FHA Loan
3.5% down. 580 FICO minimum. Government-backed, easier credit and debt-to-income standards. Mortgage insurance for the life of the loan in most cases.
FHA loans Arizona →
Arizona First-Time Buyer Guide
Buy your first home in Arizona without the guesswork.
FHA, VA, USDA, conventional, down payment assistance — written for normal humans, not mortgage people. We'll walk you through what each loan does, what credit score you actually need, how much you really have to put down, and the parts no one explains until closing day.
$0Down possible (VA, USDA, AZ DPA)
580FICO floor on FHA
15AZ cities we serve
Licensed in Arizona · NMLS #173855 · Equal Opportunity Lender
The four loan types in plain English
Most first-time buyers in Arizona use one of these four. Pick the one that matches your situation, then read the deeper page.
VA Loan
0% down. No PMI. Active duty, veterans, and qualifying surviving spouses. One-time funding fee. Often the lowest total cost of any loan type.
VA loans Arizona →USDA Loan
0% down. Income-limited. For homes in USDA-eligible areas — most of rural Arizona qualifies, plus the outskirts of Yuma, Casa Grande, Sierra Vista, Prescott Valley, and many small towns.
USDA loans Arizona →Conventional Loan
3% down for first-time buyers. 620 FICO floor; PMI drops off automatically at 78% loan-to-value. Best long-term cost if your credit is strong.
Conventional loans Arizona →Not sure which one? The right loan usually comes down to three numbers: your credit score, your savings, and where you're buying. Send us those three things and we'll model the two best options against each other in plain numbers.
The process, in 7 steps
From "I think I'm ready" to keys in hand.
Most Arizona first-time buyers close in 30–45 days once they're under contract. Here's the whole arc.
- 1
Free 20-min call
We talk about your income, credit ballpark, AZ city, and timeline. No commitment, no credit pull.
- 2
Pre-approval
We pull credit, verify income, and send a pre-approval letter you can write offers with. Why this beats pre-qualification →
- 3
Find a home
You shop with a real-estate agent of your choice. We're available to your agent for fast question turnaround.
- 4
Offer accepted
You go under contract. The 30-day closing clock starts.
- 5
Inspection & appraisal
Inspector checks the home; appraiser confirms the price. What inspectors actually look for →
- 6
Underwriting
Final document review. We handle this; you respond to any final questions.
- 7
Close
You sign at the title company. Funds wire. Keys are yours.
Down payment reality check
Full down payment guide →
You don't need 20% down.
The 20% number comes from a Hollywood-era standard that hasn't applied to first-time buyers in 50 years. Here's what's actually required:
| Loan type | Minimum down |
|---|---|
| VA (eligible) | 0% |
| USDA (eligible area) | 0% |
| FHA | 3.5% |
| Conventional FTHB | 3% |
| Conventional standard | 5% |
| Jumbo (above ~$806K in AZ) | 10–20% |
Down payment assistance
Arizona has 7+ programs that help.
If your savings aren't where you want them, Arizona has more down payment assistance programs than most states — local AZ grants, county-specific options, and national programs that work statewide. Some are forgiven over time, some are repaid when you sell.
We built a full sister-site for this:
Down Payment Assistance Arizona →Includes Home Plus, Home In 5, Arizona Is Home, Flagstaff CHAP, plus national programs Chenoa, Arrive, and Essex.
Topics we cover in depth
Pillar
High-search
Numbers
Numbers
Negotiable
Process
Honest
Local
Pick what you're stuck on.
The mortgage process
The whole arc, from "thinking about it" to keys, with timing.
Read →Pre-approval vs pre-qualification
Which one Arizona realtors and sellers actually take seriously, and why.
Read →Credit scores & FICO
What score gets you what rate, and how to bump 20 points fast.
Read →Down payments
How much you really need by loan type and AZ price point.
Read →Closing costs
What they actually are, and the four ways to negotiate them down.
Read →Home inspections
What inspectors actually look for in Arizona homes, and what to do with the report.
Read →Myths & misconceptions
The 20% myth, the credit-score myth, the "wait for rates" myth.
Read →Cities we serve in Arizona
Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Flagstaff, Yuma — and what's specific to each.
Read →
FAQ
The questions first-time Arizona buyers ask first
What credit score do I really need to buy a home in Arizona?
FHA loans go down to 580 FICO with 3.5% down (and 500 with 10% down at some lenders). VA and USDA usually want 620+. Conventional starts at 620, with the best pricing kicking in at 740+. Most Arizona DPA programs require 620+.
How much down payment do I need?
3% on conventional first-time buyer programs, 3.5% on FHA, 0% on VA (eligible) and USDA (rural areas). With Arizona down payment assistance, your real out-of-pocket is often $0–$5,000 even on a $400,000 home.
Should I get pre-approved or pre-qualified?
Pre-approval, every time. Pre-qualification is a quick estimate that Arizona realtors and sellers don't take seriously. Pre-approval is a verified, credit-pulled commitment letter that wins offers in competitive AZ markets like Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Gilbert. Full breakdown →
Can closing costs be negotiated in Arizona?
Yes. Sellers can pay your closing costs (called seller concessions) up to program limits. Lender credits, shopping title and inspection vendors, and rolling some costs into the loan are also options. All four ways to lower closing costs →
How long does the whole process take?
30–45 days from accepted offer to keys is normal in Arizona. Pre-approval before you start shopping is what makes that timeline possible — without it, plan for 45–60 days.
What if my credit isn't where I want it?
Don't wait years to start the conversation. We can usually identify a 20–40 point credit lift opportunity in 60–90 days that lets you qualify for a better loan, or close sooner than you thought possible. How credit scoring actually works for mortgages →
Ready to find out what you actually qualify for?
20 minutes on the phone with Mike. No credit pull, no commitment. We'll model your two best loan options against each other and tell you the honest path.