For Buyers

Buy your Colorado home without guessing at the numbers

Most buyers find out what a house really costs after they are already emotionally committed. I would rather you know first. Here is the process I run, and the same math I use with clients, free, before you talk to anyone.

How buying works with me

1Get your real numberBefore touring anything, we establish what you can comfortably carry each month, including taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance and any metro district levy. Not the maximum a lender will approve.
2Tour with a filterWe look at homes that fit that number and the life you actually want. I tell you what is wrong with a house, not just what is right.
3Write an offer that wins on termsPrice is one lever. Concessions toward a rate buydown, closing timelines and inspection structure often matter more, and cost the seller less.

Run your numbers right now

Four buyer tools, no signup. Change any input and the results update instantly.

Your Numbers

Why the monthly payment surprises people

The rate gets all the attention, but property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance and HOA dues are what actually move a Front Range payment. Two houses at the same list price can differ by hundreds of dollars a month once those are included. Newer subdivisions frequently sit inside a metropolitan district with its own mill levy, which is the single most common surprise I see buyers hit after they are already under contract.

Concessions usually beat a price cut

If a seller is willing to give you ten thousand dollars, taking it off the price changes your payment surprisingly little. Applying the same money to a permanent or temporary rate buydown typically changes it far more. Agency rules cap how much a seller can contribute based on your loan type and down payment, so the useful question before writing an offer is what your specific ceiling is in dollars. The buydown calculator computes it.

Renting is not throwing money away, and buying is not automatically winning

Whether buying beats renting depends on how long you stay, what you would have earned investing the down payment, and how the two costs grow over time. For short horizons renting frequently wins. The rent versus buy tool models both positions year by year and shows the break-even point rather than assuming one.

Common questions

How much do I need for a down payment?

Less than most people assume. Conventional loans start around three percent for qualified buyers, FHA at three and a half, and VA and USDA can reach zero for those eligible. Below twenty percent on a conventional loan you will carry mortgage insurance until you reach roughly twenty percent equity, which the payment calculator accounts for automatically.

Should I wait for interest rates to drop?

Nobody can tell you where rates go, and anyone who says otherwise is guessing. What you can control is the structure of the deal. Buying at a higher rate with seller-paid concessions and refinancing later is a real strategy, and so is waiting. Run both in the calculators and decide with numbers instead of predictions.

Do you charge buyers a fee?

Compensation is negotiated and disclosed in writing before we tour anything, and it varies by transaction. I will walk you through exactly how it works on our call, with no surprises at closing.

What areas do you cover?

Denver Metro and the Front Range, based in Aurora. If you are considering a specific neighborhood I can pull the actual tax bill, any district disclosures and recent comparable sales for that address.

Run the full numbers

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Educational estimates only — not a loan approval, appraisal, or tax advice. Michael Rush is a licensed REALTOR® with Keller Williams Realty DTC, not a lender, CPA, or attorney. Equal Housing Opportunity.