Down Payment Assistance Arizona

What Down Payment Assistance Arizona does

Down Payment Assistance Arizona is the retail brand of Cornerstone First Mortgage, LLC (NMLS #173855), a privately held, single-branch Arizona mortgage lender operated by Branch Manager Mike Certo (NMLS #260555). The business originates first mortgages — FHA, VA, USDA, and Conventional — and pairs them with down payment assistance (DPA) programs for which it holds approved participating-lender status. As of June 2026, the operation offers access to seven Arizona-specific DPA programs (Home Plus statewide, Home in Five in Maricopa County, Arizona Is Home, Pima Tucson Homebuyer's Solution, Flagstaff CHAP, Cottonwood CHP & EAH, Sedona SWHAP & EAH) plus three national programs (Chenoa Fund, Arrive Home, Essex/NHF). Geographic scope is Arizona-only, distributed exclusively through direct lender-buyer relationships with no branches, retail storefronts, or marketplace distribution.

Name

Down Payment Assistance Arizona

Legal name

Cornerstone First Mortgage, LLC

Website

https://downpaymentassistancearizona.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Down Payment Assistance Arizona is the retail brand of Cornerstone First Mortgage, LLC, a single-branch Arizona lender pairing FHA, VA, USDA, and Conventional loans with 7 state and county down payment assistance programs plus 3 national programs for credit-ready buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Mortgage Lending

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing / Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Mortgage Origination (FSALAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Down Payment Assistance (DPA) & Homebuyer Subsidy Programs (FSALAKAE), First-Time Homebuyer (FTHB) Mortgage Origination (FSALAAAG)

Keywords

• Down payment assistance
• Mortgage origination
• FHA home loans
• First-time homebuyer programs
• Arizona mortgage lending

Headquarters

HQ city

Chandler

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Mortgage Origination Revenue: Cornerstone First Mortgage originates first mortgages (FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional) as a participating lender for Arizona DPA programs. Revenue is generated through origination fees, loan servicing, and rate-based pricing embedded in the first mortgage (the DPA assistance is funded by a slight rate premium on the first mortgage). The company is transparent that DPA programs carry slightly elevated first-mortgage pricing compared to non-DPA loans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Down Payment Assistance Arizona operates as a licensed participating lender (Cornerstone First Mortgage, LLC / NMLS 1840242) that originates first mortgages (FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional) for Arizona homebuyers and stacks them with qualifying state, county, and national down payment assistance programs. The core deliverable is file-specific eligibility consultation plus funded first-mortgage loans paired with grants, forgivable second liens, deferred-payment second liens, or low-interest rate buydowns sourced from programs such as Home Plus, Home in Five, Arizona Is Home, Pima Tucson Homebuyer's Solution, Flagstaff CHAP, Cottonwood CHP/EAH, Sedona SWHAP/EAH, Chenoa Fund, Arrive Home, and Essex/NHF.

Product overview

Cornerstone First Mortgage operates downpaymentassistancearizona.com as a licensed mortgage lender and participating lender network offering down payment assistance (DPA) programs throughout Arizona. The core offering is a portfolio of seven DPA programs spanning statewide, county-specific, and national options: Home Plus (statewide, up to 5%), Home in Five (Maricopa County, up to 6.5%), Arizona Is Home (three regional variants by county), Pima Tucson Homebuyer's Solution (Pima County, four variants), Flagstaff CHAP (up to $50K), Cottonwood CHP & EAH (up to $40K), and Sedona SWHAP & EAH (up to $40K). National programs include Chenoa Fund, Arrive Home, and Essex/NHF. The company also provides a free online DPA Program Matcher tool and a MyHomeTrac application portal. All programs layer as second mortgages or grants alongside primary FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional first mortgages originated by Cornerstone.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AZ Loan Experts: Family of Arizona mortgage specialty websites operated by Mike Certo, including Down Payment Assistance Arizona, NV Loan Experts, Buy Before You Sell AZ, and state-specific loan expert sites.

