Aurora, Colorado
Buying a home in Aurora? I'm Ben Yost, and I've been helping Colorado families buy homes for 25+ years. My office is in Centennial, right next door. I'll show you what you qualify for, which down payment help fits, and what the payment really looks like before you ever write an offer.
Ben Yost is a Colorado mortgage broker who helps Aurora homebuyers get FHA, VA, conventional, and CHFA home loans, plus down payment assistance. Because I'm a broker and not a bank, I shop 160+ wholesale lenders for your loan and work with 30+ down payment assistance programs. Most lenders carry 2 or 3. For an Aurora buyer, that gap is often the difference between "we can't afford it yet" and "let's go look at houses this weekend."
Aurora is Colorado's third-largest city, with over 400,000 people. It stretches from the older neighborhoods along Colfax out past E-470. Here's what that means for your loan, and what most lenders won't slow down to explain:
Here's what most lenders won't tell you: Aurora buyers have more down payment help available than almost anyone realizes. These are three of the programs I use most for Aurora. I work with 30+ in total.
The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority offers two kinds of help. One is a grant of up to the lesser of $25,000 or 3% of your first mortgage that you never pay back. The other is a deferred second mortgage of up to the lesser of $25,000 or 4%, with no monthly payment. You need a 620 middle credit score, a homebuyer education class, and income under the limit. Under CHFA's limits effective June 15, 2026, the SmartStep and Preferred programs cap household income at $178,920 in Arapahoe County, and the same cap applies in the Adams and Douglas County parts of Aurora. CHFA's FirstStep program uses different limits that depend on household size and area, so I'll check which one fits you.
metroDPA is a Front Range program that gives you a 0% interest deferred second mortgage with no monthly payment. You pay it back when you sell, refinance, or pay off the home. It pairs with a 30-year fixed loan, and it's open to first-time and repeat buyers. I'll confirm the property qualifies before you count on it.
In December 2025, the City of Aurora launched its own program using state affordable housing funds. It offers 4% to 10% of the purchase price as a silent second with no monthly payment. It's for first-time buyers purchasing inside Aurora city limits with household income up to 120% of area median income. Funding is limited and first-come, first-served, and it was set to run through October 31, 2026, so call me and I'll tell you whether money is still available right now.
Answer a few quick questions and I'll go through your answers myself and come back with the assistance programs that fit. Takes about a minute. No credit pull, no obligation.
See which programs I qualify for →An Aurora couple, first-time buyers with a combined income around $95,000, saw the metro median price and talked themselves out of buying. So we flipped it: we started with a monthly payment they were comfortable with instead of a price. That led us to a townhome around $400,000 with an FHA loan and 3.5% down, about $14,000 instead of the $80,000 they thought they needed. They went from "we can't" to "wait, that's it?" in one conversation.
Read the full story →A couple bought in Aurora in 2021 for $385,000 with 5% down on a conventional loan. Their PMI ran about $150 a month. By this year they'd paid the balance down to around $340,000, and an appraisal came in near $430,000, which put them just under 80%. One written request to the servicer, and the PMI was gone. No refinance, same rate, $1,800 a year back in their pocket.
Read the full story →Don't take my word for it. Here are the latest reviews from people I've helped, in their own words.
"Thank you so much, Ben. Incredibly helpful!"
"Ben is amazing. Very on top of everything and GREAT with communication. Our process with him went so smoothly, we will definitely recommend him to anyone needed these services in the future."
"What fantastic support! Kept us aware of upcoming steps and offered value-add insight throughout the process. Very pleased with our final outcome in the midst of a chaotic summer economy."
"Ben was great. He was responsive, told us all the options and was great at communicating. Thanks Ben."
"Helped walk me through each step of the process and manage the odd bumps along the way - thanks Ben!"
"My husband and I could not be more pleased that we chose Ben Yost as our mortgage lender. His professionalism, organization, and attention to detail is second to none. He helped us navigate through a complicated bridge loan on one house and a new mortgage on another. It was a stressful time, but Ben was patient with our questions and came up with the best solution to get us into our dream house. He is very easy to work with and an all-around nice guy. Thank you Ben! We highly recommend him as a mortgage lender."
