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 teachers and educators across every metro in the state. $0 lender fees for first responders. The income-structuring expertise national lenders skip on teacher or educator files.
Colorado doesn't run a hero-specific DPA, but CHFA SmartStep Plus offers up to $25,000 grant assistance for eligible buyers. For teachers and educators 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 teachers and educators 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 teachers and educators 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 Teachers & Educators 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 teachers and educators with 1099 side income. Every Colorado school has one.
Teachers paid on a 10-month schedule (e.g., 10 monthly checks Aug-May with no summer income) face a continuity question that 12-month teachers don't. We document the contract — annual salary divided into 10 vs 12 payments doesn't change the qualifying income; it's the same annual contract amount either way. We pre-frame the file so underwriting doesn't bounce it for 'income gaps' in summer months.
Athletic coaching, club sponsorships, after-school program leads — each one adds a documented stipend on top of base salary. A 24-month history of consistent stipends counts toward qualifying income. We attach the school's stipend matrix to the file.
Summer school, summer camp, ESL summer programs, and intersession teaching all count as qualifying income with a 24-month trailing pattern. National lenders frequently miss this because they don't ask.
Most districts pay differentials for advanced degrees (MS, MEd, EdD), National Board Certification, and accumulated continuing-ed credits. These are baseline income additions — we document them and submit them as recurring income.
First-year teachers often face continuity-of-employment pushback. We document the contract + prior related work (student teaching, paraprofessional time, military, related degree) to satisfy continuity rules without a 1-2 year delay.
We close mortgages in every Colorado county. The cities and metros where Colorado teachers and educators most commonly buy:
No, if the file is documented correctly. Your annual contract amount is the same whether you're paid in 10 monthly installments (Aug-May) or 12 (Sept-Aug). We document the contract, pre-frame the gap in summer pay so underwriting doesn't bounce it, and qualify you on the annual contract amount.
Yes, with a 24-month history. Athletic coaching, club sponsorships, summer school, and intersession teaching all count toward qualifying income when documented. We attach the district's stipend matrix to the file so underwriting reads them as recurring income, not one-off bonuses.
Yes. K-12 public school teachers are eligible for the GNND program — 50% off the list price on HUD-owned properties in designated revitalization areas, with a 36-month occupancy commitment. We screen GNND inventory weekly for our teacher files.
If you're a Colorado teacher or educator — active, retired, or family of — we know how to structure your file. No documents required to start. No commitment.