Denver’s housing market doesn’t behave like most of the country — and the financing required to buy here reflects that. Denver County carries a 2026 conforming loan limit of $862,500, meaning a conventional loan can take buyers further than in most U.S. markets. But in Cherry Creek, Hilltop, Washington Park, and Country Club — neighborhoods where median home prices routinely run from $1.5 million to well over $5 million — even that elevated baseline disappears quickly. The buyers active in Denver’s upper-tier market need specialized financing, and they need a lender who understands the income complexity that comes with working in one of the country’s most dynamic tech and healthcare economies.
Denver’s employer base creates underwriting situations that standard lenders frequently mishandle. Salesforce employs more than 10,000 people in Colorado, Amazon and Google maintain major Denver operations, and the region’s tech sector — now accounting for 18% of Colorado’s total economic output — generates total compensation packages that lean heavily on RSU vesting schedules, stock options, and equity grants. A $300,000-per-year Amazon L5 engineer with a backloaded 5/15/40/40 RSU vesting structure looks different on paper than a salaried W-2 employee, and lenders unfamiliar with this compensation profile routinely undercount income or decline capable borrowers outright. Ryan Lehrman, NMLS #235295, has spent years working with exactly these buyers — and with the physicians, residents, and fellows training and practicing across Denver’s extraordinary concentration of academic medical institutions.
Independent mortgage broker — access to dozens of lenders, not one institution's product shelf
Deep expertise in RSU and equity compensation qualifying — understands how to properly document Amazon, Google, and Salesforce income profiles
Physician loan specialist— works with residents, fellows, and attending physicians across Denver's academic medical system
Jumbo and Super-Jumbo experience — financing from $862,501 through $10 million and above in Cherry Creek, Hilltop, Country Club, and Cherry Hills Village
One-Time Close Construction expertise — single closing, one appraisal, rate locked at the start; ideal for Denver metro custom builds where Bentonite soil engineering adds cost complexity
Transparent process — no surprises at the closing table; every step explained in plain language before you sign anything
Available when you need him — Denver's upper-tier market moves on weekends; Ryan is reachable when deals are live
Confidential consultations — high-net-worth buyers and executives receive the discretion their transactions require
Ryan Lehrman, NMLS #235295
Denver County’s 2026 conforming loan limit is $862,500. Any loan above that threshold is a jumbo mortgage. In Cherry Creek, Hilltop, Washington Park, and the Country Club neighborhood — where properties regularly list from $1.5 million to $6 million — jumbo financing isn’t exceptional. It’s the standard. Ryan structures jumbo loans for Denver buyers up to $3 million and beyond, with programs starting at 5% down on primary residences. Learn more about Denver Jumbo Mortgage Loans.
Cherry Hills Village’s median home price surpassed $3 million in late 2025. Estates in Country Club and along Race Street in the Denver Country Club corridor trade from $3 million into the $8 million range and above. Super-Jumbo programs — loans above $3 million, typically — serve the buyers active in this tier: executives, founders, physicians, and high-net-worth buyers relocating from coastal markets where Denver’s price points represent significant value.
Denver’s physician mortgage program was built specifically for the qualifying challenges that residents, fellows, and early-career attendings face: student loan debt that would disqualify them under conventional DTI rules, employment start dates that haven’t arrived yet, and income that hasn’t reached its full potential but is contractually certain. With the University of Colorado School of Medicine, UCHealth, Denver Health, and Children’s Hospital Colorado all generating physician demand year over year, this program sees consistent use in Denver’s market.
Denver’s resale inventory in premium neighborhoods is chronically thin. Buyers who want a custom home in Hilltop, Cherry Creek, or the surrounding east Denver neighborhoods — or who are building in one of the metro’s 357-plus active new construction communities — benefit from a One-Time Close Construction loan that combines lot acquisition, construction financing, and permanent mortgage into a single closing with a single appraisal
Denver’s tech sector growth — $17 billion invested in the Denver/Boulder corridor over the past five years — has created a large population of buyers whose income is genuinely high but genuinely complex. RSU grants from Amazon, Google, and Salesforce vest on schedules that don’t align neatly with standard income documentation. A two-year history of receiving equity compensation is typically required before lenders will count it, and the calculation methodology differs by lender. Buyers who take their Amazon or Google offer letter to a conventional lender and get declined — or get quoted a far lower loan amount than their real income supports — are frequently surprised when a specialist broker is able to qualify them correctly. Ryan works through these income structures routinely and knows which lenders count equity compensation most favorably for Denver tech buyers.
