NAR Denver research
Do Young Home Buyers All Need the Same Down-Payment Funding Plan?
What does this mean for my decision?
NAR’s national cohort figures show different funding mixes. Gen Z buyers reported community or government assistance at 14%, compared with 4% for younger Millennials; family gifts or loans were 16% versus 26%. A Denver buyer can investigate several funding paths while verifying the actual terms and total cash needed.
By Rick Janson, JD/MBA Realtor®
Published
How can I use these findings?
First list savings, closing costs, reserves and any intended family support. Then ask a lender about financing and assistance options for which you may qualify, including their conditions and total monthly cost. The county examples help size the cash requirement at different percentages, while the NAR figures show that successful young buyers used varied sources. Assistance availability and treatment of a gift or loan must be verified for your transaction before relying on them in a search budget.
What changes when the funding source is specified?
Our original comparisons find a10-point assistance gap and a10-point family-help gap in opposite directions. Gen Z’s student-debt share is 8 points lower. These conditional survey findings describe people who successfully bought, not everyone in either generation.
The funding-source rows are not an exhaustive budget and may permit multiple reported sources. Their percentages must not be added to estimate a share relying on any outside help. A person could use more than one source.
Scroll horizontally to see all columns.
| Reported measure | Gen Z buyers (%) | Younger Millennial buyers (%) | Gen Z minus Millennials (points) | Share ratio (Gen Z / Millennials) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student-loan debt | 31 | 39 | -8 | 0.79 |
| Community/government down-payment assistance | 14 | 4 | 10 | 3.5 |
| Financial assets as down-payment source | 22 | 20 | 2 | 1.1 |
| Gift/loan from friends or family | 16 | 26 | -10 | 0.62 |
Sources: NAR Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends; figures presented October 12, 2026
What does the down-payment hurdle look like in the local price sample?
Twenty percent of the observed county medians ranges from$100,000 in Adams to approximately$167,773 in Boulder. Five percent ranges from$25,000 to approximately$41,943. These are arithmetic purchase-cash scenarios, not program limits, required down payments or eligibility determinations.
Changing the down payment changes the loan and can change other financing expenses. This study does not establish the availability or size of any assistance award for a local buyer.
Scroll horizontally to see all columns.
| County | 5% purchase down payment ($) | 20% purchase down payment ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Adams | 25000 | 100000 |
| Arapahoe | 27750 | 111000 |
| Boulder | 41943 | 167773 |
| Broomfield | 38000 | 152000 |
| Denver | 35000 | 140000 |
| Douglas | 36750 | 147000 |
| Jefferson | 35000 | 140000 |
Sources: REcolorado / InfoSparks: September 2026 monthly county single-family-residence snapshot; extracted October 12, 2026; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: understanding a Loan Estimate and full payment components
Which conclusion is supported?
The table supports asking about several funding pathways rather than assuming a young buyer relies on family money. It does not prove why the cohorts differ or show that the same shares apply across greater Denver.
Companion guide: How Can I Build a Down-Payment Plan for a Denver-Area Home?
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