HOA Fees in the Denver Metro: What Buyers Should Know Before They Fall in Love
If you’re house hunting in Denver right now — especially for a condo or townhome — you’re likely going to run into an HOA.
And here’s the truth:
HOA fees aren’t automatically bad.
But they are something you need to understand before you emotionally commit to a property.
Because that $425 (or $525) per month HOA fee?
It changes the math more than most buyers realize.
Let’s walk through it clearly.
An HOA (Homeowners Association) manages shared areas and community standards within a neighborhood or building.
In the Denver metro area, HOAs are extremely common in:
The HOA collects monthly dues and uses that money to maintain common areas and, in some cases, building structures.
It depends heavily on the property type.
For condos, HOA fees often include:
For townhomes or detached homes in HOA communities, coverage is usually more limited — often landscaping, common areas, and sometimes trash or snow removal.
The key question isn’t just “How much is the HOA?”
It’s “What am I getting for that monthly fee?”
This is where buyers are often surprised.
HOA dues are included in your debt-to-income ratio (DTI).
That means if you’re approved up to a certain monthly payment range, a higher HOA fee can reduce the purchase price you qualify for.
For example:
A $500 monthly HOA fee doesn’t just “sit there.”
It becomes part of your qualifying obligations.
Depending on your income and other debts, that could reduce your buying power by a meaningful amount.
It doesn’t mean condos are a bad choice.
It just means we have to factor the full monthly picture in upfront.
This is an important distinction.
For condos (and some attached communities treated as condo projects), the HOA itself can impact financing.
Depending on the loan type and lender, there may be a “project review” where items like the following are evaluated:
If a condo project has red flags — such as weak reserves, ongoing litigation, high delinquency rates, or insurance gaps — it can limit financing options or require a different loan approach.
Important:
This level of review is typically much more common with condos than with detached single-family homes in an HOA.
Rules vary by loan type (conventional, FHA, VA) and by lender, which is why checking early matters.
Sometimes HOAs charge a special assessment for major repairs — like roofing, siding, structural work, or large capital improvements.
That can mean:
Before buying, it’s smart to ask for:
Your agent can often help request these during your due diligence period.
Not every HOA has issues — but you want to know before you’re fully committed.
No.
But they’re not neutral either.
For many Denver buyers, especially first-time buyers, condos and townhomes can be a smart entry point:
For others, the monthly HOA fee may make a detached home without an HOA more appealing.
It’s not about avoiding HOAs entirely.
In Denver, that can significantly limit your options depending on price point and location.
It’s about understanding the full monthly picture — not just the list price.
HOA rules and costs vary widely from community to community.
Before making an offer, make sure you understand:
Clarity beats surprise every time.
If you’re looking at properties with HOA fees and want to see how it impacts your numbers, we can run the scenarios side by side before you write the offer.
That’s how you stay confident — not reactive.
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