CHFA SmartStep Plus
Down payment assistance grant up to the lesser of $25,000 or 3% of the first mortgage amount — OR a second-mortgage option for borrowers who need more.
A firefighter-owned mortgage brokerage in Boca Raton, serving Colorado firefighters across every metro in the state. $0 lender fees for first responders. The income-structuring expertise national lenders skip on firefighter files.
Colorado doesn't run a hero-specific DPA, but CHFA SmartStep Plus offers up to $25,000 grant assistance for eligible buyers. For firefighters buying in Denver or the Springs, that grant layered with VA or FHA often closes the gap on rising Front Range prices.
This page is for Colorado firefighters specifically — buying or refinancing anywhere in the state.
Down payment assistance grant up to the lesser of $25,000 or 3% of the first mortgage amount — OR a second-mortgage option for borrowers who need more.
Colorado Housing & Finance Authority's standard DPA options layered on a CHFA first mortgage.
FirstStep, FirstGeneration, and HomeAccess programs for buyers who fit specific categories.
Zero down, no PMI, reduced funding fee for disability-rated veterans. For firefighters who served before joining their current field, we structure dual-eligible files that often clear closing with $0 out of pocket.
HUD federal program — 50% off the list price on HUD-owned properties in designated revitalization areas. Colorado Firefighters qualify (program also covers police, EMTs, paramedics, and K-12 teachers). 36-month occupancy commitment. Pairs with FHA financing.
For files that don't fit a DPA program — 3.5% down FHA, 3-5% down conventional, or non-QM bank-statement loans for firefighters with 1099 side income. Every Colorado firehouse has one.
Fire departments structure overtime differently than civilian payroll. A 24-month documented history of OT and callback pay on your paystub counts as qualifying income — but most lenders either ignore it or use a flat 50% haircut. We document the trailing pattern and submit it the way underwriting actually wants it presented. On a typical Colorado file, this alone moves the qualifying ceiling up $80K–$140K.
Two days off doesn't mean part-time income. Most national underwriters need to be walked through your shift cycle — what's hours-worked vs. swap-days vs. paid-leave. We pre-frame your file with a one-page shift summary so underwriting doesn't bounce it for "irregular hours."
Deferred Retirement Option Programs are some of the most mishandled income types in the country. We document the DROP enrollment, structure the purchase around your current base + variable, and use the future pension stream as supporting documentation — not the primary qualifier. Post-DROP firefighters with pension income document it like W-2 income.
"You can't buy until probation is over." False, in most cases. We document probationary status as procedural rather than performance-conditional, pair it with prior-service credentials (military, related work, EMT history), and satisfy continuity-of-employment rules without a 1-2 year delay.
Paramedic differential, Hazmat, dive team, technical rescue, special operations — most fire departments have 4-7 ways to add to your base pay. We document each one, attach the department pay matrix to the file, and submit them as recurring income components rather than "bonuses" (which underwriting underweights).
We close mortgages in every Colorado county. The cities and metros where Colorado firefighters most commonly buy:
Yes. With a 24-month history of consistent overtime and callback pay documented on your paystubs, both are counted toward qualifying income. Most national lenders count only base salary. We've placed Colorado firefighter files where overtime alone added $80,000–$140,000 to the maximum approved loan amount.
Yes. DROP-eligible firefighters are some of the most lender-misunderstood borrowers in Colorado. We document the DROP timeline as a transition-of-income event and underwrite to your current base + variable pay, not your post-DROP estimate. Your purchase is structured around real cash flow today, not a forecast.
Volunteers absolutely qualify for most state DPA programs (where state programs apply) and federal Good Neighbor Next Door. We document volunteer status with a department letter, and the same continuity-of-service rules apply. Smaller-county firefighters often get priority for some local DPA programs because their counties run set-aside allocations.
If you're a Colorado firefighter — active, retired, or family of — we know how to structure your file. No documents required to start. No commitment.