Colorado Teacher Home Buying Grants
Colorado Teacher Home Buying Grants
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As a former teacher of 23 years, Christine has a HUGE Christine's passion for education doesn't stop there. She has collected all the Northern Colorado Teacher Salary SCHEDULES in one place, from St. Vrain School District to the south to Poudre and Thompson School Districts to the north, to help current or future teachers learn which school district they want to work with. Additionally, some cities and school districts, such as Greeley, Colorado and School District 6, offer programs to help educators. To learn about Greeley's G-Hope program, click HERE. If you're interested in buying a home with nothing down, contact Christine at 303-709-4262. As a trusted real estate expert in Northern Colorado, she's here to help make your dream of homeownership a reality. |
for teachers.What homebuying help actually exists for Colorado teachers right now?
The most substantial current program is CHFA's Schools To Home, which offers Colorado public school employees — teachers, administrators, counselors, nurses, and support staff — a second mortgage loan of up to 25% of the first mortgage loan amount to cover down payment and closing costs, according to CHFA's own program page. It's a shared-appreciation structure: repayment, along with a share of home appreciation, is deferred until you sell, refinance, or pay off the first mortgage. It's open to full-time employees of any Colorado public school, charter school, district, BOCES, or innovation zone, and it cannot be combined with CHFA's other down payment programs.
Separately, CHFA also offers a general DPA Grant of up to the lesser of $25,000 or 3% of your first mortgage amount, with no repayment required, and a second-mortgage option up to 4% of the loan at 0% interest, per CHFA's down payment assistance page. These aren't teacher-exclusive, but any first-time Colorado homebuyer, including teachers, can use them, and they can potentially be paired with your first mortgage.
Good Neighbor Next Door — real, but narrow
HUD's Good Neighbor Next Door program offers full-time pre-K through 12th grade teachers a 50% discount off the list price of specific HUD-owned homes located in designated "revitalization areas," according to HUD's official program page. In exchange, you sign a silent second mortgage for the discounted amount and commit to living in the home as your primary residence for 36 months — no interest or payments on that second mortgage as long as you meet the occupancy requirement.
The catch is real: this only applies to specific HUD-owned homes in specific areas, and if more than one qualified buyer bids on the same home, it's awarded by lottery. It's worth checking the HUD Home Store listings if you're a teacher open to a specific location, but I wouldn't build a home search plan around finding one — the inventory is narrow and unpredictable.
A program that's changing, and one I won't recommend
Colorado passed SB25-167 in 2025, creating a new Educator First Home Ownership Program — a shared-equity down payment assistance program for public school employees, funded through the state's Public School Fund and administered by CHFA, with at least $100 million unlocked by 2028. This is new and still being built out administratively, so ask CHFA directly about current application status before assuming it's live in the exact form described at signing.
I want to be direct about one program you'll see mentioned in older articles: Landed, a private company that historically offered down payment support for educators in several states including Colorado. Based on what I can confirm right now, Landed's direct work with Colorado educators appears to have been superseded by the state's new Educator First Home Ownership Program, and I could not verify that Landed is currently accepting new Colorado educator applicants. I'm not going to send you to a program I can't confirm is active — if you're a teacher looking at down payment help, start with CHFA directly and ask what's currently open.
How I'd approach this as your agent
None of these programs work in isolation from your mortgage — CHFA's assistance is always paired with a CHFA first mortgage, so the lender conversation and the agent conversation need to happen together, early. I work with lenders who handle CHFA loans regularly, and I'd rather get you in front of one before you fall in love with a house that doesn't fit the program's price limits.
If you're a Colorado teacher and any of this applies to you, let's talk before you start touring homes — not after. I can also point you toward first-time homebuyer resources more broadly, since several of these programs overlap with standard first-time buyer requirements.
What I actually recommend, in order
If you're a Colorado educator starting from scratch, I'd start with CHFA directly rather than any third-party site, because their programs are the ones I can verify are currently funded and active, and CHFA can also tell you in one conversation whether the new Educator First Home Ownership Program has opened applications in your area yet. A CHFA-approved lender can run all of this alongside your regular mortgage pre-approval.
From there, ask about stacking: in a lot of cases the CHFA down payment assistance grant can be paired with other CHFA first mortgage products, which is where the real savings usually show up — not from any single program alone, but from combining what you qualify for. That's a conversation for a CHFA-approved loan officer, not something I'd try to estimate for you on a web page.
And if a program you've read about online doesn't show up when your lender or CHFA looks it up, trust that over the blog post. Homebuying program landscapes shift year to year, especially right now with a new state law in play, and the only way to know what's actually available to you today is to ask the agencies administering the money directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CHFA Schools To Home?
A CHFA program for Colorado public school employees offering a second mortgage loan of up to 25% of your first mortgage amount to help with down payment and closing costs, with repayment deferred and a shared-appreciation component. It's open to full-time employees of any Colorado public school, charter school, district, BOCES, or innovation zone.
Is Good Neighbor Next Door available to Colorado teachers?
Yes, in principle — full-time pre-K through 12th grade teachers can get a 50% discount on specific HUD-owned homes in designated revitalization areas. The limitation is inventory: it only applies to particular HUD-owned properties, and multiple qualified bidders trigger a lottery.
Is Landed still available for Colorado teachers?
I could not confirm that Landed is currently accepting new Colorado educator applicants. Colorado's new Educator First Home Ownership Program, created by state legislation and administered through CHFA, appears to be the current path forward — confirm directly with CHFA before assuming Landed's program is still open.
What is Colorado's new Educator First Home Ownership Program?
A shared-equity down payment assistance program for Colorado public school employees created by state legislation (SB25-167) and administered by CHFA, funded through the state's Public School Fund. It's newer, so confirm current application status directly with CHFA.
Do I need to be a first-time homebuyer to use these teacher programs?
It depends on the program. CHFA's Schools To Home does not require first-time buyer status by itself, but many of CHFA's other down payment assistance products do have first-time buyer or income requirements — check the specific program before assuming you qualify.
Let's line up your lender and your program before you start touring
I'll connect you with a lender who actually works with CHFA programs and walk you through what you likely qualify for.
Want A Local's Eye On This?
Christine Gwinnup answers these questions for buyers and sellers every week — at every price point. No pressure, real answers.
