How much down payment does a Boulder home require?

Jumbo loans often start around 10% down, with better pricing at 20% or more. Conventional conforming loans run 3% down at the low end, and VA financing allows zero down for eligible buyers within their entitlement.

Can RSU income be used to qualify?

Often, yes, depending on the vesting history and the employer. Rules vary by lender, which is exactly why we shop the file: we place equity compensated borrowers with the wholesale banks that underwrite it cleanly.

What makes a loan jumbo in Boulder?

Any loan amount above the conforming limit, which sits around 806,500 dollars in most Colorado counties. In much of Boulder County that describes an ordinary house, so jumbo financing is normal here rather than exotic.

Is jumbo pricing worse than conforming?

Not necessarily. Jumbo pricing varies widely between banks, and wholesale lenders often compete hard for well qualified jumbo files. We bring you the best of the offers we gather rather than one bank's sheet.

Do I need a jumbo loan to buy in Boulder?

It depends on the price and the current conforming loan limit for Boulder County. Many Boulder single-family homes require jumbo financing, while many condos and townhomes do not. We check your scenario against current limits.

What is a permanently affordable home in Boulder?

It is a home sold below market to an income-eligible buyer, with a covenant that limits the resale price and sets other rules. The City of Boulder lists current homes and requirements on its homeownership page.

Areas we serve

Boulder mortgage broker for high balance loans

Boulder County prices push most loans past conforming limits, and jumbo lending is where a broker's shopping shows its value most.

A homeowner carrying a ladder across a Boulder front yard with the Flatirons rising behind the neighborhood

Between the Flatirons and the county line, Boulder prices run well past the conforming loan limit in most neighborhoods. That makes the structure and pricing of your jumbo mortgage worth real money, which is exactly what shopping the file across wholesale banks is for.

Buying a home in Boulder

Boulder is the county seat of Boulder County, and home prices here run high compared with most of Colorado. Open space protections and height limits keep the city compact, which is a big part of why people love living here and a big part of why inventory stays tight. Buyers often find that larger loan amounts, including jumbo financing, are part of the conversation sooner than they expected.

Condos and townhomes make up a large share of what is available at more approachable prices, especially near CU and along the Pearl Street and 28th Street corridors. That makes condo approval review a regular part of Boulder files. We look at the HOA budget, reserves, master insurance, and any special assessments early, because a building that misses agency guidelines needs a different lender.

Boulder also has one of the most established affordable homeownership programs in the state. Homes in the Boulder Regional Affordable Homeownership Program are sold below market to income-eligible owner occupants, with a covenant that limits the resale price. Those homes are financed like other homes but with extra documents, so work with a lender familiar with the covenant.

Because so many Boulder files involve condos, larger loans, or covenant homes, we match each one with lenders comfortable with that specific situation rather than sending everything to the same place. That is where shopping more than 70 wholesale lenders pays off.

Larger loans: Ask early whether your price range needs jumbo financing.
Condos: Expect a project review of the HOA budget and insurance.
Deed-restricted homes: Read the covenant's resale and income rules before you apply.

Jumbo and high balance lending

Conventional conforming loans cap around 806,500 dollars in most Colorado counties. Above that sits the jumbo world, where guidelines, pricing, and down payment expectations vary far more from bank to bank. We work with jumbo lenders that go to three million with a single lien, offer interest only structures where they fit, and consider asset based income.

Tech income, RSUs, and bonuses

A large share of Boulder's buyers earn equity compensation on top of salary. Underwriters treat restricted stock units, bonuses, and vesting schedules with specific rules, and those rules differ by lender. Because we see which wholesale banks handle equity income smoothly, we route the file where it will be understood rather than mangled.

Boulder County beyond Boulder

Louisville, Lafayette, Longmont, Superior, Erie, and Nederland each run their own micro market. Conventional loans cover the conforming end, and first-time buyer programs apply in the county as anywhere, subject to income and purchase price limits.

Second homes and moves

Boulder clients often add a mountain property or relocate for a role change. Second home and investment financing carry their own pricing structures, and we price those alongside your primary residence plans.

What Boulder buyers ask us

Questions about your own numbers?

Call or text 720-386-4071, or start the application and we will follow up the same day. The conversation is free, and the math is yours to keep.

Get Pre-Approved Call or text 720-386-4071