Best Mortgages for First-Time Home Buyers in Colorado

Published:
October 26, 2017
Last updated:
February 24, 2022
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Many first-time home buyers in Colorado may be unaware of the different mortgage products that are available. It’s worth it to take some time to understand what these are in order to find one that’s best suited for you.

As a first-time home buyer in Colorado, you have a lot of choices when it comes to your mortgage financing. And every type of loan has different pros and cons associated with it. Let’s go into more detail about the best mortgage options for first-time home buyers in Colorado.

Best Mortgage for a First-Time Buyer in Colorado

First-time home buyers in Colorado sometimes feel overwhelmed by the number of choices they have when it comes to mortgage loans. So let’s simplify things by talking about your two primary choices.

The best mortgage loan for a first-time buyer in Colorado could either have a fixed or adjustable rate. Additionally, the best home loan for you might be a conventional mortgage that is not insured by the government, or a government-backed program such as the FHA loan. Depending on your credit health and the down payment amount you are able to gather together, these factors may play a role in the type of mortgage you choose to take out when you buy a home in Colorado.

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Fixed or Adjustable-Rate Loan Options

This is one of the primary choices you have to make, when it comes to shopping for a home loan in Colorado. Your mortgage loan can either have a fixed interest rate that stays the same, or an adjustable one that can change over time (usually once per year).

A fixed-rate loan might be best for first-time home buyers in Colorado who plan to keep their mortgage loan for many years and prefer payment stability from one year to the next. With a fixed-rate mortgage, the interest rate generally stays the same for as long as you keep the loan.

An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) loan might be the best option for Colorado first-time buyers who want to secure the lowest possible interest rate. Generally speaking, ARM loans start off with a lower mortgage rate than their fixed counterparts. But the rate could change down the road, so you have to be prepared for that as well.

Some mortgage products combine the features of both a fixed and adjustable-rate loan. These are referred to as “hybrid” loans. For example, the 5/1 ARM starts off with a fixed interest rate for the first five years, after which it will just or “reset” every year after that.

FHA, VA or Conventional

As a first-time home buyer in Colorado, you can also choose between a conventional or government-backed mortgage loan.

  • Government-backed options include FHA, VA and USDA. FHA and VA loans account for the majority of government-backed mortgages. With these programs, the home loan originated in the private sector but insured or guaranteed by the government. Because of this government backing, the qualification criteria tend to be a bit more relaxed for government-insured mortgages.
  • A conventional home loan is one that is originated (and sometimes insured) solely within the private sector, without government backing. First-time home buyers in Colorado who can afford a down payment of 20% or more usually opt for a conventional mortgage, because it allows the borrower to avoid paying mortgage insurance.

So what’s the best mortgage option for first-time home buyers in Colorado? Depending on the circumstances, it might be any of the options mentioned above.

Which Loan Type Works for You?

As a borrower, the important thing is to choose a type of home loan that best supports your financing goals and priorities:

  • Some first-time home buyers are mostly concerned with getting the lowest possible rate, so they might look at an ARM loan in conjunction with paying discount points.
  • Other home buyers might want to minimize the size of their monthly payments, so they might spread the loan out over a longer term.
  • Borrowers who have trouble qualifying for a conventional mortgage loan in Colorado might be better off pursuing a government-backed program like FHA.

This article underscores the importance of speaking to a knowledgeable loan officer about your financing options. The best mortgage loan for a first-time buyer in Colorado can vary from one person to the next, based on the borrower’s financial situation and goals.

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Let’s Explore Your Mortgage Options!

If you are looking to apply for a mortgage to buy your first home in Colorado, we can help. Sammamish Mortgage has been helping home buyers in Colorado for many years. We offer highly competitive rates on a variety of mortgage programs in Colorado, Oregon, Idaho and Washington including most of the ones mentioned above. Please contact us if you have any mortgage-related questions or would like to receive a rate quote.

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