VA Loan Colorado Guide: How Veterans Buy in Northern Colorado (2026)

Why a VA loan still matters in Northern Colorado

A VA-backed purchase loan is one of the strongest home-buying tools available to people who served. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs does not require a down payment, does not require private mortgage insurance, and guarantees a portion of the loan so lenders can offer competitive rates. That combination is especially useful in Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, and Greeley, where cash-to-close — not just the list price — is what stops many buyers.

This guide covers how the loan works, how the funding fee and exemptions work, how a Certificate of Eligibility and a VA appraisal fit the Colorado contract, the state’s disabled-veteran property tax exemption, and the 0.5% benefit Schwartz and Associates gives veterans who buy with us. We cite VA.gov and Colorado veteran sources. We do not invent rates, funding-fee charts, or tax savings.

Official starting points: VA home loans (va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/) and the funding-fee page (va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/funding-fee-and-closing-costs/). Your VA-approved lender confirms the numbers on your file.

• Veterans hub — 0.5% back — Full VA + pledge page for Northern Colorado

How a VA loan works — 0% down, no PMI, occupancy required

VA does not require a down payment on a purchase loan. A lender may still ask for one in some cases based on credit, residual income, or the specific file. Ask that question before you write an offer — not after.

VA-backed loans do not require monthly private mortgage insurance. That is a structural difference from most low-down conventional loans and from FHA, which charges mortgage insurance. You will still have property taxes, homeowners insurance, and any HOA dues.

You must occupy the home as your primary residence. VA purchase loans are not for pure investment properties. The benefit can be used more than once over a lifetime when entitlement is available — your Certificate of Eligibility shows what you have left.

• Get a Certificate of Eligibility (your lender can usually pull it)
• Interview a VA-approved lender and get a written pre-approval
• Tour homes that can meet VA minimum property requirements
• Write an offer with VA financing and the VA escape clause when required
• Complete the VA appraisal plus an independent home inspection
• Close and occupy the home as your primary residence

Certificate of Eligibility, funding fee, and who pays nothing

A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is how the VA shows a lender you have the home-loan benefit. Most VA-approved lenders request it electronically. You can also request one on VA.gov or with help from a county Veterans Service Officer in Fort Collins or Greeley.

Most borrowers pay a one-time VA funding fee. The percentage depends on whether this is a first use or a subsequent use and how much you put down. We do not publish a fee chart here because VA updates it — verify the current schedule on VA.gov with your lender. The fee can often be financed into the loan.

You do not pay a VA funding fee if you receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability, if you are eligible for that compensation but receive retirement or active-duty pay instead, or if you receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation as a surviving spouse. Those exemption rules are from VA.gov, not from us. Any rating that qualifies you for disability compensation is the VA’s call — we will not tell you that you are exempt without the COE and lender confirming it.

VA appraisal vs. a home inspection

Your lender orders a VA appraisal. It estimates market value at the time of inspection and checks VA minimum property requirements. It is not a home inspection and it is not a guaranty of value. You should still hire an independent inspector — and in older Northern Colorado housing, a sewer scope and radon test are common add-ons.

If the notice of value comes in below the contract price, you can renegotiate, bring cash to cover the gap if you choose, or walk. When the contract was signed before the notice of value, VA rules require an escape clause so you are not forced to complete the purchase above appraised value. We write that protection in. We never recommend waiving inspection to “win” a multiple-offer house.

VA loans are assumable — a second way the benefit shows up

A qualified buyer can assume a seller’s VA-backed loan instead of originating a new one. In a higher-rate market, taking over a lower-rate VA loan can mean a substantially lower monthly payment than a new loan at today’s rates. The buyer still has to qualify. VA and the existing lender have assumption rules, and the seller should understand what happens to their entitlement after an assumption.

If you are buying, we will flag listings where an assumable VA (or FHA) loan may be in play. If you are selling a home with a VA loan, assumption can be a marketing advantage. See our assumable mortgages hub for the mechanics — we do not invent monthly savings.

• Assumable mortgages — How VA and FHA assumption works in Colorado
• How assumable mortgages work in Colorado — Live inventory, requirements, and the search filter

Colorado disabled-veteran property tax exemption

Colorado offers a property tax exemption for qualifying disabled veterans and, on the state veterans site, Gold Star spouses. The commonly published rule is a 50% exemption on the first $200,000 of the home’s actual value for a veteran with a 100% permanent and total service-connected disability rating from the VA. That is a reduction in taxable value — not a check from SAA Homes.

File with your county assessor. Confirm current eligibility, deadlines, and any expansion (including Individual Unemployability, which some counties discuss) with the Colorado Department of Revenue and vets.colorado.gov/property-tax-exemption. We will point you to the county office. We will not invent a dollar savings on your tax bill.

The 0.5% SAA Homes pledge — separate from the VA loan

Schwartz and Associates gives 0.5% of the purchase price back to veterans who buy with us. You choose how it is applied: a home warranty, a credit toward closing costs, or a price reduction. On a $500,000 purchase, 0.5% is $2,500. On a $600,000 purchase, 0.5% is $3,000. That is arithmetic of the offer — not a projected market return.

Colorado allows commission rebates when they are disclosed in writing at closing. We put the 0.5% on the closing statement. It is not an “up to” teaser, it is not a lender credit, and it is not a substitute for the VA funding-fee exemption. Veterans, active-duty service members, and National Guard / Reserve members who buy or sell with us qualify. We ask for straightforward proof of service — typically a DD-214, current LES, or VA COE.

• Veterans hub — 0.5% back — Who qualifies and how the pledge is disclosed

Using a VA loan in Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, and Greeley

Yes — you can use a VA loan in Fort Collins and the rest of Northern Colorado on an eligible primary residence. Condos must be on the VA-approved list; your lender checks that. Single-family homes and many townhomes are the more straightforward path.

Loveland is home to the Northern Colorado VA Clinic at 4575 Byrd Drive (Cheyenne VA Health Care, 970-593-3300). Windsor sits on the I-25 corridor between Fort Collins and Greeley and is a common fit for families who want newer housing and a short drive to that clinic. Greeley often offers a more accessible price point for a 0% down VA purchase, and the Weld County Veterans Service Office is in town (315 N. 11th Avenue, Building B, 970-400-3444). Larimer County’s VSO is in Fort Collins at 200 W. Oak Street, 5th Floor (970-498-7390).

Call SAA Homes at (970) 999-1407. Adam and Mandi Schwartz will connect you with a VA-approved lender, pull the search around your occupancy and report date, and apply the 0.5% benefit in writing at closing.

• Fort Collins area guide — Neighborhoods & VA section
• Loveland area guide — VA Clinic city + homes for sale
• Military relocation guide — PCS process for Northern Colorado