Down payment assistance for buying a home in Chandler.
Chandler runs its own first-time buyer assistance program for lower-income households, on top of the two countywide options every Maricopa County buyer can use. Here's how to know which applies to you.
Chandler's own First-Time Homebuyers Program
The City of Chandler's Community Development division runs a First-Time Homebuyers Program aimed specifically at lower-income households — generally households earning at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI). This is a narrower income band than Home Plus or Home in Five use, so it typically fits a smaller slice of buyers, but for those who qualify, city-run programs like this one are sometimes more generous or easier to combine with other city-level assistance for closing costs or rehab.
Because it's administered directly by the city rather than a statewide or county housing authority, the application process and required documentation differ from Home Plus or Home in Five — I'll walk you through exactly which paperwork the city needs versus what your lender needs.
If your income is above Chandler's city program limit
Most buyers I work with in Chandler end up using one of the two countywide programs instead, simply because their household income is above the city program's 80% AMI threshold:
- Home in Five Advantage — generally the stronger option for typical Chandler purchase prices, minimum 640 credit score, no first-time buyer requirement.
- Home Plus — worth comparing for higher-priced Chandler purchases or if Home in Five's loan-amount limits don't fit.
The full breakdown of how these two compare is on the Arizona down payment assistance guide.
I check your household income against Chandler's city program threshold first, since it's easy to overlook and can be the most favorable option for qualifying households. If you're above that threshold, we move straight to comparing Home in Five against Home Plus using your actual numbers.