I went looking for what the internet says about metroDPA, then compared it against the program's current materials. They are not describing the same program.
The errors run in one direction, which is the part that costs people money. They make the program sound smaller and stricter than it is, so buyers who would qualify read an article, decide it is not for them, and never ask.
The income limit is $216,000, not $150,000
This is the one that matters most. The income limit schedule effective June 2026 sets the limit at $216,000 for FHA, USDA-RD, and VA loans, and for conventional loans above 80 percent of area median income.
That applies across all ten counties on the schedule: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld.
You will still find $150,000 published in a lot of places. The gap between those two numbers is wide enough to change who picks up the phone. A dual income household in this metro clearing $180,000 reads the old figure, concludes assistance is for someone else, and never finds out otherwise. I have had that exact conversation more than once.
You may also see a lower figure, around $115,200 in most of these counties, attached to conventional loans. That is not a second eligibility cap. It is the threshold that separates conventional pricing tiers at 80 percent of area median income. Income below it puts you in a different pricing bucket. It does not disqualify you above it.
The credit minimum is 620
Current program materials list a 620 minimum credit score. You will see 640 published elsewhere, including on guidance that has not caught up.
Twenty points sounds small. It is not small if you are sitting at 625 and have been told you are twenty points short of even being considered.
There is no purchase price limit
The program does not impose one. You still have to stay inside the maximum loan amount your loan type allows under FHA, VA, USDA-RD, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac guidelines, but that is a constraint of the loan, not of the assistance.
This matters more in this market than it would in most. A purchase price cap is what makes assistance programs useless in expensive metros. metroDPA does not have one.
You do not have to be a first-time buyer
No first-time homebuyer requirement. None.
If you owned a home before, went through a divorce or a relocation or a difficult few years, and assumed assistance programs were closed to you, this one is not. This is probably the second most common reason people rule themselves out incorrectly.
You do not have to buy in Denver
Denver sponsors the program, which leads people to assume the property has to sit inside city limits. The current income limit schedule covers ten Front Range counties, which is most of the metro and then some.
Eligible areas can be defined more narrowly than county lines in some programs, so confirm the specific address before you write an offer. But the instinct that this is a Denver-only program is wrong.
Want to know if you actually qualify?
Fifteen minutes is enough to check this against your real numbers. I will tell you plainly if it does not fit.
The part nobody wants to say
The assistance is structured as a second mortgage with no scheduled monthly payment. It is repaid when certain events occur, including when you sell or refinance.
Several published guides describe metroDPA as a three year forgivable grant. That does not match how the program is currently structured, and the difference is not academic. Deferred means you owe it later. Forgiven means you do not owe it at all.
If you sell in year four believing the assistance evaporated in year three, you will learn otherwise on the settlement statement. That is a bad day to find out, and it is entirely avoidable by understanding the structure before you accept the money.
This is not an argument against using it. It is an argument for using it with your eyes open, which is true of every assistance program I have ever worked with.
How much assistance is available
Assistance is offered in tiers that vary by loan type and by which pricing option you choose. Current program materials show tiers up to 3 percent of the loan amount, with some products offering less and some offering a no-assistance option at different pricing.
You will see 5 percent and even 6 percent cited on third party sites. Those figures do not match the current materials. As with the income limit, the published version and the actual version have drifted apart.
Other things worth knowing
Homebuyer education is required. There is a timeline requirement between loan reservation and loan purchase, which is a real operational constraint rather than a formality, so your lender needs to be paying attention to it.
Co-signers are permitted to the extent your loan type allows, but a co-signer cannot have an ownership interest in the property, meaning they cannot be on the deed.
Denver also runs a separate program for first-generation homebuyers inside the City and County of Denver, which pairs with FHA financing and works differently from metroDPA. If neither you nor your parents have owned a home, ask about that one specifically.
How this compares to CHFA
CHFA runs the other major assistance option in Colorado, and the honest answer about which is better is that it depends on your income, your county, your credit, and your loan type. Anyone who gives you a categorical answer without those facts is guessing.
I have written separately about how CHFA loans work and CHFA income limits for 2026. What I do for clients is model both against the same purchase, same credit profile, same timeline, and show the comparison. Sometimes one wins clearly. Often the deciding factor is something small, like which county the house is in or how long you expect to stay.
Before you rely on this
Program parameters change, and metroDPA has clearly changed enough to leave a trail of outdated articles behind it, some of which still rank well. Treat this article the same way I am asking you to treat the others: verify the current figures with the City and County of Denver or with a lender working in the program before you make a decision.
I can originate these loans through wholesale lenders who hold the participating lender agreements. If you want the comparison run against your actual numbers, that is a short conversation and you will get a straight answer, including if the answer is that you should wait.
Common questions
What is the income limit for metroDPA?
On the income limit schedule effective June 2026, the limit is $216,000 for FHA, USDA-RD, and VA loans, and for conventional loans above 80 percent of area median income, across Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties. That figure is substantially higher than the $150,000 still published in many places.
What credit score do I need for metroDPA?
The current program materials list a 620 minimum credit score. You will also see 640 published in some places, including guidance that has not been updated. Verify the current minimum before you rule yourself out.
Is there a purchase price limit on metroDPA?
No. The program itself does not impose a purchase price limit. You still have to stay within the maximum loan limits that apply to your loan type under FHA, VA, USDA-RD, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac guidelines, but that is a function of the loan rather than the assistance program.
Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer?
No. metroDPA has no first-time buyer requirement. This is one of the most commonly misunderstood parts of the program. Buyers who owned before and assume assistance is closed to them are frequently still eligible.
Do I have to buy in Denver?
No. Denver sponsors the program, but the current income limit schedule covers ten Front Range counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld. Confirm the current eligible area before you make an offer.
Is metroDPA assistance a grant?
No. The assistance is structured as a second mortgage with no scheduled monthly payment, repaid when certain events occur. A number of published guides describe it as a three year forgivable grant, which does not match how the program is currently structured. Deferred and forgiven are different things, and the difference shows up on your settlement statement when you sell.
Chris Cartwright is a mortgage broker serving buyers across Colorado, Washington, Texas, California, Arizona, and Florida. He runs assistance programs side by side against real numbers so buyers decide on arithmetic rather than marketing.
See which assistance program actually fits
A short call is enough to compare metroDPA and the alternatives against your income, credit, and target neighborhood.