Pima Tucson Homebuyer's Solution
The Pima County and Tucson down payment assistance program isn't one offering. It's four programs under one name, each built for a different kind of buyer. The trick is picking the right one before you lock your rate.
Quick answer: how does the Pima Tucson Homebuyer's Solution work?
- Where: All of Pima County, including the City of Tucson.
- Who runs it: Industrial Development Authority of Pima County and the Industrial Development Authority of the City of Tucson. Loans are serviced by U.S. Bank.
- The four options: PTHS Advantage, PTHS Edge, PTHS Unassisted, and PTHS Advantage – Arizona is Home (the version paired with the Arizona Is Home DPA fund, which is otherwise unavailable in Pima County).
- Loan types accepted: FHA, VA, USDA-RD, Fannie Mae HFA Preferred, and Freddie Mac HFA Advantage.
- Recapture tax: None on any variant.
- Purchase price limits: None set by the program — follow your loan agency's limits (FHA, conforming, etc.).
- Manufactured homes: Allowed with conditions (660 minimum credit score, no single-wide).
- Homebuyer education course: Required for all primary borrowers.
Which option is right for you?
This is the decision the program guide doesn't put on one page. Here it is.
| Option | What you get | First-time buyer required? | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PTHS Advantage | A percentage of your loan amount as down payment help. The exact percentage depends on the current rate offering. 30-year second mortgage at 0% interest. No monthly payment. Forgiven when the loan matures. | No | You want down payment help but you're not a first-time buyer (or you owned a home within the past 3 years). |
| PTHS Edge | A percentage of your loan amount as down payment help, with a lower first mortgage rate. You or the seller pays 1% or 2% as a discount point to get the Edge rate. | No | You want the lowest rate this program offers and you (or the seller) are willing to cover the 1-2% discount point cost. |
| PTHS Unassisted | $0 in down payment help. Just the first mortgage. | No | You want this program's discounted first mortgage rate but don't need (or want) the second-mortgage assistance. |
| PTHS Advantage – Arizona is Home | Up to $15,000 in fixed down payment help (as of April 1, 2026; was $9,000 before). 30-year second mortgage at 0% interest. No monthly payment. Forgiven over time. | Yes — and you must be an Arizona resident for at least 6 months | You're a first-time buyer, Arizona resident, in Pima County. This is the only way to access Arizona Is Home funds in Pima County (the standalone Arizona Is Home program is not available in Pima). Stricter income limits, but a flat $15,000 in help. |
Help amounts and income limits change. We verify the current numbers when we run your scenario.
Eligibility — the universal rules
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Property location | All of Pima County, including the City of Tucson. |
| Occupancy | Must move in within 60 days of closing as your primary residence. |
| Loan type | FHA, VA, USDA-RD, Fannie Mae HFA Preferred, Freddie Mac HFA Advantage. |
| Minimum credit score | Typically 640 across most loan types — well below the 700+ many people think they need for a mortgage. Manufactured homes require 660+. |
| Income limits | Apply, with limits varying by variant, loan type, and household size. The AIH variant has lower limits than the Advantage / Edge / Unassisted variants. |
| Purchase price | No PTHS-imposed limits. Agency limits still apply (FHA, conforming, etc.). |
| Property type | 1–4 unit residential, detached or attached, manufactured (660 FICO min, no single-wide), condos, townhomes. |
| Homebuyer education | Required for all primary borrowers via a HUD-approved course (eHomeAmerica, Framework, Fannie Mae HomeView, or Freddie Mac CreditSmart). |
| Cash back | Not permitted (overpayment of prepaids and earnest money may be reimbursed). |
| Co-signers | Permitted, with conditions. Co-signer cannot occupy the property or be on title. |
| Recapture tax | None. |
How this fits with other Arizona down payment assistance programs
Most of the state-run down payment assistance programs in Arizona have multiple options inside them. The Pima Tucson Homebuyer's Solution is the clearest example: four options under one name, each for a different kind of buyer. Home Plus works the same way. Home In 5 in Maricopa County has two options inside it (Advantage and Platinum). The trade-off with local Arizona programs versus national down payment assistance programs (Chenoa Fund, Arrive Home, Essex / NHF): local programs offer more help but limit who can use them by location and income.
If you live in Pima County, this is your first look. If we determine it doesn't fit, the next stop is the PTHS Advantage – Arizona is Home variant (the only way to access Arizona Is Home DPA in Pima), then a national program.
FAQ
Do I have to be a first-time buyer to qualify?
Depends on which option you pick. PTHS Advantage, PTHS Edge, and PTHS Unassisted don't require first-time buyer status. PTHS Advantage – Arizona is Home does: you can't have owned or lived in a home as your primary residence in the past 3 years (verified through a fraud-prevention report on every borrower).
Where exactly does this program work?
All of Pima County, including the City of Tucson. Outside Pima County you would use a different program — Home Plus or Arizona Is Home (available in every Arizona county except Maricopa and Pima), or one of the national down payment assistance programs that work in Arizona.
How much help can I get?
Depends on which option you pick. PTHS Advantage and PTHS Edge give you a percentage of your loan amount, and the percentage changes based on the current rate offering. PTHS Advantage – Arizona is Home gives up to $15,000 (as of April 2026; was $9,000 before). PTHS Unassisted is the first mortgage only, no down payment help. We check the current numbers when we run your scenario.
What loan types work with the program?
FHA, VA, USDA-RD, Fannie Mae HFA Preferred, and Freddie Mac HFA Advantage. The assistance pairs with whichever first mortgage type fits your situation. Refinances are limited — talk to your loan officer for current refinance options.
Is there a recapture tax?
No. A recapture tax is a fee you can owe the IRS if you sell your home early AND your income has gone up a lot since you bought. None of the four Pima Tucson options have this. Some other Arizona programs do.
Can I use this program for a manufactured home?
Yes, with conditions. Manufactured housing requires a 660 minimum credit score, a 45 percent maximum debt-to-income ratio, no manual underwrite, and no single-wide manufactured homes. Doublewide manufactured homes on permanent foundations are the common case.
Will I owe the help back if I sell?
For PTHS Advantage, PTHS Edge, and the Arizona Is Home version, the help is set up as a second mortgage at 0% interest with no monthly payment. You only pay it back if: you sell the home, you refinance the first mortgage, or you stop living in the home as your primary residence — and it has to happen within the loan period. Stay through to the end and the help is forgiven. PTHS Unassisted has no down payment help, so this question doesn't apply.
Where does the program information come from?
Direct from the official lender portal administered for the Industrial Development Authorities of Pima County and Tucson. We work directly through this portal as a participating lender.
Curious which option fits your situation?
A 20-minute call. Bring your Tucson area, household income, credit score ballpark, and whether you've owned a home in the past three years. We narrow to the right one and run real numbers.