Products and services

• Home Plus Down Payment Assistance A statewide Arizona down payment assistance program offering up to 5% assistance (4% for Government-Home Plus, 5% for Home Plus withMortgage Credit Certificate) usable with FHA, VA, USDA, or Conventional conforming mortgages; designed for income-qualified Arizona homebuyers purchasing within program-defined area median income limits.
• Home in Five DPA Program A Maricopa County down payment assistance program offering up to 6.5% assistance (5% grant plus up to 1.5% additional assistance through Home Plus + MCC, or 6% grant via professional/educator/first responder designation) for eligible Maricopa County homebuyers using FHA, VA, USDA, or Conventional financing.
• Arizona Is Home DPA Program Regional/state Arizona DPA program providing down payment and closing-cost assistance to income-qualified Arizona homebuyers; offered as a participating-lender product stacked with FHA, VA, USDA, or Conventional first mortgages.
• Pima Tucson Homebuyer's Solution DPA Program A Pima County down payment assistance program for eligible Pima County homebuyers purchasing within the county, providing assistance that can be stacked with a conforming first mortgage; offered to income-qualified borrowers by a participating lender.
• Flagstaff CHAP DPA Program A Flagstaff / Coconino County down payment assistance program for income-qualified buyers purchasing within the Flagstaff city limits; offered as a participating-lender product and eligible to be stacked with the Arizona Home Plus statewide program.
• Cottonwood CHP & EAH Assistance Programs Yavapai County / City of Cottonwood down payment and closing-cost assistance programs (Community Housing Program and Employer-Assisted Housing programs) for income-qualified Cottonwood-area buyers; offered as participating-lender products, stackable with other qualifying state or national assistance.
• Sedona SWHAP & EAH Assistance Programs City of Sedona / Coconino County down payment and closing-cost assistance programs (Sedona Workforce Housing Assistance Program and Employer-Assisted Housing) for income-qualified Sedona-area workforce buyers; offered as participating-lender products stackable with state Home Plus and other qualifying assistance.
• Chenoa Fund Down Payment Assistance A national down payment assistance program offering second-lien assistance (forgivable, deferred, or amortized) layered onto FHA, VA, or USDA first mortgages; offered through approved participating lenders across Arizona and nationwide.
• Arrive Home Down Payment Assistance A national down payment assistance program offering second-lien assistance designed for FHA, VA, and USDA borrowers; offered through approved participating lenders.
• Essex / NHF Down Payment Assistance A national down payment assistance program offered through Essex / Neighborhood Housing Foundation mechanisms for income-qualified buyers, stackable with FHA, VA, USDA, or Conventional conforming first mortgages.
• First Mortgage Origination (FHA / VA / USDA / Conventional) Origination of fixed-rate and other conforming first mortgages under FHA, VA, USDA Rural Development, and Conventional loan programs for Arizona homebuyers, with underwriting, processing, and closing handled in-house by Cornerstone First Mortgage, LLC (NMLS 1840242).
• DPA Program Matcher (Eligibility Matching Tool) A database-driven eligibility-matching tool hosted on the company website that pre-screens a borrower's location, income, credit, and loan-purpose inputs against every Arizona and national DPA program the lender participates in, surfacing the assistance options the borrower likely qualifies for.
• MyHomeTrac Online Application Portal A secure online application and document-upload portal used by applicants to start a mortgage file, complete the loan application, and submit income, asset, and identity documentation directly to the lender's operations team.

