Affordable Homes for Sale in Golden, CO

Affordable homes in Golden: live numbers

The cheapest Golden listings are two markets in one: manufactured homes in parks on leased land (a chattel loan plus lot rent, not a mortgage), and deeded condos and small houses. The tiles say which is which. The grid above is every affordable home for sale in Golden under $400,000, updated from the MLS through the day. The tables below fill live from the same feed when you open this page.

Where the affordable homes in Golden are and what they buy

In Golden proper and Pleasant View (80401), where most of them sit, and in north Golden and Coal Creek Canyon (80403). Under $150,000 it is a manufactured home in a park, where the lot rent of $800 to $1,200 a month replaces an HOA and the loan is a chattel loan at a higher rate. $250,000 to $400,000 buys a deeded condo or a small house.

Before you call a lender: the credit score that decides your program

• 620 or higher: CHFA and metroDPA down payment assistance are open, and your cash to close can come down to about $1,000. How CHFA works.
• 580 to 619: an FHA loan works when you have your own 3.5 percent down payment and closing money saved.
• Under 580: start with a credit plan, not a lender call. We set one up with you and check back when the score is ready.
• Have these ready: your exact credit score, your income, the money you have for closing, and the same for a co-buyer.

Then the order that gets you into a home:

1. Step 1

   Know your score

   620 or higher for assistance; 580 to 619 with your own down payment.

2. Step 2

   Get pre-approved

   Income, savings and score checked before you tour.

3. Step 3

   Pick the program

   CHFA, metroDPA or a city program; the grant covers the down payment.

4. Step 4

   Tour the grid

   Showings seven days a week; we check the HOA and the condo approval first.

5. Step 5

   Write the offer

   Ask the seller to pay closing costs, so your cash stays near $1,000.

How the price comes down in Golden

• CHFA assistance: 3 percent grant or 4 percent second mortgage, 620 score, income limits set by county, repeat buyers welcome. The program and the $1,000 cash-to-close math.
• metroDPA: Jefferson County is a member.
• Manufactured homes in parks: the cheapest Golden listings sit on leased land in parks along Highway 93; they take a chattel loan, not a mortgage, and the lot rent is the HOA.
• HUD homes at $100 down: Golden HUD homes, when one is listed.
• Rent-to-own, priced honestly: Golden rent-to-own homes and why assistance beats it.

What to watch out for on cheap homes in Golden

• The HOA line, not the price. A $300,000 Golden condo with high dues can cost more a month than a $350,000 townhome with low dues. Put the dues into the Colorado mortgage calculator before you tour, and read what the dues cover on HOA fees in Colorado.
• Special assessments and HOA reserves. Ask for the HOA budget, the reserve study and the meeting minutes before the inspection deadline. A roof or siding assessment can land on the buyer after closing; how to check for a special assessment.
• FHA and VA condo approval. An FHA or VA loan on a condo needs the complex to be approved for that loan, or an FHA single-unit approval. Ask us to check the complex before you write an offer, not after.
• Manufactured homes in parks. The park owns the land. You pay lot rent every month, the loan is a chattel loan at a higher rate than a mortgage, and the down payment programs on this page are built for deeded homes; ask us before you count on one. Read the park's lease and rent-increase history before you offer.
• Older homes in central Golden and Pleasant View. Order a sewer scope with the inspection; a broken clay sewer line is a five-figure repair that the standard inspection does not cover. Details on sewer line warning signs.
• Radon. About half of Colorado homes test above the EPA action level for radon. Test during the inspection period and ask the seller to pay for mitigation; radon testing and mitigation.
• Rent-to-own contracts. A lease-option fee is lost if you do not buy at the end. Check CHFA assistance first on Golden rent-to-own homes.

Next steps for affordable homes in Golden

• All Golden homes for sale, every price
• Golden real estate statistics: median price, days on market and inventory, updated live
• Golden area guide: neighborhoods, commutes and parks
• Colorado mortgage calculator: your payment with the HOA and taxes included
• Colorado mortgage rates, updated every week
• CHFA down payment assistance and the $1,000 cash-to-close program
• Golden rent-to-own homes and why assistance beats a lease-option
• Affordable homes across Colorado, city by city

Related Golden searches

Golden condos · Golden townhomes · Golden fixer-uppers · Golden foreclosures · All Golden homes for sale. Nearby: Lakewood, Arvada, Wheat Ridge, Denver. Statewide: affordable homes in Colorado, the Denver affordable homes guide.

Questions people ask about affordable homes in Golden

Where are the cheapest homes for sale in Golden?

In Golden proper and Pleasant View (80401), where most of them sit, and in north Golden and Coal Creek Canyon (80403). The map and the grid above show every one live from the MLS; the ZIP pages start with 80401, 80403.

What does $300,000 buy in Golden today?

Under $150,000 it is a manufactured home in a park, where the lot rent of $800 to $1,200 a month replaces an HOA and the loan is a chattel loan at a higher rate. $250,000 to $400,000 buys a deeded condo or a small house. Sort the grid above by price to see what is listed today, and Golden real estate statistics for the live median and price per square foot.

How much is the monthly payment on an affordable Golden home?

The payment has five lines: principal and interest, HOA dues, property taxes, FHA mortgage insurance and homeowners insurance. A manufactured home in a park has a different payment: a chattel loan plus lot rent, no property tax on land. Enter the list price and the HOA from the tile into the Colorado mortgage calculator, with today's rate from Colorado mortgage rates.

How much cash do I need to buy a cheap home in Golden?

About $1,000 with CHFA assistance at a 620 score: the 3 percent grant covers the FHA 3.5 percent down payment, the seller pays closing costs through the offer, and the earnest money comes back at closing. Without assistance, bring the 3.5 percent down payment plus closing costs. The worked example is on $1,000 cash to close; the rules on CHFA down payment assistance.

What credit score do I need to buy an affordable home in Golden?

620 or higher opens CHFA and metroDPA down payment assistance. From 580 to 619, an FHA loan works when you have your own down payment and closing money saved. Under 580, start with a credit plan before any lender call; we set one up with you. Have your exact score, your income and your savings ready when you call 303-955-4220.

Which down payment programs work in Golden?

CHFA assistance: 3 percent grant or 4 percent second mortgage, 620 score, income limits set by county, repeat buyers welcome. metroDPA: Jefferson County is a member. Manufactured homes in parks: the cheapest Golden listings sit on leased land in parks along Highway 93; they take a chattel loan, not a mortgage, and the lot rent is the HOA. Every program and its catch is on affordable homes in Colorado.

Are there HUD homes or foreclosures in Golden?

HUD homes sell as-is at HUD's appraised price with a $100 down option on an FHA loan, and the list changes every week on Golden HUD homes. Bank-owned and fixer listings are on Golden foreclosures and Golden fixer-uppers.

Is rent-to-own cheaper in Golden?

No. A lease-option takes an option fee of several thousand dollars up front plus a rent premium, with no title until the end. CHFA assistance puts you on title now for about $1,000 at a 620 score. The side-by-side is on Golden rent-to-own homes.

What should I watch out for when buying a cheap home in Golden?

The HOA dues and any special assessment, FHA approval on condos, lot rent and chattel loans on manufactured homes in parks, the sewer line on older homes, and radon. The full list is in the watch-outs section above.