Meet Colleen Olivas.
Top hero lender for California's homebuyers.

CalHFA — the California Housing Finance Agency — maintains an official Lending Heroes directory of the loan officers who have helped the most homebuyers obtain CalHFA First Mortgage Loans, including down payment and closing-cost assistance. The list is on CalHFA's own website at calhfa.ca.gov/homebuyer/heroes.

Colleen Olivas is on that list. It means she has personally originated more CalHFA loans than the vast majority of the 5,000+ loan officers licensed to do them in California — and that the agency itself recognizes her track record. It is an earned designation, not a paid placement.

Not always. CalHFA's main programs do generally require first-time-buyer status, which is defined as not having owned a primary residence in the past three years — so even repeat buyers can sometimes qualify if there's been a gap.

Other programs we work with — including some GSFA Platinum products and select hero/essential-worker initiatives — do not require first-time-buyer status at all. The right answer depends on which program fits your situation. That's the conversation worth having.

It varies — and that's the point of an actual conversation rather than a flat number on a website. The right combination depends on your income, credit, the property location, your profession, and which programs stack legally for your scenario.

What we can say honestly: many of our clients put 0% to 3.5% of their own money into the deal. Some put none at all. The rest comes from layered down-payment-assistance programs that we know how to structure so they actually clear underwriting.

Three reasons:

• Underwriter background. Colleen used to underwrite mortgages. She structures every file the way an underwriter wants to see it — no guessing, no surprises.
• Specialty, not generalist. DPA loans have specific layered conditions. We do them every day. The lenders who take 45+ days do them every few weeks.
• In-house team continuity. The same team that takes your application is the same team your file moves through to closing. No handoffs to a different city.

Honestly — it depends on the property, the price, and your savings. VA loans are usually the strongest option for eligible veterans: zero down, no PMI, often the lowest payment.

But CalHFA programs can sometimes layer with VA, or beat VA in specific scenarios (especially if you're worried about coming up with closing costs). Colleen is one of very few loan officers who can quote both side-by-side accurately. Bring your DD-214 or COE and we'll run the math both ways.

Lower than most people think. Many of our successful CalHFA borrowers come in with scores in the 640–680 range. Some programs go lower; some require higher; some lender overlays add their own minimums on top of the agency's.

If your score isn't where you'd like, ask anyway. We've helped many clients identify the one or two specific items hurting their report — sometimes a 30-day cleanup is enough to qualify.

Yes — most DPA programs have income caps that vary by county. CalHFA updates them annually, and they're often higher than people expect (especially in higher-cost counties like Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside).

Even high earners frequently qualify. Don't disqualify yourself before checking the actual number for your county and household size.

Nothing. Initial consultations are free and there's no obligation. Bring whatever you have — pay stubs, a vague idea of what you're hoping to spend, or nothing at all — and we'll tell you honestly what's possible.

If we can help, we'll tell you. If we can't, we'll tell you that too — and most of the time we can point you to whoever can.

Our office is at 8463 Haven Ave, Suite B, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730, in the heart of the Inland Empire. We serve clients across all of California — most of our consultations are by phone, video, or in person at the office, and our process works the same regardless of where you're buying in the state.

Phone or text: (909) 697-9684. Email: colivas@tbdgmortgage.com.

Three options, in order of speed:

• Apply online — the secure pre-qualification form takes about 8 minutes and gives Colleen the data she needs to give you a real number.
• Book a consultation — pick a time on the calendar and Colleen will walk through your situation with you, no application required.
• Just call or text — (909) 697-9684. Same-day response is the standard, not the exception.