The neighborhoods that define Denver’s luxury market each carry their own financing reality. Cherry Creek properties range from $2 million to $6 million or more, with the highest-profile transactions in Cherry Creek North reaching into the $8 million range. Washington Park single-family homes run $1 million to $3 million depending on proximity to the 165-acre park and the condition of the home. Hilltop — quiet, established, large lots — carries a median around $1.48 million with many properties in the $1.2 million to $4 million range. The Country Club neighborhood, adjacent to the Denver Country Club (the oldest country club west of the Mississippi, founded in 1887), sees estate pricing from $3 million to $7 million. Cherry Hills Village — technically its own municipality just south of Denver — is now the most expensive suburb in the metro, with a median above $3 million and listings ranging from $1.5 million entry to over $25 million for the largest estates. Every one of these price points requires a lender fluent in Jumbo and Super-Jumbo underwriting.
Denver’s geography — the mountains to the west, the plains to the east, and a built-out urban core — channels new construction toward the eastern and northern suburbs. Painted Prairie, near Denver International Airport, is one of the metro’s most talked-about master-planned communities, with multiple builders active and a town center development underway. Reunion in Commerce City features 10 neighborhood parks, 8 acres of lakes, a resort-style pool, and a community-oriented master plan. The Arcadia community by D.R. Horton sits 10 miles from downtown with direct access to Cherry Creek State Park. Active builders across the metro include Century Communities, Richmond American, D.R. Horton, Toll Brothers, Brookfield Residential, and MDC Holdings. One important Denver-specific construction consideration: Colorado’s soil is rich in Bentonite clay, which expands when wet and can affect foundations. Modern builders use structural wood floors and deep caissons to address this — adding engineering cost that buyers financing construction should account for. Ryan structures One-Time Close Construction loans with these project realities in mind.
Denver County is part of the high-balance metro group — which includes Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Douglas, and Jefferson counties — with a 2026 conforming loan limit of $862,500 for a single-family home. Loans above $862,500 are classified as jumbo mortgages and require jumbo underwriting. Denver's elevated limit (versus the national baseline of $832,750) reflects the area's higher median home prices, but it still falls well short of Cherry Creek and Hilltop pricing, where jumbo loans are the norm rather than the exception.
Yes — but only if documented correctly and only if the lender you're working with knows how to count it. Most lenders require a two-year history of receiving equity compensation before it can be included in qualifying income. The methodology for calculating that income varies by lender and by loan program. Ryan Lehrman works with Denver tech employees regularly and knows which lenders treat RSU income most favorably, which programs allow for exceptions with strong employment contracts, and how to structure the loan to reflect your real total compensation picture.
Yes. Physician mortgage loans are specifically designed for the qualifying challenges that residents and fellows face — large student loan balances, income that hasn't yet reached attending levels, and employment start dates that may be 30 to 90 days in the future. Residents and fellows training at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, Denver Health Medical Center, or Children's Hospital Colorado are eligible. The program does not require a full two years of self-employment history and treats student loan debt more favorably than conventional underwriting.
A traditional construction-to-permanent process requires two separate closings — one for the construction loan and one for the permanent mortgage — meaning two sets of closing costs, two rounds of underwriting, and two appraisals. A One-Time Close Construction loan combines both into a single closing before the build begins, locking the permanent rate at the start and eliminating the risk of qualifying changes or market rate increases before the home is complete. For Denver buyers building in communities like Painted Prairie or Reunion — or financing a custom home in Hilltop or Cherry Creek — this single-close structure simplifies the process considerably.
I’m here to support you every step of the way. If you’re ready to turn your home financing goals into your new reality, let’s work together.
Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, I moved to Phoenix to attend Arizona State University and have proudly called Phoenix home ever since.
My journey into the mortgage industry began with a friend’s encouragement, who saw how my energy and people-first mindset could make a difference. He was right — I found my calling.
I’ve always embraced what makes me different. With ADHD as my secret weapon, I thrive in fast-paced, detail-heavy environments. I’ve built my career on clear communication, creative problem-solving, and putting clients first, always.
Outside of work, my greatest motivation is my wife and three amazing kids. I’d be honored to help guide you through your lending journey with care, clarity, and commitment.
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