Veterans Direct Mortgage

$0 Down · No PMI · Veteran-Owned

VA Loans in Colorado

Colorado Springs is one of America's great military hometowns — Fort Carson, Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases, Cheyenne Mountain, and the Air Force Academy all sit within one metro, alongside Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora. Nearly 380,000 veterans call Colorado home, and El Paso County consistently ranks among the top counties in the nation for VA loan volume.

368K

Colorado Veterans

5

Military Installations

$0

Down Payment

$832,750

2026 Baseline Limit

Why Colorado

A VA team that knows Colorado’s military markets

Front Range prices have climbed, which makes the VA loan's $0-down structure decisive — Colorado Springs buyers routinely finance homes that would demand $80K+ down conventionally. Our team knows the Fountain-to-Monument corridor and how to win with VA offers in a competitive market.

Fort Carson's Mountain Post supports the Fountain, Security-Widefield, and southeast Colorado Springs markets, while Space Force operations at Peterson and Schriever pull personnel toward Falcon and Peyton on the growing east side. Buckley SFB anchors Aurora in the Denver metro. The Academy's north-side corridor toward Monument carries premium pricing with strong resale.

Beyond the Loan

More Colorado benefits you earned

The VA loan is one piece of what Colorado owes its veterans. Here’s the rest of the stack — worth real money every year:

Income Tax

Retirement exclusion

Colorado excludes a substantial, age-scaled portion of military retirement pay from state income tax.

Vehicle

DV plates

Disabled-veteran plates with ownership-tax exemption on a qualifying vehicle for qualifying disabled veterans.

Recreation

Free state parks

Free Columbine lifetime pass (state park entry) for resident veterans with a permanent service-connected disability.

Education

Guard tuition

State tuition assistance for Colorado National Guard members at Colorado public institutions.

Benefit rules and amounts change with each legislative session — confirm current details with the Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs. When you work with us, we walk through which of these apply to your purchase and your budget.

Official VA Data

Colorado VA lending, by the numbers

14,389

VA Loans Closed (FY2025)

$7.2B

VA Dollars Guaranteed (FY2025)

$503K

Average VA Loan

368,109

Veterans in CO

Colorado veterans closed 14,389 VA loans in fiscal year 2025 8,823 of them home purchases — and the VA paid $3.0 billion in disability compensation and pension to Colorado veterans in FY2024. Every veteran receiving that compensation is exempt from the VA funding fee.

Sources: VA Loan Guaranty loans-by-state report, FY2025 · VetPop2023 state projections (NCVAS) · VA Geographic Distribution of Expenditures, FY2024.

2026 BAH Rates

Compare BAH across Colorado’s installations

BAH is set per housing area, not per state — and it counts as qualifying income on a VA loan. Here’s how Colorado’s duty stations compare at key pay grades.

InstallationE-4E-5E-6E-7O-3
Fort Carson$2,160$2,358$2,433$2,487$2,595
Peterson Space Force Base$2,160$2,358$2,433$2,487$2,595
Schriever Space Force Base$2,160$2,358$2,433$2,487$2,595
U.S. Air Force Academy$2,160$2,358$2,433$2,487$2,595
Buckley Space Force Base$2,556$2,841$3,063$3,114$3,207

2026 monthly BAH, with dependents, from official DoD (DTMO) rate data. Click any installation for all 24 pay grades, without-dependents rates, and a payment-vs-BAH estimator for that housing area.

2026 Program Facts

What the VA loan gets you in Colorado

$0 Down Payment

Buy with no down payment on loans within your entitlement — the signature VA benefit.

No PMI

VA loans never charge monthly private mortgage insurance, keeping payments lower than FHA or low-down conventional.

Competitive Rates

The VA guaranty lets lenders price VA loans below comparable conventional rates for most borrowers.

Flexible Credit

The VA sets no minimum credit score — guidelines focus on residual income and the whole picture.

Limited Closing Costs

The VA restricts which fees veterans can be charged, and sellers may pay all of them plus concessions.

Reusable for Life

VA entitlement is a lifetime benefit — it can be restored and reused, and you can hold more than one VA loan at once.

VA loan vs. conventional in Colorado

FeatureVA LoanConventional
Down payment$0 required3–20% (20% to avoid PMI)
Monthly mortgage insuranceNeverRequired under 20% down
Minimum credit scoreNone set by VATypically 620+
Interest ratesTypically below conventionalHigher without large down payment
Upfront feeFunding fee 2.15% first use (waived with disability rating)None
Prepayment penaltyNeverRare, but possible
Loan limitNone with full entitlement$832,750 baseline (2026)
Assumable by a buyerYes — VA loans are assumableGenerally not

2026 VA loan limits in Colorado

With full entitlement, the VA does not cap your loan amount — county loan limits only apply when you have reduced entitlement (an existing VA loan or a prior default). For reduced-entitlement borrowers, the 2026 baseline county limit is $832,750, and designated high-cost counties range up to $1,873,675.

The VA funding fee, plainly

  • First use, under 5% down: 2.15%
  • Subsequent use, under 5% down: 3.30%
  • With 5% down: 1.50% · with 10% down: 1.25%
  • Streamline refinance (IRRRL): 0.50%

Veterans receiving VA disability compensation at any rating are fully exempt from the funding fee, as are eligible surviving spouses and Purple Heart recipients on active duty.

Where We Lend

Colorado cities we serve

From base-gate communities to the metros veterans choose after service, these are the Colorado markets where our VA lending is most active.

  • Colorado Springs~$450K
  • Fountain~$394K
  • Falcon
  • Peyton~$544K
  • Pueblo~$288K
  • Aurora~$462K
  • Denver~$539K
  • Castle Rock~$673K

Typical home values: Zillow Home Value Index, 2026-06.

Straight Answers

Colorado VA loan questions, answered

Is there a VA loan limit in Colorado?

Not with full entitlement. With reduced entitlement, most counties including El Paso use the $832,750 baseline in 2026, while resort counties like Eagle, Pitkin, and Summit carry higher limits.

How competitive are VA offers in Colorado Springs?

Very — sellers in a military town see VA offers close every day. With pre-underwriting and a clean appraisal strategy, VA buyers compete head-to-head with conventional offers across the Springs.

Can I buy in Fountain or Security-Widefield with $0 down?

Yes — the Fort Carson gate communities are core VA territory with price points below the Springs median, and BAH for E-5+ with dependents supports typical payments there.

Does my Space Force BAH count for a VA loan at Peterson or Buckley?

Yes — Space Force pay and allowances qualify exactly like the other branches, and Guardians are fully VA-eligible under the same service requirements.

What about wildfire insurance costs in Colorado?

Insurance is priced into your debt-to-income calculation, and some foothills zips carry meaningfully higher premiums. We quote insurance early so your pre-approval reflects the real payment.

Ready When You Are

Start your Colorado VA loan with a team that’s worn the uniform

Get a clear pre-approval, honest numbers, and a VA process handled by people who understand PCS timelines and military life firsthand.