Stay updated on national real estate news, local market trends, VA loan changes, and housing insights that matter to military families and buyers across the country.

Summer ended with more homes on the market than Colorado Springs has seen in years, and fewer buyers competing for them. That combination has not existed here since before 2020. If you sat out the spring because everything felt overpriced and rates felt stuck, the fall setup is measurably different, and not in the way most headlines suggest.

Here is what actually changed over the summer, what it means for the next ninety days, and the one financing rule change that is quietly reshaping the entry-level end of this market.

Where mortgage rates actually sit

The 30-year fixed averaged 6.65 percent in the third week of August, down slightly from the week before. The 15-year sits near 5.95 percent. For context, the 30-year was roughly 6.58 percent at…

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The VA funding fee shows up on the closing disclosure and raises an immediate question: why am I paying a fee on a benefit I earned? It's not arbitrary — and understanding what it actually is changes how most veterans think about it.

This post explains the fee plainly: what it is, what drives the amount, who's exempt, and how it fits into the overall cost of using a VA loan.

What the VA Funding Fee Actually Is

The VA loan program doesn't require mortgage insurance the way conventional loans do when you put less than 20% down. Instead, the VA charges a one-time funding fee at closing. That fee gets pooled and used to cover losses when VA loans go into foreclosure — it's what keeps the program self-sustaining without ongoing cost to taxpayers.

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Most service members heading to Fort Carson know they have a VA loan benefit and they know they're getting BAH. What doesn't always click until they're actually in the market is how those two things work together — and what that combination actually gets you in Colorado Springs right now.

This post breaks down the math specifically for Fort Carson, what your BAH covers in today's market, and how to structure a purchase so you're not coming out of pocket more than you need to.

What BAH Looks Like at Fort Carson in 2026

The MHA for Fort Carson is Colorado Springs (CO046). Here are the 2026 monthly BAH rates for the most common ranks:

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Rank With Dependents Without Dependents
E-5 $2,358 $1,860
E-6 $2,433 $1,980

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The VA loan's zero down payment benefit is one of the most valuable things the military benefit system offers. But the question of whether to actually use it — or whether putting some money down makes more sense in your specific situation — comes up constantly among military buyers in Colorado Springs.

Here's a straight answer: most VA buyers should go zero down. But there are specific situations where a down payment changes the math enough to be worth considering. This post covers both.

The Basic Answer: No, You Don't Need a Down Payment

The VA loan program does not require a down payment. That's true regardless of the purchase price, as long as you have full VA entitlement. There is no minimum contribution required from the buyer. You can…

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The PCS timeline doesn't wait for anyone. By the time most soldiers have confirmed orders to Fort Carson, they're already behind on housing decisions — trying to research Colorado Springs neighborhoods from a base in Georgia or Germany, with a report date six to eight weeks out.

The good news is that buying remotely is genuinely doable in 2026, and military buyers do it successfully near Fort Carson every cycle. The key is knowing which steps you can complete from anywhere and which ones actually require being here in person.

Start the VA Loan Pre-Approval First

Before you research a single neighborhood, get your VA loan pre-approval moving. This is entirely remote — your lender needs your DD214 or statement of service, LES, W-2s, and tax…

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The VA funding fee is one of the most Googled VA loan questions — and one of the most misunderstood. Some people assume it's enormous and avoidable. Others assume it's unavoidable and plan around it. The reality is more nuanced than either.

Here's a straightforward breakdown of what the VA funding fee actually is in 2026, what you'll pay based on your specific situation, and — critically — who pays nothing at all.

What the VA Funding Fee Is

The VA funding fee is a one-time fee paid to the Department of Veterans Affairs on VA-backed purchase loans, refinances, and construction loans. It's not paid to your lender. It goes directly to the VA and helps fund the program for future generations of veterans — which is part of why VA loans don't require…

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One of the most common questions I hear from military buyers arriving at Fort Carson is some version of this: "I already used my VA loan at my last duty station. Do I have to sell that house before I can buy here?"

In most cases, no. You don't. But the answer depends on how much VA entitlement you have remaining, what your current home situation looks like, and what you're trying to buy in Colorado Springs. This post walks through how it actually works.

How VA Entitlement Works

Your VA loan benefit doesn't disappear after you use it once. The VA gives every eligible service member what's called entitlement — a guarantee to lenders that backs a portion of your loan. When you buy a home, you use some of that entitlement. When you sell and pay off…

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Buying a home in Colorado Springs is one of the more practical decisions you can make in this market right now — but the process has real steps, and skipping any of them costs you time or money. This guide walks through everything from financing to closing, with current numbers so you know what to expect in 2026.

What Homes Cost in Colorado Springs Right Now

The median sale price in Colorado Springs is around $450,000 as of mid-2026, roughly flat compared to a year ago. Homes are averaging 40–45 days on market, and inventory has roughly doubled compared to the peak years. You have more options and more time than buyers did in 2021 and 2022.

Prices vary significantly by area:

  • Fountain and Security-Widefield — $300,000–$380,000. Most…

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The VA funding fee is one of the trade-offs built into the VA loan program. No down payment, no PMI, competitive rates — but a one-time fee that goes back into the program and funds future loans. For most borrowers, that fee runs between 1.25% and 3.3% of the loan amount depending on first use versus subsequent use and whether you're putting anything down.

But a meaningful number of VA loan borrowers don't pay it at all. If you qualify for an exemption, you save real money at closing — and in some cases on a larger loan, that's a significant sum you simply don't have to come up with. Here's who qualifies, how the documentation works, and what happens if your rating status changes after you close.

For a full breakdown of how the fee is calculated and…

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The Colorado Springs housing market in 2026 is more navigable for VA loan buyers than it looks from the outside. Inventory has shifted, seller expectations have adjusted, and you're less likely to find yourself losing deals in a bidding war than you were a few years ago. That doesn't mean you can walk in without a plan — it means a well-prepared VA buyer has real leverage right now.

Here's what you actually need to understand before you start sending your agent house links at midnight.

What the Market Looks Like Right Now

Colorado Springs has five active installations — Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, the Air Force Academy, and Cheyenne Mountain AFS — and that creates a floor of military buyer demand that…

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