Buying a home in the Denver Metro is more competitive, more expensive, and more confusing than it was three years ago. You don’t need an agent who pushes you into the first house that fits your budget. You need one who explains the market, tells you what’s wrong with each property, and walks beside you from pre-approval to closing day.
Su Casa Group is a focused practice — not a 1,000-agent brokerage and not a relocation factory. We work with a small number of buyers at a time so we can do the work properly. Four things make our approach different:
On every showing, we tell you what's wrong with the house — not just what's right. Formal inspections come later. We'd rather you walk away during the showing than after the offer.
Spanish-speaking sellers, lenders, contractors, or family members? We move comfortably in both languages, which often opens doors and unlocks negotiations English-only agents can't access.
What wins a multiple-offer situation in Parker won't work on a 60-day Highlands Ranch listing. We adjust the negotiation strategy to what your specific submarket actually rewards.
Most agents close. I continue. Tax appeals, refinance timing, contractor referrals, your next move — same number, same person, no awkward sales pitch attached.
Buying a house in Denver Metro typically takes 30 to 45 days from accepted offer to closing — but the prep work matters more than most buyers realize. Here’s exactly what happens, in order.
Pre-approval is step 1 because most Denver sellers won't even consider an offer without it. There's a difference between pre-qualification (informal estimate) and pre-approval (lender has reviewed your documents). You want pre-approval. We connect you with 3–4 trusted Denver lenders so you can compare rates and programs — no kickback to us, just lenders who consistently deliver for our buyers.
We sit down (in person, video, or phone) and talk through three things: what you actually want, what you can realistically afford, and what the market is doing in the neighborhoods you're considering. We also walk through the buyer's agent compensation agreement that became standard in August 2024 — so you know exactly what you're signing before you sign it.
We don't just send you Zillow alerts. We filter through MLS, Compass Coming Soon listings, expired listings worth revisiting, and off-market opportunities through our network. Showings get scheduled around your calendar, not ours. Most buyers see 8 to 15 homes before making an offer — fewer in tight submarkets, more in active ones.
Colorado uses a standard Contract to Buy and Sell Real Estate form. Earnest money (typically 1–2% of price) goes into escrow with the title company. We help you decide offer price, contingencies, and whether to add an escalation clause based on the specific listing's market dynamics. Strong offers win deals — but the strongest offer isn't always the highest one.
Colorado typically gives you 7–10 days for inspections. The standard package: general inspection, sewer scope, radon test, plus optional roof or structural if needed. If problems surface, you have four options: ask the seller to repair, request a price reduction, request a closing-cost credit, or terminate the contract and get your earnest money back. We help you choose which fight is worth having.
Your lender orders an appraisal (~$500, paid upfront by you). If the appraisal comes in below your contract price, we have four moves: bring more cash to closing, renegotiate the price down, split the difference, or walk. The loan conditions deadline is the most stressful date in the contract — once it passes, your earnest money becomes non-refundable.
24–48 hours before closing, we walk through the property together. We confirm any negotiated repairs were completed, the home is in the same condition as when you went under contract, and nothing new has gone wrong. This is your last chance to flag issues before signing.
Closing happens at a Colorado title company. Documents get signed, funds transfer, you get keys. After that, I stay available — for property tax appeals when your assessment arrives, refinance timing when rates move, contractor recommendations, and your next move years from now. The relationship doesn't end at the closing table.
Most first-time buyers underestimate the cash they’ll need at closing by 30–50%. Here’s the honest breakdown for a $600,000 Denver Metro home, which is roughly the median price in 2026.
Cost Category | Typical Range | On a $600K Purchase |
Down payment (conventional) | 3%–20% of the purchase price | $18,000–$120,000 |
Earnest money deposit | 1%–2% of the price (refundable per contract) | $6,000–$12,000 |
Buyer closing costs | 2%–4% of the price | $12,000–$24,000 |
Inspection (general + specialty) | $500–$800 upfront | ~$650 |
Appraisal | $500–$650 upfront | ~$550 |
TOTAL CASH NEEDED (10% down) | ~13% of the purchase price | ~$78,000 |
A few things worth knowing:
FHA loans let you put as little as 3.5% down, but they have stricter property condition requirements
VA loans (for veterans) require zero down payment
CHFA programs offer down payment assistance for first-time buyers in Colorado with credit scores above 620
Inspection and appraisal fees are paid upfront, before closing, and aren’t refunded if you walk away
If you want to run these numbers for your specific budget, target neighborhood, and loan type, the buyer consultation includes a custom estimate.