Reviews from Experience.com. Read more client reviews →
Ben Yost is a Colorado mortgage broker with 25+ years of experience who works with Aurora homebuyers every week. His office is in Centennial, right next door to Aurora. As a broker he shops 160+ wholesale lenders instead of offering one bank's products, and he works with 30+ down payment assistance programs, including CHFA, metroDPA, and the City of Aurora's own program. Call or text him at 303-587-4297.
Aurora buyers can use statewide CHFA assistance (a grant of up to the lesser of $25,000 or 3% of the first mortgage, or a deferred second of up to the lesser of $25,000 or 4%), metroDPA (a 0% interest deferred second with no monthly payment), and the City of Aurora's own down payment assistance for first-time buyers purchasing inside city limits. Those are three of the 30+ programs Ben works with. Which one fits depends on your income, credit, the home's address, and how long you plan to stay.
Yes. Aurora sits in three counties: Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas. The county and exact address can change your property tax bill, which local assistance programs you can use, and for some CHFA programs, the income limit. Two homes a mile apart in Aurora can qualify for different help, so Ben checks the exact address before you write an offer.
Many newer Aurora neighborhoods sit inside a metro district, a special taxing district that pays for the roads, water lines, and parks built for that neighborhood. It adds its own amount to your property tax bill. That raises your monthly payment and can change how much home you qualify for, so Ben pulls the real tax figure for the address before setting your budget.
Yes. Aurora is home to Buckley Space Force Base, and VA loans are one of the most common ways military families and veterans buy here. A VA loan can let an eligible veteran or service member buy with zero down and no monthly mortgage insurance. Ben also helps you figure out whether your Certificate of Eligibility and entitlement are ready before you shop.
No. FHA loans start at 3.5% down, many conventional loans start at 3% down, and VA loans can be 0% down for eligible buyers. Add down payment assistance on top, and many Aurora first-time buyers need far less cash than they expect.
A bank or retail lender can only offer its own loan products and usually carries 2 or 3 down payment assistance programs. A broker like Ben shops 160+ wholesale lenders and works with 30+ assistance programs, so you see more options side by side and pick the one that fits your payment and your plans.
Program details, limits, and funding availability change and are not a commitment to lend. All loans subject to credit approval, income and property qualification, and program guidelines. Edge Home Finance, LLC is a private mortgage broker and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of or at the direction of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), or any other government agency. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Aurora Homebuyer Blog
Plain-English articles about buying and financing a home in Aurora — including real stories from Aurora buyers I've worked with.
Aurora's own down payment assistance runs through Oct. 31, 2026 or until funds run out. What it offers, who qualifies, and what to do if the money is gone.
Sep 24, 2026
Seven lender quotes and more confused than ever? A Colorado broker shows how to compare mortgage offers side by side, decodes the jargon, plus a real story.
Sep 24, 2026
Turned down by a lender and nobody told you why? A Colorado broker explains how to find the real reason, why one no isn't final, and a real Aurora story.
Sep 24, 2026
Colorado down payment assistance in 2026: CHFA offers up to $25K as a 3% grant or 4% deferred second. Here are the 5 steps, in order, to actually get it.
Sep 23, 2026
A Colorado broker explains how to cancel PMI at 80% of your home's value without refinancing — a real Aurora example, plus why FHA MIP is different.
Jul 27, 2026
A Colorado broker breaks down what you can really afford in 2026 — by monthly payment, not the approval number. Real numbers, real talk.
Jun 26, 2026
What Denver, Aurora, and Denver Metro homebuyers need to know about prices, loan limits, down payment help, and getting a competitive offer accepted.
Apr 2, 2026
15 minutes on the phone. I'll show you what you qualify for, which Aurora programs fit, and what the payment looks like. No pressure, no sales pitch.
Or fill out the contact form and I'll get back to you the same day.
