First-time home buyer programs in Aurora, CO right now include a brand-new city-run down payment assistance program that covers up to 10% of your purchase price as a silent second loan, plus statewide CHFA loans and a regional program called MetroDPA that also serves Aurora buyers. That's not nothing. If you've been priced out of putting 10% or 20% down on your own, this stack of programs can genuinely change what's possible for you. I'm Chelsea Pruitt, and while most of my work happens out on Colorado's Eastern Plains, in towns like Kiowa, Bennett, and Elizabeth, I get plenty of buyer questions from Aurora too, since it's the gateway a lot of my clients pass through before deciding whether they want city life or more room to breathe. So let's break down what's actually available to you as a first-time buyer in Aurora this fall, what it takes to qualify, and how these programs actually work once you're at the closing table.
- City of Aurora Down Payment Assistance Program: up to 10% of your purchase price, structured as a silent second loan, funded through Oct. 31, 2026, or until the money runs out.
- CHFA Down Payment Assistance Grant: up to the lesser of $25,000 or 3% of your first mortgage.
- CHFA Second Mortgage: up to 4% of your first mortgage loan amount, with repayment deferred.
- CHFA HomeAccess: up to $25,000 for buyers with permanent disabilities or custodial parents of a child with a disability.
- MetroDPA: up to 6% of your first mortgage, covering Aurora and several surrounding counties.
What Down Payment Assistance Does the City of Aurora Offer First-Time Buyers?
The City of Aurora rolled out a brand-new down payment assistance program that can cover up to 10% of your home's purchase price (City of Aurora, Dec. 2025).
Here's the part I really like: it's structured as a silent second loan. That means no extra monthly payment tacked onto your mortgage. You don't pay it back until you sell the home, refinance, or pay off your primary loan. It just sits there quietly in the background doing its job.
This is a big deal for buyers who have steady income and can handle a monthly mortgage payment just fine, but who've been stuck because coming up with a full down payment in cash felt impossible. If that's you, this program was built with you in mind.
Who Qualifies for Aurora's Down Payment Assistance Program?
To qualify, the home has to sit within Aurora city limits, and your household income can't exceed 120% of the area median income. For a family of four, that tops out around $168,000 (Denver7, Dec. 11, 2025).
You'll also need at least $1,000 of your own money toward the purchase, and you'll need to meet standard lending requirements, including a maximum back-end debt-to-income ratio of 45%. That means all your monthly debts, mortgage included, can't add up to more than 45% of your gross income (CBS News Colorado, Dec. 2025).
None of that is unusual for a mortgage, by the way. It's the same kind of math any lender runs regardless of which assistance program you use.
Aurora's Down Payment Assistance Funding Is Limited and Moving Fast
The city funded this program with a $720,000 grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, drawn from Colorado's Proposition 123 dollars (Denver7, Dec. 11, 2025). It's set to run through Oct. 31, 2026, or until the money runs out, whichever comes first (City of Aurora, Dec. 2025).
Aurora hoped to help at least 24 households with this round of funding, but interest has been strong. Within the first week alone, 125 households had entered the application queue, with 14 already fully submitted (CBS News Colorado, Dec. 2025).
I'm not going to tell you to panic about the timeline, because that's not how good home buying decisions get made. But if this program is part of your plan, it makes sense to get your paperwork together with your lender sooner rather than later, purely so you're not scrambling.
What Is CHFA and Can It Help You Buy in Aurora?
CHFA stands for the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, and it's a statewide resource, not just an Aurora thing. If you're a first-time buyer anywhere in Colorado, including Aurora, Kiowa, or anywhere in between, CHFA's loan and assistance options are worth understanding before you pick a lender.
CHFA Down Payment Assistance Grant and Second Mortgage
CHFA offers a down payment assistance grant worth up to the lesser of $25,000 or 3% of your first mortgage. If you'd rather not take a grant, there's also a Down Payment Assistance Second Mortgage Loan worth up to 4% of your loan amount. Repayment on that second loan is deferred until you pay off, sell, or refinance your first mortgage, or if the home stops being your primary residence (CHFA, chfainfo.com).
Either way, CHFA requires a minimum financial investment of $1,000 from you, on top of any remaining closing costs (CHFA, chfainfo.com).
CHFA HomeAccess for Buyers with Disabilities
If you, or a child you're the custodial parent or guardian for, has a permanent disability, CHFA's HomeAccess Second Mortgage Loan offers up to $25,000 toward your down payment, closing costs, or principal reduction. You'll need a minimum decision credit score of 620 to qualify (CHFA, Programs, Forms, and Matrices).
Does MetroDPA Cover Aurora Buyers?
Yes. MetroDPA covers Aurora, along with Bennett, Deer Trail, Watkins, Parker, and Castle Rock, plus all of Adams, Arapahoe, and Douglas counties (MetroDPA Down Payment Assistance).
MetroDPA offers down payment assistance up to 6% of your first mortgage loan amount. It comes as a 3-year forgivable second loan, meaning if you stay in the home through that period, you generally don't have to pay it back.
This one's especially handy if you're weighing Aurora against some of the smaller towns further east, since it follows you across several of the counties I work in every day.
Can You Pair an FHA Loan With These Programs?
Generally, yes. FHA loans are popular with first-time buyers because they typically require a smaller down payment than a conventional loan, which makes them a natural fit alongside programs like Aurora's down payment assistance or CHFA's grants. Pairing an FHA loan with one of these assistance programs can bring your true out-of-pocket cost down close to that $1,000 minimum investment CHFA and Aurora both require.
The exact numbers depend on your lender, your credit profile, and the specific loan product you choose, so this part of the conversation really needs to happen directly with a mortgage lender who can run your actual numbers.
How Do Aurora's Down Payment Assistance Programs Compare?
Here's the quick side-by-side, so you can see how these stack up before you dig into any one of them.
| Program | Assistance Offered | Source |
|---|---|---|
| City of Aurora DPA | Up to 10% of purchase price, silent second loan | City of Aurora, Dec. 2025 |
| CHFA Down Payment Grant | Up to $25,000 or 3% of first mortgage | CHFA |
| CHFA Second Mortgage | Up to 4% of first mortgage loan amount | CHFA |
| CHFA HomeAccess | Up to $25,000 for buyers with disabilities | CHFA Programs, Forms, and Matrices |
| MetroDPA | Up to 6% of first mortgage, 3-year forgivable | MetroDPA |
Every one of these programs has its own paperwork, timelines, and quirks, and figuring out which combination makes sense for your situation isn't something you should have to sort out alone. I work with first-time buyers across Aurora and out into Elbert County all the time, and I'm happy to walk through your specific numbers with you. If you'd like to talk it through, reach out to Chelsea Pruitt Real Estate and let's figure out your next step together.