Mile High Home Group – Welcome to Denver

Denver condos can be harder to finance than single-family homes because lenders apply stricter rules on HOA financial health, investor ownership limits, and project approvals—issues like low reserves or high rentals often lead to denials, but well-managed buildings near downtown or LoDo close smoothly in the Colorado housing market.

Key Financing Challenges

After 15+ years in Denver real estate and thousands of transactions, I’ve guided buyers through condo hurdles by pulling HOA docs right in the 10-day option period. Lenders demand 20-30% reserves, stable budgets without big assessments, and under 20-50% investor units depending on the program—FHA and VA need spot approvals, while conventional prefers Fannie Mae warrantable lists. On $400K-$700K units, this adds 7-14 days to timelines with estoppel certs ($200-$400). Non-warrantable condos push rates up 0.5% or force cash deals.

Always verify master insurance too.

Denver-Specific Condo Dynamics

Core Denver high-rises like those in LoDo face tight investor caps that snag conventional loans, but Highlands Ranch townhome-style condos ($150-$300 HOAs) sail through with strong village finances near Mountain Vista schools. Littleton real estate low-rises qualify easily if litigation-free; market cycles tighten scrutiny in hot springs, ease in balanced winters. Douglas County projects check utilities and covenants fast; compared to Littleton flexibility, urban Denver layers 0.65% city taxes on fees. Strong reserves and owner-occupancy over 70% greenlight most financed buys.

Local credit unions often approve faster.

Practical Advice for Buyers and Sellers

Issue	Fix	Timeline Add
Low Reserves	Target 25%+	7 days review
Investor Caps	<30%	Pre-offer scan
Spot Approval	FHA/VA only	10-14 days

Buyers, request HOA financials Day 1—shop two lenders, stick to warrantable buildings, add 1-2% fees to PITI budgets; CHFA helps downs.

Sellers, provide full disclosures upfront—offer 2-3% concessions for financed offers, highlight reserves in marketing.

My hands-on, concierge-level service reviews condo docs block-by-block, weighs school/HOA fits through market cycles, builds pricing from local sales, and negotiates relentlessly for approval paths. Clients are long-term relationships and friends, not transactions—integrity, honesty, transparency, and relentless work ethic clear financing roads.

If Denver condo financing worries your real estate plans—Littleton, Highlands Ranch details—reach out anytime. I’m here for a no-pressure conversation and honest guidance tailored to the Colorado housing market.