There a wide range of programs designed to help lower income home buyers, or home buyers with very limited cash, buy a home. Some programs are available nationwide or statewide, others are restricted to home purchases within a particular city or county. If you don’t find the information you need here, give a call to your local housing department or check out their web site.

 

Don’t assume that you’re not eligible for home buyer assistance  programs. Find out. Many programs indicate that they are set up for first time home buyers, but a “first time” home buyer for most of these programs is anyone who hasn’t owned a home in the past 3 years. And while most are designed to assist lower income buyers, this generally means that the buyer has an income which is less than 80% of the local median income. In a market like  Boulder, you can make a lot of money and still qualify for these programs.  And some programs have no income restrictions. Donald Trump could qualify.

 

In the Boulder County real estate market, we deal with three different types of assistance programs:

 

City or County Lower Income Housing

State of Colorado Low Interest Rate Loans

City and County Down Payment Assistance Programs

City or County Lower Income Housing Programs

In order to maintain a diverse population and to assist lower income buyers, many of the communities in the area offer programs designed to make it possible for lower income buyers to purchase homes. Often, as a condition for issuing builder permits to developers, builders must sell a certain percentage of the homes they build to lower income buyers at below market prices. Often, the property purchased will have a deed restriction which requires that when the property is sold, it is sold to another qualified lower income buyer. The deed restriction may also limit the amount that the property can sell for. These programs are complex and their terms and requirements are constantly in flux. They generally require that you attend classes on home ownership and financial management. You can obtain more extensive and more current information on these programs at:

 

City of Boulder

City of  Longmont

State of Colorado Low Interest Rate Loans

Through CHFA, Colorado offers mortgage loans at below market rates as well as deferred loans to help buyers with the cash for the down payment and closing  costs. CHAC provides down payment assistance.

 

Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA)

Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation (CHAC)

City or County Down Payment Assistance Programs

Both the city of Boulder and Boulder County offer down payment assistance programs

 

City of Boulder

Boulder County Outside the City of Boulder