Quick answer: A parent who signs your loan but will not live in the home is a non-occupant borrower. On a $750,000 Edgewater 80214 home, loans run through Fannie Mae's DU system can go to 95% of the price, or $37,500 down. Manually underwritten loans cap at 90%, or $75,000 down.
By Katerina Veteskova, Colorado real estate broker license FA.100082955, eXp Realty, LLC
Edgewater is a small city with prices that can stretch a first budget, and I often hear from buyers whose parents have offered to help. Signing the loan is a different kind of help from writing a check, with its own limits.
The example here is a $750,000 purchase in the 80214 zipcode with a 30-year fixed loan at 7.24%.
What does it mean to add a parent to an Edgewater mortgage?
Your parent becomes a non-occupant borrower who shares responsibility for the loan.
The Fannie Mae guide on non-occupant borrowers describes them as applicants on a primary home loan who will not live there, who sign the note and share joint liability, and who may or may not be on title. They cannot have an interest in the sale, so the seller, builder or agent cannot fill the role.
How much down payment do I need with a parent on the loan?
It depends on how the loan is underwritten.
- Through DU: up to 95% loan-to-value, so $37,500 down and a $712,500 loan
- Manually underwritten: up to 90%, so $75,000 down and a $675,000 loan
On a manual loan above 80% loan-to-value, you also need to put in the first 5% of the down payment from your own funds unless you meet the rules for using gift or grant money.
What would the monthly payment be?
About $4,856 on the DU version and about $4,600 on the manual version.
Both use the Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average of 7.24% as of October 29, 2026, and cover principal and interest only. Taxes, insurance and any mortgage insurance are added to these. My figures here are for illustration only.
Edgewater listings from $700K when a parent may co-sign
Email me new Edgewater listings from $700,000 as they come on the market, so we can plan who signs the loan before I write an offer.
Does my parent's pay count toward my debt ratio?
Through DU it does, but a manual loan still tests your own pay.
DU looks at the pay, assets, debts and credit of every borrower. On a manually underwritten loan, Fannie Mae caps the ratio at 43% using only the pay of the people who will live in the home. On the $675,000 manual loan, principal and interest alone would need about $128,375 a year of your own qualifying pay.
Is the loan a jumbo at these amounts?
No, both loans sit under the 2026 one-unit limit for Jefferson County.
The FHFA 2026 county loan limit file lists $862,500 for a one-unit home in Jefferson County, above both the $712,500 and $675,000 examples.
What does my parent take on by signing?
Full responsibility for the loan alongside you.
Signing the note means joint liability, so a missed payment is theirs too. Their own housing payment also counts in the lender's review, since Fannie Mae has lenders weigh the rent or mortgage a non-occupant borrower pays where they live.
Should a parent co-sign or give a gift instead?
It depends on whether you are short on cash or short on qualifying pay.
A co-borrower makes more sense if:
- You have the down payment but your pay alone does not clear the debt ratio
- Your loan can run through DU, where every borrower's profile is counted
- Your parent is comfortable sharing liability for 30 years or until a refinance
A gift makes more sense if:
- Your pay qualifies but you are short on cash for the down payment
- Your parent does not want their name on the loan
- Your parent carries their own large housing payment
Is $750,000 a realistic price in Edgewater 80214?
It is above the zipcode median, which spans parts of nearby cities too.
Redfin put the 80214 median sale price at about $605K for the three months ending September 2026, with homes selling after about 22 days at 98.8% of list. The 80214 zipcode also covers parts of Lakewood and Wheat Ridge. Listings are in the Edgewater homes from $700K, Edgewater 80214 homes from $700K and Edgewater $700K to $1M searches, with larger homes in Edgewater homes from $1.2M.
Where else can a $750,000 budget go near Edgewater?
To the west, compare Wheat Ridge homes from $700K, Wheat Ridge 80033 homes from $700K and Wheat Ridge $700K to $1M.
To the south, see Lakewood homes from $700K, Lakewood 80226 homes from $700K and Lakewood $700K to $1M. Searching wider, Front Range $700K to $1M spans the metro, and first-time buyers can read first home in Jefferson County from $700K.
Broker view: "When a parent offers to co-sign, I bring the lender in before we tour. Knowing whether the file runs through DU or manually tells us the down payment before we fall for a home." - Katerina Veteskova, eXp Realty, LLC
What this guide does not cover: mortgage insurance pricing, title and estate planning, gift tax rules, FHA, VA and jumbo co-borrower rules, Community Seconds, property tax, homeowners insurance and HOA or metro district amounts. This is not legal or financial advice, and your lender decides how the file is underwritten.
Sources: Freddie Mac PMMS 30-year fixed average, 7.24% as of October 29, 2026. Fannie Mae Selling Guide B2-2-04 on guarantors, co-signers and non-occupant borrowers and B3-6-05 on monthly debts, checked November 4, 2026. FHFA 2026 county loan limit file. Redfin 80214 data for the three months ending September 2026. Payment and pay figures are my own math, for illustration only.
Buying in Edgewater near $750,000 with a parent's help? Call or text 720-646-4685, or request a tour.
Frequently asked questions
What is a non-occupant borrower?
Someone who applies for and signs the loan on your primary home, shares liability for it, but will not live there. They may or may not be on title.
How much do I need down with a parent on the loan?
Through Fannie Mae's DU system, the loan-to-value can go up to 95%, so 5% down, or $37,500 on $750,000. On a manually underwritten loan, the cap is 90%, or $75,000 down.
Does my parent's pay fix a high debt ratio?
Not on a manually underwritten loan. Fannie Mae still caps the ratio at 43% using only the pay of the people who will live in the home.
Can my parent be the seller?
No. Fannie Mae says a non-occupant borrower cannot have an interest in the sale, such as the seller, the builder or the real estate agent.
Katerina Veteskova is a Colorado real estate broker (license FA.100082955) with eXp Realty, LLC. Call or text 720-646-4685, or request a tour.