Proof You Need to Qualify as a First-Generation Homebuyer

If you are asking what proof you need to provide to show you qualify as a first-generation homebuyer, here is the direct answer for Colorado: the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) requires a signed affidavit, provided by your lender, attesting that you meet the program’s definition. This article explains exactly how that works for the CHFA FirstGeneration program, who the definition covers, and what to do next if you are buying in Colorado Springs or anywhere else in the state.

What proof do I need to provide to show I qualify as a first-generation homebuyer?

Under the CHFA FirstGeneration program, the required validation is an affidavit. Your mortgage lender provides the form, and you sign it, attesting that you meet the program’s definition of a first-generation homebuyer.

That means you are not hunting down your parents’ old property records or county deed histories. The program relies on your sworn statement rather than a paper trail of your family’s housing history.

Of course, signing an affidavit is a legal attestation, so you should be certain you actually fit the definition before you sign. That definition is where most of the real questions live, so let’s break it down.

Who counts as a first-generation homebuyer?

CHFA defines a first-generation homebuyer as a borrower who has never owned a home and whose parents or guardians never owned a home during the homebuyer’s lifetime.

Both parts matter. Your own history has to be clean of ownership, and so does your parents’ or legal guardians’ history — but only during your lifetime.

The borrower’s side of the definition

You, as the borrower claiming first-generation status, must have never owned a home. Not recently — ever. Any prior ownership interest in a home disqualifies you from first-generation status under this program.

The parent or guardian side of the definition

Your parents or legal guardians must never have owned a home during your lifetime. Read that carefully: the window is your lifetime, not theirs.

If a parent owned a home before you were born but never during your lifetime, the definition as CHFA states it turns on ownership during the homebuyer’s lifetime. If your family situation is complicated — divorced parents, multiple guardians, time split between households — walk through the specifics with your loan officer before signing the affidavit.

The foster care exception

Borrowers who lived in the foster care system do not need to meet the first-generation requirement at all. The parent and guardian history is set aside for them.

They still must have never owned a home themselves. The personal-ownership half of the test applies to everyone.

Knowing who qualifies is half the picture. The other half is how the rules work when more than one person is on the loan.

What if there are multiple borrowers on the loan?

Only one borrower on the loan application must be a first-generation homebuyer. So if you qualify and your co-borrower does not, the loan can still work under this program.

There is a second layer, though: all borrowers must be first-time homebuyers. CHFA defines a first-time homebuyer as someone who has not owned a home in the prior three years.

Notice the two definitions are different. First-generation means never owned, with the family history requirement attached. First-time means no ownership in the last three years, and it applies to every borrower on the loan.

So a co-borrower who owned a home years ago may still pass the first-time test, as long as at least one borrower on the loan meets the stricter first-generation definition. With eligibility sorted, the next question is what the program actually provides.

What the CHFA FirstGeneration program provides

The CHFA FirstGeneration program provides down payment assistance to first-generation homebuyers, letting you use less of your own savings toward the down payment on your first home.

CHFA created the program because first-generation buyers often have not had the benefit of intergenerational wealth — previous generations passing down a home or the equity gained from one.

The assistance must pair with a CHFA first mortgage

You cannot take the down payment assistance on its own. The program requires that the assistance be paired with a CHFA first mortgage loan, which is why working with CHFA-approved lenders is step one.

How repayment works

The down payment assistance is structured as a loan with deferred repayment. You do not make a monthly payment on it.

Repayment of the loan balance is deferred until certain events: payoff of the first mortgage loan, the sale of the home, a refinance of the home, or the home no longer being your primary residence.

In plain terms, as long as you keep the first mortgage in place and the property remains your primary residence, the assistance sits quietly in the background until one of those triggering events happens.

Can you stack other assistance programs?

Yes. You may pair other down payment assistance programs with the CHFA FirstGeneration program, as long as the additional program is considered a community second, meets all underwriting guidelines, and sits in third lien position if applicable.

That stacking can matter when you are also trying to cover closing costs, so ask your loan officer which combinations fit your purchase. One more structural detail is worth knowing before you plan your timeline.

Is there a deadline or limited funding?

No. CHFA states this is an ongoing program with no limit on allocated funds and no limited application period.

That means first-generation homebuyers in Colorado do not need to rush a purchase agreement to beat a funding window. The program is designed to be there when you are ready — a useful fact for military families around Colorado Springs timing a purchase around a PCS move or waiting on orders.

Where to read the official source

The authoritative description of the program, including the definition, the affidavit requirement, and the repayment terms, is on the CHFA FirstGeneration program page at chfainfo.com.

If anything on this page and the CHFA page ever appear to conflict, CHFA’s published guidance controls. Program rules come from the agency, and your loan officer confirms the current details when you apply.

What to do next

Here is the practical sequence for a Colorado buyer who thinks they qualify as a first-generation homebuyer:

• Confirm you fit the definition: you have never owned a home, and your parents or guardians never owned one during your lifetime (or you lived in foster care and have never owned a home).
• Confirm every borrower on the loan meets the first-time homebuyer test — no ownership in the prior three years.
• Contact a CHFA Participating Lender, since the assistance must be paired with a CHFA first mortgage loan.
• Sign the affidavit your lender provides attesting to your first-generation status.
• Ask about pairing additional down payment assistance as a community second if you need more help with the down payment or closing costs.

719 Lending works with Colorado buyers — including the many first generation, first-time buyers in the Colorado Springs military community — every day. If you think you qualify, start the conversation with a loan officer who can hand you the affidavit, walk you through the definition, and structure the CHFA first mortgage around your purchase.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need my parents’ property records to prove first-generation status?

No. CHFA requires an affidavit provided by your lender in which you attest to meeting the definition. You are not required to produce your parents’ deed or property records — but the affidavit is a sworn statement, so be sure the definition truly fits before signing.

Does everyone on the loan have to be a first-generation homebuyer?

No. Only one borrower must be a first-generation homebuyer. However, all borrowers must be first-time homebuyers, meaning no one on the loan has owned a home in the prior three years.

I grew up in foster care — do my parents’ housing history count against me?

No. Borrowers who lived in the foster care system do not need to meet the first-generation requirement. They still must have never owned a home themselves.

Do I have to pay the CHFA FirstGeneration down payment assistance back?

Repayment of the loan balance is deferred until certain events: payoff of the first mortgage loan, the sale or refinance of the home, or the home no longer being your primary residence. Until one of those occurs, there is no payment on the assistance.

Can I use the down payment assistance without a CHFA first mortgage?

No. The CHFA FirstGeneration down payment assistance must be paired with a CHFA first mortgage loan, which is why you start by contacting a CHFA Participating Lender.

Will the program run out of funding before I’m ready to buy?

CHFA states the FirstGeneration program is ongoing, with no limit on allocated funds and no limited application period, so there is no funding deadline forcing you to rush a purchase.

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719 Lending Inc. is not affiliated with or endorsed by HUD, FHA, VA, USDA, CHFA, the CFPB, or any government agency.

Last updated: October 2026