Before your first tour.

Step one

Get pre-approved before you walk a single home.

A pre-approval is a lender's written read on what you can responsibly borrow, given verified income, assets, and credit. In Denver Metro, listing agents will ask for it before scheduling private tours on competitive properties — and most sellers will not seriously entertain an offer without one attached.

• What to bring. Two recent pay stubs, two years of W-2s or tax returns if self-employed, two months of asset statements, and a government ID.
• Ask for two numbers. The maximum the lender will approve, and a comfortable monthly payment that fits your actual budget. They are rarely the same number.
• Lock vs float. Pre-approval is not a rate lock. Most locks happen after you are under contract. Ask the lender how their float-down policy works if rates fall after locking.

Step two

Pick a price band, not a price ceiling.

Homes do not compete with the entire market — they compete inside a narrow band, usually $50K–$75K wide. Tour two or three homes in your band before deciding what condition, size, and location actually matter to you. Citywide medians are noise at this stage.

• Anchor on monthly. Translate the band into a monthly payment with current rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA. The right band is the one you can hold for several years without strain.
• Leave room for inspection. Budget 1–2% of price for first-year repairs and updates. The right house at the top of your band can be more expensive than a lighter house in the middle of it.

Step three

Know which inspection findings matter.

Every home has a punch list. The inspection conversation is about separating cosmetic from structural, deferred from urgent, and negotiable from disclosed. In Colorado, you have an inspection objection deadline and an inspection resolution deadline — both are short.

• Tier one — health and safety. Roof condition, electrical panel and grounding, water heater age and venting, sewer scope on anything pre-1980, radon levels, and any active moisture or mold.
• Tier two — major systems. Furnace age, AC age, foundation movement, window seal failures, and grading away from the house.
• Tier three — cosmetic. Paint, fixtures, finishes. Useful information for budgeting, but rarely the basis for a credit request.

On the tour

Walk the home like an underwriter, not a guest.

Three quick reads matter more than a full walkthrough: the foundation, the roof line, and the basement. Step back from the curb and look for waves, dips, and patched cracks before you walk inside. The kitchen will sell itself — it does not need your time.

Before you write

Have your offer pieces in place.

When the right home appears, speed and clarity win. Have your earnest money source identified, proof of funds for the down payment ready, your pre-approval letter dated within the last 30 days, and your inspection objection strategy decided in advance.