfer tax. Arizona voters approved Proposition 100 (the 'Protect Our Homes Act') in 2008, which prohibits the state and all cities, towns, and counties from imposing any new tax or fee on the sale or transfer of real property, effective for transfers after December 31, 2007. Source

Recording the deed costs $30 and the mortgage $30. Fee schedule

Owner's title policy: seller (customary, per Arizona local custom)

Maricopa County Recorder's standard fee for most documents (including deeds and deeds of trust) other than plats and surveys is a flat $30 per document, per the Recorder's own updated fee schedule PDF;

See Arizona closing costs, title insurance and who pays →

Frequently asked questions

What down payment assistance is available in Maricopa County, AZ?

Open Doors Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program (City of Phoenix, up to $15,000); Home in Five Advantage / Home in Five Platinum (Maricopa County (countywide, incl. incorporated cities), up to 6%). Arizona statewide programs can be used here too.

What is the income limit for first-time buyer programs in Maricopa County?

Most programs cap income at 80% of HUD's area median, which is $89,900 for a four-person household in Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ HUD Metro FMR Area (Maricopa County) (FY2026). Some programs allow up to 120% or 150% of median; each program page lists its own table by household size.

Is there a transfer tax in Maricopa County?

No local (or state) real estate transfer tax. Arizona voters approved Proposition 100 (the 'Protect Our Homes Act') in 2008, which prohibits the state and all cities, towns, and counties from imposing any new tax or fee on the sale or transfer of real property, effective for transfers after December 31, 2007.

What is the median home price in Maricopa County?

About $482,800, per Maricopa County median value of owner-occupied housing units (Census ACS estimate, as republished by Census Reporter). Down payment help of up to 6% covers roughly 6% of that price.

Official sources

Maricopa County figures last verified against official sources on September 11, 2026.

This is general information, not financial advice. Program funding, limits and terms change; confirm the current rules with the administering agency and your lender before you rely on them.

See down payment help in all covered counties