Down payment assistance for buying a home in Scottsdale.
Scottsdale is the one city I serve where the "bigger percentage" program isn't usually the right answer. Here's why Home Plus is often the practical fit here, and when Home in Five still makes sense.
Why Scottsdale is different from the rest of the county
Home in Five Advantage generally offers a higher assistance percentage than Home Plus, which is why it wins for most buyers elsewhere in Maricopa County. But Home in Five's assistance amount is calculated against loan-amount limits, and a meaningful share of Scottsdale purchases sit above those limits given the city's typical home prices. When that happens, Home Plus — which runs statewide with its own separate limit structure — frequently produces more usable assistance and a better total cost than Home in Five would for the same purchase.
This isn't true everywhere in Scottsdale — some areas and price points still fit comfortably within Home in Five's limits. It's a "run the numbers for your specific address and price point" situation, not a blanket rule.
How I check which one actually wins for you
- Confirm your target purchase price and loan amount.
- Check that loan amount against Home in Five's current limits for Scottsdale.
- If it fits, compare the actual dollar assistance and total cost between Home in Five and Home Plus side by side — not just the headline percentages.
- If it doesn't fit, Home Plus becomes the practical option, and we move forward with that.
If you're a teacher, first responder, active-duty service member, or veteran buying in Scottsdale, it's still worth checking Home in Five's additional assistance boost against your specific price point before assuming Home Plus is automatically the better fit — the boost can close the gap in some cases.
For the full mechanics of both programs, see the Arizona down payment assistance guide.