Buying a home in Colorado: the help you may qualify for.
Down payment assistance, property tax exemptions and veteran benefits in Colorado, gathered from official state sources and explained in plain English. Every program has its own rules, so check with the agency before you count on it.
Down payment and closing cost help
From the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA).
CHFA Down Payment Assistance Grant
Up to 3% of the first mortgage
A grant you don't repay. You can't combine it with the second mortgage.
CHFA Second Mortgage
Up to 4% of the first mortgage
No payments until you sell, refinance or move out.
Schools To Home
Up to 25% of the loan
For public school employees, with shared appreciation when you sell.
Who qualifies: You put in at least $1,000 (gifts allowed), income and price limits, homebuyer education, through a CHFA participating lender.
Property tax exemptions and credits
Exemptions lower your home’s taxable value or your bill. Most aren’t automatic: you apply with your county assessor. Colorado’s official exemptions information.
For veterans
Disabled veteran exemption
50% of the first $200,000 of your home's value
For veterans with a 100% permanent service-connected disability rating (some veterans paid at the 100% rate qualify) and Gold Star spouses. No age requirement. Only one exemption per home.
How to apply: With the Division of Veterans Affairs, by July 1. (Colorado Division of Property Taxation)
For surviving spouses and other situations
Senior property tax exemption
50% of the first $200,000 of your home's value
For homeowners 65 or older who have owned and lived in the home for at least 10 years. The state reimburses the county.
How to apply: With your county assessor, by July 15. (Colorado Division of Property Taxation)
Want to see which ones fit you? Answer a few questions in the property tax exemptions checker.
If you serve or served
- VA home loan: available in every state, often with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance. You’ll need a Certificate of Eligibility. See VA home loans.
- Property tax: veterans in Colorado may qualify for Disabled veteran exemption. See the details above.
Your next steps
- Work out a monthly cost you’re comfortable with in the home cost calculator. It also lists Colorado’s programs with the loans you may qualify for.
- Talk with a free or low-cost HUD-approved housing counselor. Find one near you.
- Ask each lender which of these programs they work with, and compare Loan Estimates from at least three.
- Follow the step-by-step home buyer’s guide from budget to keys.
Common questions
Does Colorado have down payment help for home buyers?
Yes. Programs from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) include CHFA Down Payment Assistance Grant, CHFA Second Mortgage, Schools To Home. You put in at least $1,000 (gifts allowed), income and price limits, homebuyer education, through a CHFA participating lender. Funding and rules change often, so check with the agency or a participating lender.
Does Colorado have a homestead or property tax exemption for homeowners?
Yes. Homeowners who live in the home may qualify for: . Apply with your county assessor; most exemptions aren't automatic.
Is there help for veterans buying a home in Colorado?
VA home loans are available in every state, often with no down payment. Veterans may also qualify for property tax benefits such as Disabled veteran exemption.
Sources: Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) and Colorado’s property tax office, linked above. Last checked November 11, 2026. Programs, amounts, income limits and funding change often, sometimes every year. Know Before You Own doesn’t recommend lenders or take referral fees. This page is general education, not legal, tax or lending advice. See other states.