Quantifiable outcome

• Buyers can receive up to 6.5% of loan amount in DPA (Home in Five, Maricopa County)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Industrial Development Authority of Pima County and City of TucsoncoreOthersCornerstone First Mortgage is a participating lender for the Pima Tucson Homebuyer's Solution, administered by the Industrial Development Authorities of Pima County and the City of Tucson. Loans are serviced by U.S. Bank. The program offers four variants (Advantage, Edge, Unassisted, and Arizona Is Home variant) serving Pima County and Tucson buyers with up to 5% DPA or $15,000 flat assistance.
• Industrial Development Authorities of the City of Phoenix and Maricopa CountycoreOthersCornerstone First Mortgage is a participating lender for Home in Five (Maricopa County's DPA program), administered by the Phoenix and Maricopa County Industrial Development Authorities. Offers up to 6.5% DPA through Advantage and Platinum variants.
• Arizona Industrial Development Authority (Arizona IDA)coreOthersCornerstone First Mortgage is a participating lender for Home Plus (statewide Arizona DPA program) and Arizona Is Home, both administered by the Arizona Industrial Development Authority / Arizona Dept. of Housing. Home Plus offers up to 5% DPA statewide; Arizona Is Home offers 4% non-forgivable DPA in counties outside Maricopa and Pima.
• Housing Solutions of N. Arizona (HSNA)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHSNA administers the Cottonwood CHP & EAH and Sedona SWHAP & EAH programs, plus Flagstaff CHAP. HSNA handles the homebuyer counseling intake, verifies employment and income eligibility, reviews loans via its HAP Committee, and coordinates with Cornerstone at closing. Devonna McLaughlin is CEO; Angela Koder is Housing Programs Manager.
• U.S. BanksupportingOthersU.S. Bank is the loan servicer for the Pima Tucson Homebuyer's Solution program. Cornerstone originates the first mortgage and DPA as a participating lender; U.S. Bank handles ongoing loan servicing for the Pima County program.
• Community Investment Corporation of Tucson (CIC)supportingOthersCIC is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency serving Pima County. It provides the required 4–6 hour homebuyer education course and pre-purchase counseling. Cornerstone coordinates with CIC for Pima County buyers but notes CIC is independent and not affiliated.
• City of CottonwoodcoreOthersThe City of Cottonwood funds the Cottonwood CHP and EAH programs (up to $40,000, 4:1 match). Administered by HSNA. The city also records a Right of First Refusal on properties. Contact: Jeanne Frieder, Cities of Sedona & Cottonwood Housing Manager.
• City of SedonacoreOthersThe City of Sedona funds the Sedona SWHAP and EAH programs (up to $40,000, 4:1 match). Administered by HSNA. The city records a Right of First Refusal on properties. Contact: Karen Osburn, City of Sedona.
• City of FlagstaffcoreOthersThe City of Flagstaff funds the Flagstaff CHAP program — up to $50,000 via a 10:1 buyer match (buyer contributes up to $5,000). Administered by HSNA. Strictly limited to homes inside City of Flagstaff limits. Income cap: 150% of Flagstaff AMI.
• Chenoa FundsupportingOthersNational non-profit DPA program available statewide in Arizona. Cornerstone is a participating lender for Chenoa Fund (up to 5% DPA, FHA-focused, no income limit, 600 FICO floor). Forgivable and repayable structures available.
• Arrive HomesupportingOthersNational DPA program available statewide in Arizona. Cornerstone offers Arrive Home (3.5% forgivable or 5% repayable, 600 FICO, no income limit, FHA-focused). 5% level only on Repayable option.
• Essex Mortgage / National Homebuyers Fund (NHF)supportingOthersNational DPA program available statewide in Arizona. Cornerstone offers Essex/NHF (Amortized 2 Plus and 3-Year Forgivable structures, 100%–101.5% CLTV, 600 FICO, no income limit, FHA only). Notable for permitting manufactured homes.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• loanDepot: One of the largest U.S. non-bank retail lenders, offering government-insured and conventional loans with HFA DPA products. Comparable to Cornerstone as a high-volume originator that competes for the same DPA-eligible first-time buyer segment in Arizona metros.
• Guild Mortgage: Large national retail mortgage lender with one of the highest HFA and DPA participation rates in the U.S. Guild originates FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional loans alongside state and local DPA second mortgages — directly comparable to Cornerstone's product stack, with broader geographic reach.
• Rocket Mortgage: Largest U.S. retail mortgage lender, offering FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional products with HFA DPA offerings. Comparable to Cornerstone as a competing originator of government-backed first mortgages, though with significantly different scale and digital-first acquisition model.
• NewRez (formerly Caliber Home Loans): Top-five U.S. non-bank mortgage originator with substantial retail and correspondent channels, offering FHA, VA, and conventional loans paired with HFA DPA products. Comparable to Cornerstone as an established multi-program lender serving the first-time buyer segment.
• PRMG (Paramount Residential Mortgage Group): Large independent retail mortgage lender with active DPA and HFA program participation across many states, including Arizona. Comparable as a higher-volume originator of FHA/VA/USDA loans layered with DPA seconds.
• Movement Mortgage: Large retail mortgage lender founded on the "Movement Mortgage 1.0%" initiative, with broad HFA/DPA participation and a branch model. Comparable to Cornerstone in originating FHA and conventional loans with second-mortgage DPA assistance.

Direct peers

• Network Financial Mortgage: Arizona-based retail mortgage lender offering FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional loans with stated emphasis on first-time homebuyer and down payment assistance programs. Directly comparable as a regional Arizona originator competing for the same DPA-eligible borrower pool.
• Cornerstone Home Lending: National retail mortgage lender headquartered in Texas with active participation in numerous state HFA and municipal DPA programs; similar brand affinity to Cornerstone First Mortgage. Comparable model of statewide lender-driven program participation and in-house underwriting.
• Waterstone Mortgage: Mid-size retail mortgage lender with broad HFA and DPA program participation across multiple states. Comparable to Cornerstone as a community-rooted retail originator emphasizing first-time buyer programs and personalized loan officer relationships.
• Citywide Home Loans: Regional retail mortgage lender with strong participation in state HFA down payment assistance programs across the western U.S., including Arizona. Compares to Cornerstone as a similarly-positioned regional lender specializing in HFA programs and first-time buyer financing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Down Payment Assistance Arizona