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

3% down on a conventional loan, 3.5% on FHA, and zero down on VA for eligible buyers. Assistance programs can cover part or all of that if your income and target price fit current limits, and we check that for you at the start.

Can I use down payment assistance to buy in Denver?

Often, yes. CHFA, metroDPA, and Denver DPA all serve this area, each with its own income and purchase price limits. We check your scenario against current limits early so you know your real budget before you fall in love with a house.

What should I do before I start touring homes?

Get a fully documented pre-approval, not just an online estimate. We walk through your monthly payment, cash to close, and assistance options first, so the number you shop with is the number you can actually close on.

How long does it take to buy a first home?

Pre-approval usually takes a day or two once your documents arrive. Once you are under contract, most purchase loans close in 18 to 25 days, and we work to beat contract deadlines.

First Time Buyer Experts

First-time home buyer in Denver? Start here.

Buying your first home in Denver comes with questions nobody hands you answers to. We walk first-time buyers through every step, from the real monthly payment to the assistance programs most people never hear about.

A couple walking with coffee down a tree lined Denver street of brick bungalows, the downtown skyline and mountains behind them

Most first-time buyers we meet in Denver are further along than they think. The down payment is usually smaller than expected, the monthly payment is the number that actually matters, and the right loan structure can save real money over the years you own the home.

Buying your first home in Denver

Denver's neighborhoods are wildly different markets on the same application, from brick bungalows in Berkeley to new builds in Central Park, and first-time buyers here compete best with a fully underwritten pre-approval in hand.

The loans first-time buyers use here

There is no single first-time buyer loan. There is a short list of options, and the right one depends on your income, your credit, and the home you are targeting.

Conventional 3% down: the most common first-time buyer loan, with mortgage insurance that drops off once you reach 20% equity.
FHA 3.5% down: more flexible on credit history, with mortgage insurance that behaves differently than conventional.
VA zero down: for eligible veterans, service members, and surviving spouses, with no monthly mortgage insurance at all.
Assistance programs: CHFA, metroDPA, and Denver DPA can cover part or all of the down payment and closing costs if your income and target price fit current limits.

How we work with first-time buyers

We start with a conversation, not an application. You will know your real monthly payment, your cash to close, and which assistance programs you qualify for before you tour a single home.

Then we shop your file across more than 70 wholesale mortgage banks through the IMB network and bring you the best of those offers, with better-than-market interest rates and fair, competitive fees. You see the comparison before you commit to anything.

What first-time buyers in Denver ask us

The short version of each answer. If yours is not here, call or text 720-386-4071 and ask.

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