First-time home buyers in Arizona.
Buying your first home can feel overwhelming, but you do not have to figure it out alone. Start with a lender conversation and a pre-approval, learn the loan options, ask about down payment assistance, and let your agent walk you through each step from offer to keys.
How do I buy my first home in Arizona?
Talk to a lender first. A pre-approval tells you your price range and which loans fit, including FHA, conventional, or VA if you are eligible. Then sign a buyer-broker agreement, set up your search, and follow the same steps every Arizona buyer does: offer, earnest money, 10-day inspection period, appraisal, and closing.
Start with the step-by-step buying guide and the pre-approval guide.
Can a first-time buyer still find a home in the Phoenix area?
In a September 2026 search Chris shared, there were just over 1,000 single-family homes listed between $250,000 and $350,000 across Maricopa and Pinal counties with at least three bedrooms, two baths, and a two-car garage.
Snapshot from Chris’s video; inventory changes daily. Ask Chris for a current search.
Typical first-home search
- 3 bedrooms, 2 baths
- 2-car garage
- Maricopa and Pinal counties
- Price set by your pre-approval
You don’t have to do this alone.
For more than two decades Chris has walked first-time buyers through the process. As he puts it, the job is a lot more than opening doors: it is explaining each step, connecting you with the right lender, and protecting you in the contract.
What loan and down payment options do first-time buyers have?
FHA is often the easiest loan to qualify for; Chris explains that around a 640 credit score generally allows 3.5% down. Some conventional programs allow 3% to 5% down. Down payment assistance programs exist too, and Chris has hosted lenders on his channel to explain how they work.
Program rules change and vary by lender, so ask a lender which programs you qualify for today.
Learn the basics, then meet real buyers.
Click any video to play it here.
Your questions, answered.
What is the first step for a first-time home buyer in Arizona?
Talk to a lender and get pre-approved. It sets your price range and shows which loans you qualify for.
How much do I need to put down on my first home?
It depends on the loan. Chris explains that FHA generally allows 3.5% down with about a 640 credit score, and some conventional programs allow 3% to 5% down.
Is there down payment assistance in Arizona?
Yes, programs exist, and the rules vary by program and lender. Ask your lender which ones you qualify for.
How much money do I need in the first 10 days?
Plan for earnest money, the home inspection, and the appraisal. See the making-an-offer guide for details.
Keep learning.
Mortgage Pre-Approval in Arizona
What a pre-approval is, the documents a lender asks for, and what not to do once you are approved.
Read the guideStart hereThe Arizona Home Buying Process
The Arizona home-buying process step by step, from pre-approval to keys, with Chris’s video for each step.
Read the guideStep 2 · OfferMaking an Offer on a Home in Arizona
How an offer comes together in Arizona: the pre-offer documents, earnest money, concessions, and multiple offers.
Read the guideVeteransVeteran Home Buyers in Arizona
VA financing basics and how Chris, from a military family, works with veteran home buyers.
Read the guideAsk The Real Estate Guy.
Tell Chris where you are in the process and what you are trying to accomplish. He will reply with a practical next step for your Arizona purchase or sale.
- Chris Dunham, The Real Estate Guy™ · Brokers HUB Realty
- Buyers, sellers & investors across the Phoenix metro and Pinal County
- Email: [email protected]
Talk to Chris
Takes less than a minute.