Educators · Colorado
Colorado Teacher Home Loans
Four ways Colorado teachers and school staff get help buying a home, compared honestly: CHFA Schools to Home, CHFA down payment assistance, metroDPA and my Homes to Heroes lender credit.
The short answer
Bigger help means a bigger give-back
If you work full-time for a Colorado public school, CHFA Schools to Home offers the most help by far: up to 25% of your first mortgage. It is repaid in full when you sell or refinance, plus a share of your appreciation. CHFA’s standard assistance and metroDPA give less, but they give back less too, and CHFA’s grant option is never repaid. My Homes to Heroes program is different again: a lender credit equal to 1% of your loan amount toward closing costs for teachers and K-12 educators.
One rule decides a lot: Schools to Home cannot be combined with any other second mortgage. CHFA’s program matrix allows no subordinate financing, so it is Schools to Home or metroDPA or a CHFA assistance loan, not a stack of them. The right one depends on how long you will stay.
Side by side
Colorado teacher home loan options compared
| Program | Who it is for | How much help | Paid back? | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHFA Schools to Home | Full-time employees of Colorado preK-12 public schools, districts, charters, BOCES and innovation zones | Up to 25% of the first mortgage | Yes: the full amount plus a shared-appreciation payment when you sell, refinance or pay off | No other second mortgage allowed; Fannie Mae conventional only; income up to $178,920; 620 credit |
| CHFA down payment assistance grant | Any CHFA borrower within income and price limits, any occupation | Up to the lesser of $25,000 or 3% of the first mortgage | No | Must use a CHFA first mortgage |
| CHFA down payment assistance second | Any CHFA borrower within limits | Up to the lesser of $25,000 or 4% of the first mortgage (up to $25,000 for first-generation buyers and people with a permanent disability) | Yes, deferred until you sell, refinance or pay off | Must use a CHFA first mortgage |
| metroDPA | Buyers in participating Front Range cities and counties, any occupation | A percentage of the first mortgage that depends on the loan type | Yes, a 30-year deferred second with no scheduled payments, repaid on sale or refinance | Income up to $195,600; credit score above 640; check your address |
| Homes to Heroes (David Silva) | Teachers and K-12 educators, plus first responders, active or retired | A lender credit equal to 1% of your loan amount, applied to closing costs | No | Available when you finance with me; how it combines with a CHFA program is confirmed loan by loan |
Sources: CHFA Schools to Home Program Matrix (effective Aug 3, 2026); CHFA down payment assistance page; City and County of Denver metroDPA page (all accessed September 2026).
The math, made clear
One teacher, three ways to buy the same house
Take a teacher buying a $450,000 home with a $360,000 first mortgage who sells after seven years, with prices rising 3% a year. The home is then worth about $553,443, a gain of $103,443.
Option 1
Schools to Home
- Assistance: up to $90,000 (25% of $360,000)
- Shared appreciation: $103,443 × ($90,000 ÷ $450,000) = $20,689
- Owed back at sale: $110,689
If CHFA applies the full 25% as in its consumer-page example, the shared payment is $25,861 instead.
Option 2
CHFA grant
- Assistance: $10,800 (3% of $360,000, under the $25,000 cap)
- Owed back at sale: $0
Far less help up front, but nothing to repay.
Option 3
CHFA second mortgage
- Assistance: $14,400 (4% of $360,000)
- Owed back at sale: $14,400, no appreciation share
What it means
Match the help to your timeline
Schools to Home costs about $96,000 more to exit than the CHFA second in this example, but it may be the only way the purchase happens at all. If you can buy with less help and plan to stay, the smaller programs usually leave you with more equity. Run your own numbers.
Illustrative example only, not a quote. Assumes no other changes to the loan; selling costs not included.
Closing cost help for teachers
Help with closing costs, not just the down payment
- Schools to Home proceeds can go toward the down payment, closing costs, prepaids or principal reduction, per CHFA’s matrix.
- CHFA’s grant and second mortgage can cover down payment and closing costs with a CHFA first mortgage.
- metroDPA is a deferred second mortgage for down payment and closing costs in participating communities.
- Homes to Heroes, my own program, puts a lender credit equal to 1% of your loan amount toward closing costs. On a CHFA loan, the credit has to fit CHFA’s rules on credits and cash back at closing, which I confirm before you rely on it.
Who each option fits
- Full-time public school employee who cannot clear the down payment any other way and plans to stay put: Schools to Home.
- Educator at a private school, or anyone likely to move within a few years: CHFA assistance or metroDPA.
- First-generation buyer: compare CHFA FirstGeneration ($25,000 deferred, no shared appreciation).
- Already have the down payment: skip assistance, and let me price a standard loan against the programs.
FAQ
Teacher home loan questions
Can I combine Schools to Home with metroDPA or CHFA down payment assistance?
No. CHFA’s Schools to Home matrix allows no subordinate financing, so you pick one assistance program.
Do paraprofessionals, bus drivers and other school staff qualify for Schools to Home?
Yes, if an eligible Colorado public school employer classifies you as full-time. The program covers school employees, not just teachers.
Do private school teachers qualify?
Not for Schools to Home, which is limited to public school employers. CHFA assistance and metroDPA are not tied to your occupation, and my Homes to Heroes credit covers teachers and K-12 educators at any school.
What are the income limits for teacher programs in Colorado?
Schools to Home has a single statewide limit of $178,920. metroDPA allows income up to $195,600. CHFA’s standard assistance limits vary by county and household size.
Can I use Homes to Heroes with Schools to Home?
Homes to Heroes is a lender credit from me, not a second mortgage, so Schools to Home’s no-subordinate-financing rule does not apply to it. CHFA does set rules on credits and cash back at closing, so I confirm the combination on your specific loan.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer?
Not for Schools to Home. Other programs set their own rules, and I check them against your situation.
Related: CHFA Schools to Home · Schools to Home calculator · CHFA down payment assistance · Colorado assistance compared · Westminster, Denver, Aurora
CHFA programs are administered by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and offered through CHFA Participating Lenders, subject to CHFA guidelines, income limits and eligibility. metroDPA is administered by the City and County of Denver for participating jurisdictions. The Homes to Heroes lender credit is offered by David Silva on eligible loans and may not be available with every program. Assistance amounts and terms are set by each program and subject to change. Examples are illustrations, not quotes. This is not a commitment to lend.
Educators, let’s find your best path.
Tell me your school, your household income and how long you plan to stay. I will line up every program you qualify for with real numbers. Call (303) 557-3846 or start online.