This mortgage bond program funded by the Pima IDA
Interest
Rate
Lighthouse 6.0
TBD
Providing homebuyers safe harbor in a choppy housing market.
Reservations open in eHousing Sept 11
Looking for Homebuyer Education? CLICK HERE.
ABOUT LIGHTHOUSE
LIGHTHOUSE provides a valuable service to families looking to purchase their dream home: down payment assistance. Our program creates affordable down payment assistance to help families get into the home they need. With our help, families are one step closer to realizing their dream of homeownership.
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LIGHTHOUSE is brought to you by the Pima IDA and the Tucson IDA.
PROGRAM BENEFITS
Low Mortgage Rate
4% Down Payment Assistance
Fully Forgiveable
Most interest rates fluctuate day to day, but with Lighthouse we lock in a low rate so that no matter what happens to the market you can feel safe and secure mortgage rate.
We provide 4% of the total mortgage amount as cash up-front for your down payment.
If you stay in your home for 5 years or more, you never have to worry about paying back the down payment assistance!
It converts into a grant after 5 years!
High inflation and high prices started chipping away at the money I saved for my first home,
but now, with the Lighthouse program,
I can put down a downpayment and locked in a low interest rate!
HOMEBUYER GUIDANCE
Interested in purchasing a home? That's great!
Contact an approved lender today to get qualified for the program.
LENDER'S CORNER
We couldn't do this program without the hundreds of lenders who make it happen!
This program will go fast, so make sure your clients don't miss out
GET CERTIFIED NOW
You must be approved to do business with US Bank, who is acting as the Program’s Master Servicer.
If you are not already doing business with US Bank, you will need to submit a request to receive the appropriate documents for execution. US Bank will notify the Lender and the IDA's when approved.
If you need further assistance with US Bank,
you can contact:
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Client Administration Department
800-562-5165 Option 2
ELIGIBILITY
Updated May 2024
General Eligibility
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First-time homebuyers (some exceptions apply)*
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Government loans only
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Valid in Tucson & Pima County only
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Must apply & gain approval prior to home closing
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Cannot be combined with other federally secured products (ie. Mortgage Credit Certificate)
​*Applicants who are military veterans or who purchase in target areas do not have to be first-time homebuyers.
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**Target Areas are determined by census tract. For a list of target areas in Pima County, please visit https://cictucson.org/mcc/target-areas.
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Lenders must gain approval prior to home closing or
may be subject to bond mortgage liability.
Household Income Limits
Purchase Price Limits
* Do not have to be a first-time homebuyer if purchasing in target areas.
** Target Areas are determined by census tract. For a list of target areas in Pima County, please visit https://cictucson.org/mcc/target-areas.
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^^ Some exceptions apply for higher FICO scores. Check with your lender.
LOAN OFFICER TRAINING
For support with eHousing Contact:
For support with online training at eHPUniversity Contact:
For support with user access to eHPUniversity, eHPortal or eHP Digital Docs Contact:
Questions about your loan? Contact:
954-217-0817
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Is it hard to qualify for the LIGHTHOUSE program?No, a borrower (and their spouse, if applicable) would need to be a first-time buyer (there are few exceptions) have income below the allowable income limit and purchase a home with a sales price below the sales price limit.
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What if I want to refinance or move before the end of the 5th year, do I need to repay the assistance?Yes, the assistance is a second mortgage with a 5-year term. At the end of the 5th year, your assistance is forgiven. If you sell your home. refinance or otherwise dispose of the property, you will need to repay the entire amount of assistance.
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How long will it take to close a LIGHTHOUSE loan?As fast as any other loan. There are no program overlays to slow down the closing process.
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What and where are targeted areas?A targeted area is census-tract specific to the LIGHTHOUSE program where a borrower does not need to be a first-time buyer and the income and sale price limits are higher. To determine if a property is located in a Targeted Area, please contact a participating lender.
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Who is considered a first-time homebuyer?A first-time homebuyer is defined as someone who has not owned and occupied their principal residence in the past 3 years.
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Is the assistance in the program a grant?No, this is not a grant, it is a forgivable second mortgage. The assistance is in the form of a 0% Interest (this means you never pay interest), 5-year forgivable (eventually forgiven), second mortgage (there is a lien on your property until the loan is forgiven). After the 60th month (end of 5-years), the assistance is forgiven.
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Where can we find out more when the next LIGHTHOUSE will be available?We are active on Facebook, LinkedIn, our website, and Instagram. We are most active on INSTAGRAM, so we suggest following and turning on your notifications for daily updates on the program, @housinginnovationhub .
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Do I qualify for LIGHTHOUSE if I live in AZ?Yes* However, this program is reserved for Tucson and Pima County Residents only.
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How quickly do you anticipate the program to go out?Given that these funds are at a fixed, lower interest rate than what is offered in the market right now and the downpayment assistance fund is limited, our LIGHTHOUSE programs have sold out in less than a month. If you are waiting to buy a house and you qualify for LIGHTHOUSE, now is your chance!
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Who should I reach out to for questions on the program?Your first step will be to reach out to our Approved Lenders! The PimaTucson Housing Innovation Hub created the LIGHTHOUSE program, but does not execute it. Our approved lenders can qualify you for a home under LIGHTHOUSE. For any general information on the program, please email info@housinginnovationhub.org .
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What are the exceptions to the first-time buyer requirement?A Veteran does not need to be a first-time buyer, neither does a borrower purchasing a home in a Targeted Area.
A bond product brought to you by the Tucson and Pima IDA.