I founded Su Casa Group in 2017 to do real estate the way it actually serves clients — not the way it scales fastest.
My practice is intentionally smaller than most. I’m licensed in Colorado, an active member of the National Association of REALTORS®, and I work exclusively in the Denver Metro and Aurora markets. I work with a limited number of buyers at a time, so I can personally walk every client through every step — no hand-off to an assistant, no “transaction coordinator” you’ve never met answering your questions.
I work in English and Spanish, live in the Denver Metro, and bring a calm, structured, data-led perspective to what is usually one of the largest financial decisions my clients ever make.
If you’ve ever felt rushed by a real estate agent, you’ll feel the difference in the first conversation.
From first showing to closing typically runs 60 to 90 days. Pre-approval takes about a week, active search and showings 2–6 weeks, depending on the submarket, then 30–45 days from accepted offer to closing. Cash buyers can close in as little as 14 days; financed purchases need the full 30+ for lender processing.
Conventional loans start at 3% down for first-time buyers; 5–20% is more typical. FHA loans require 3.5%, VA loans require 0%. On a $600,000 Denver home with 10% down, you'll need roughly $78,000 in total cash at closing, including earnest money, inspections, appraisal, and closing costs.
Sometimes. Since the August 2024 NAR settlement, buyer's agent compensation is negotiated separately rather than paid automatically by the seller's commission. In practice, many Denver sellers still offer to pay the buyer's agent (it makes their listing more attractive), but it's no longer guaranteed. We walk through this in the first consultation, so there are no surprises.
Most conventional lenders look for 620+ for the best rates and programs. FHA loans accept scores down to 580. CHFA first-time buyer programs in Colorado require 620 minimum. Higher scores (740+) unlock the lowest rates available, which can save tens of thousands of dollars over a 30-year mortgage.
Yes. The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) offers loan programs and down payment assistance for first-time buyers earning under specific income limits. The Metro Denver area also has Down Payment Assistance grants for qualifying buyers. We connect first-time clients with lenders who specialize in these programs — Su Casa Group is not a lender, but we know who runs the programs well.
It depends on your priorities, but the most active first-time buyer submarkets in Denver Metro are Aurora (best value, $400K–$550K range), Lakewood (west metro accessibility), Arvada and Westminster (north metro, established neighborhoods), and parts of Centennial. Cherry Creek and Highlands Ranch typically price out most first-time buyers without significant down payments.
The Denver Metro market in 2026 is more buyer-friendly than it has been since 2019. Inventory has rebalanced, days on market have lengthened, and buyer concessions are now standard (rate buydowns, closing cost credits). Whether it's the right time for you depends on your job stability, savings, and how long you plan to stay — most buyers should plan to own at least 5 years to come out ahead.
Standard package: general home inspection, sewer scope, and radon test. Add a roof inspection if the home is over 15 years old or if you suspect issues. Add a structural inspection if there are visible foundation cracks. The total cost is typically $500–$800. Skipping inspections to win a multiple-offer situation is the most expensive mistake we see Denver buyers make.
Yes — most clients we work with in life transitions do exactly that. Common structures include bridge loans, sale contingencies, simultaneous close, or rent-back agreements. We coordinate both transactions on a single timeline so you don't carry two mortgages or two utility bills longer than necessary. The savings (and stress reduction) compared to handling them separately is significant.
Yes. Lourdes works in both English and Spanish — showings, contracts, inspections, negotiations, and closing. For buyers, this often unlocks negotiations and information that English-only agents miss. For Spanish-speaking buyers, it means working in your primary language across one of the largest financial decisions of your life — without translation gaps.
Twenty minutes. Real numbers for your budget and target neighborhood. No pressure to commit.
Bring me a question, a budget, or a list of neighborhoods you’re considering. I’ll tell you what’s realistic, what to expect over the next 30–90 days, and whether you’re financially ready — or what to do first if you’re not yet.
That’s the entire pitch.
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