How much do I need for a down payment in Colorado?

FHA loans go as low as 3.5% down. Conventional loans start at 3% down for first-time buyers. VA loans require 0% down for eligible service members. Adams County offers DPA programs that can stack on top of these to cover most or all of the down payment.

Should I get pre-approved before I start looking?

Yes — and it's free. A solid pre-approval letter is required to write a competitive offer in Denver metro. I'll connect you with two or three lenders I trust so you can compare rates and pick the one you click with.

What's the difference between FHA and conventional?

FHA is government-backed, easier to qualify for, and lets you put as little as 3.5% down — but you pay mortgage insurance for the life of the loan in most cases. Conventional often costs less long-term if you have stronger credit and at least 5–10% down.

Mortgage + Affordability

What you can actually afford — and how to pay for it

Loan types, down payment assistance you might not know exists, and the real monthly numbers behind a Denver-metro purchase. Plain English, no lender jargon.

Free buyer consult First-time buyer playbook

0%: Down for VA-eligible buyers
3.5%: Min down on FHA
$25K+: Adams County DPA available
2–4%: Typical closing costs

Loan types

Six ways most buyers actually finance a home

The right loan depends on your credit, your cash, your service history, and the property itself. I walk through the trade-offs so you understand why your lender is recommending what they're recommending.

FHA

Government-backed. 3.5% minimum down. Easier credit qualification. Best fit for first-time buyers who want low cash to close. Mortgage insurance is permanent in most cases.

Conventional

3–5% minimum down. Best fit for buyers with 700+ credit. Mortgage insurance drops off automatically at 78% loan-to-value. Cheaper long-term than FHA for most.

VA

0% down. No PMI. Lower interest rates. Funding fee instead. Available to eligible active-duty, veterans, reservists, and surviving spouses. The strongest loan product in the market.

USDA

0% down. Income-limited. Available in designated rural areas — which on the Front Range includes parts of Brighton, Frederick, and east of Aurora. Underused.

Jumbo

For loan amounts above the conforming limit (currently around $766K in most Front Range counties). Different qualification standards. Common for Boulder + Louisville buyers.

Doctor / Professional

Specialty product. 0–5% down on jumbo amounts, no PMI, lower reserve requirements. Available to physicians, dentists, and a few other licensed professionals.

Down payment assistance

Free money most buyers don't know about

Down payment assistance programs are real, they're underused, and they stack with most standard loan products. Here are the three I lean on most for Front Range buyers.

Adams County DPA

Up to $25K+ in down payment assistance for qualifying buyers in Brighton, Commerce City, Thornton, Westminster, and Northglenn. Income-limited. Stacks with FHA + conventional loans.

CHFA (Statewide)

Colorado Housing and Finance Authority offers competitive rates plus down payment grants and second-mortgage options. Available statewide; income limits apply.

Metro Mortgage Assistance Plus

Forgivable second mortgage covering up to 4% of the loan amount for first-time buyers in metro Denver. Forgiven after a set occupancy period.

The financing path

From 'maybe someday' to keys in hand

01
Free buyer consult
30-minute call. We talk about timeline, comfort level, target neighborhoods, and what you actually want a monthly payment to look like — not just what you 'qualify' for.
02
Lender intro
I introduce you to two or three lenders I trust. You compare rates, fees, and personality. Pick the one you click with.
03
Pre-approval letter
Lender pulls credit, verifies income, and issues a pre-approval letter with a real number. Now you're ready to write an offer.
04
Find the home
We tour, narrow, and write. I structure the offer to win without overpaying — including financing terms that protect you if rates move.
05
Underwriting + close
Lender finalizes the loan. Inspection, appraisal, title work happen in parallel. 30-day average contract-to-close.

Reality check

The number your lender quotes is not your real budget

Lenders will pre-approve you for the maximum payment you technically qualify for. That number assumes you have no other goals in life besides paying a mortgage. It does not account for travel, retirement contributions, kids' activities, or wanting to sleep at night.

On the consult call, I work backward from your real monthly comfort number — what you'd genuinely be okay paying every month for the next decade — and we shop in that range. The number is almost always smaller than the pre-approval, and clients are almost always happier for it.

Common questions

What buyers ask me first

Free buyer consult, no obligation

30 minutes. We figure out your real comfort number, talk through which loan type fits, and I send you to a lender or two for rate quotes. No pressure to work with me afterward.

Book the call

Want the full first-time buyer walk-through? Read the first-time buyer playbook →