House Hacking Colorado
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Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins & the Front Range

House hacking in Colorado: let renters pay most of your mortgage

Buy a home you live in, rent out rooms, the basement, an ADU or the other units, and use that rent to cut what you pay to live. We are Colorado Realtors who do it ourselves.

By Simon Dzienis, Colorado Realtor, Your Castle Realty · Updated October 2026

What is house hacking? House hacking means buying a home you live in and renting out part of it: spare bedrooms, a basement apartment, an ADU, or the other side of a duplex, triplex or fourplex. Because you live there, you can often use owner-occupied loans like FHA (3.5% down), conventional 5% down on 2-4 units, or VA ($0 down for eligible veterans), and the rent helps pay the mortgage.

Three ways to house hack in Colorado

Rent by the room

Lowest cost to get in.

Basement or ADU

Your own space plus rent.

2-4 units

Most rental income.

Why Colorado is a good place to house hack right now

  • Since July 1, 2024, Colorado cities can no longer cap how many unrelated people live together; limits must be based on health and safety codes.
  • Since June 30, 2025, larger Front Range cities (including Denver, Aurora and Colorado Springs) must allow one ADU on single-family lots, approved by staff without a public hearing.
  • FHA now lets some buyers count rent from a roommate (boarder) toward qualifying income, with rules on history and limits.
  • Fannie Mae allows as little as 5% down on owner-occupied 2-4 unit homes.

How we help

  1. Run your numbers. Use the calculator or send us a home and we run it for you.
  2. Line up the right loan. We explain FHA, conventional 5% and VA before you write an offer, and connect you with lenders who do house hack loans.
  3. Find homes that work. We send listings with a house hack estimate for each one (links go to Homes.com) and check egress windows, permits, HOA rules and rental rules before you offer.
  4. Rent it out. We share what similar rooms and units rent for and the basics of leases and screening.

Get homes that work as house hacks

Tell us your budget and where you want to live. Free, no pressure. Mówimy po polsku.

House hacking by city

Denver

Highest rents, ADUs allowed citywide, rental license required.

Aurora

More house for the money, lots of basements.

Lakewood & Littleton

Ranch homes with basements, steady demand.

Colorado Springs

Military buyers, VA loans, room rentals.

Fort Collins & Greeley

Student and young-professional renters.

Questions people ask

Is house hacking legal in Colorado?

Yes. Renting rooms or a unit in a home you own and live in is legal across Colorado, but each city has its own rules on rental licenses, short-term rentals, permits and safety codes. Check the rules for your city before you buy; we help you find them.

How much do I need to put down to house hack?

It depends on the loan. FHA allows 3.5% down on 1-4 unit homes you live in, Fannie Mae allows as little as 5% down on owner-occupied 2-4 units, and VA loans can be $0 down for eligible veterans. A lender confirms what you qualify for.

Do I have to live in the home?

Yes. Owner-occupied loans like FHA, VA and low-down conventional loans require you to move in, usually within 60 days, and live there as your primary home, typically for at least a year. After that many people move and keep the home as a rental.

Can I count the rent to qualify for the loan?

Sometimes. On 2-4 unit homes lenders can often count part of the expected rent. On a single-family home, FHA may count rent from a roommate who has lived with you and paid rent for most of the past year. Ask your lender how your case works.

See your real numbers in 2 minutes

Plug in a price and rents and see what you would really pay to live there. Then book a free 30-minute strategy call with Simon or Ewelina.

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