Blogs by Author - Brian Lee Burke

Aug 18, 2026 • 11 min read

Greeley-Evans Schools To Home: DPA Help 2026

CHFA Schools To Home is a Colorado homebuying program built for full-time public school employees. If you work full time for Greeley-Evans School District 6 — or an eligible district-area charter school, institute charter school, BOCES, or innovation zone that meets CHFA's eligible public-school employer requirements — you may qualify for a 30-year fixed conventional mortgage paired with a deferr

Home Buying

Recent Blogs

Jun 12, 2026 4 min read

Why The Kenna Real Estate Group Is Colorado's #1 Expert for the Schools-to-Home Program and Down ...

There's a myth that's kept thousands of hard-working Coloradans renting for years: "You need 20% down to buy a house." It's wrong. It's been wrong for a long time. And nobody in Colorado has spent more energy proving it wrong than The Kenna Real Estate Group.Over the years, we've helped hundreds of buyers — teachers, nurses, tradespeople, first responders, young families, divorcing spouses starti

Jun 12, 2026 3 min read

Who Qualifies for CHFA Schools-to-Home? The Eligibility Guide for Every Colorado School Employee

The name "Schools-to-Home" makes people assume "teachers only." That assumption is going to cause thousands of eligible Coloradans to miss out on up to 25% of their mortgage in down payment assistance. Let's fix that.CHFA defines an eligible "public school employee" as any individual employed by one of the following, who is classified as full-time by their employer:Notice what's not in that defin

Jun 12, 2026 4 min read

What Is Shared Appreciation? The CHFA Schools-to-Home Trade-Off, Explained Honestly

Most down payment assistance articles either oversell the free-money angle or scare people off with fine print. School employees deserve better than both. Here's the straight version.New to the program? Start with our Complete CHFA Schools-to-Home Program Guide, where we explain eligibility, assistance amounts, repayment rules, timelines, and frequently asked questions.Imagine a financially solid

Jun 12, 2026 4 min read

Colorado School Employees Can Soon Get Up to 25% Down Payment Assistance — Here's What You Need t...

In June 2025, Governor Polis signed Senate Bill 25-167 — a bipartisan bill sponsored by Senator Judy Amabile (D-Boulder) and Senator Lisa Frizell (R-Castle Rock), along with Representatives Shannon Bird and Meghan Lukens. The law creates a Community Investment Portfolio inside Colorado's Public School Permanent Fund and directs CHFA to run a shared-equity down payment assistance program for publi

Jun 12, 2026 6 min read

CHFA Schools-to-Home Program: The Complete Guide for Colorado Educators (2026)

Schools-to-Home was created by Senate Bill 25-167, bipartisan legislation signed by Governor Jared Polis on June 4, 2025. The bill directs the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) to build and manage a shared appreciation down payment assistance program for public school employees, funded by investments from the Public School Permanent Fund (PSPF) — the state's intergenerational trust fu

Jun 11, 2026 7 min read

What Home Upgrades Make Buyers Trust a Property Before the Showing?

Home buyers often form trust before they ever walk through the front door. Listing photos, curb appeal, visible repairs, windows, doors, and clean interior finishes shape whether a property feels maintained or risky. Even small signs of care can make buyers feel more confident about the home’s condition before they book a visit.According to the NAR Remodeling Impact Report, a new steel front door

Jun 11, 2026 11 min read

7 Picks for the Best Realtor: Compare Top Real Estate Agents

Buying or selling a home is exciting—until you scroll through screen after screen of identical headshots. With thousands of licensed Realtors competing for your attention, spotting the real performers can feel impossible.At the same time, the market isn’t cheap or quick. Premium homes can command high six-figure prices, and listings often sit for 2 to 3 months before closing. Every extra week chi

Jun 11, 2026 12 min read

The Best Youth Recreation Programs in South Douglas County

For many families, choosing where to live is about much more than finding the right home. Parents want access to opportunities that help their children stay active, build confidence, develop friendships, and discover lifelong interests.Throughout South Douglas County, youth recreation programs play an important role in shaping family life. From organized sports and outdoor adventures to arts prog

Jun 11, 2026 5 min read

Denver Homebuyers and Sellers: Check the Payment Behind May’s $615K Median

More listings do not make a Denver payment smaller.DMAR's May 2026 Denver metro report gives homebuyers more to compare, but it does not erase the monthly math. You may think more inventory means easy relief. Not quite. The local reality: a Denver metro home can look affordable on price and still feel different once principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA dues, and any metro-district fee are a

Jun 11, 2026 5 min read

Denver Homebuyers and Sellers: Check DMAR Before National Headlines

A national “steadying” headline is not a Denver pricing tool.You may think Realtor.com’s May read means the Denver market is settling into something easier to use. Not quite. The local reality is that a Denver decision starts with DMAR’s metro read, then the live listing set, then the payment and competition around the specific home.Quick ReadRealtor.com’s claim is national, not a Denver instruct

Posts by Categories

Posts by Month

Listings Sitemap Privacy Policy