Montezuma County
Buying a home in Cortez
Providers and rules checked against their own pages in November 2026. FHFA’s county figures come out once a year; we check for new ones every week.
Cortez is Montezuma County’s seat and its largest town. City water serves the town, and rural water companies, wells and irrigation shares serve the land around it.
- Several water providers serve the area outside town; which one depends on the address.
- Homes here are inside USDA’s eligible area; we check the exact address.
- Conforming limit, 2026$832,750One-unit homes in Montezuma County. Above it, a loan is jumbo.Source: FHFA: 2026 conforming loan limits
- FHA limit, 2026$541,287The largest FHA loan on a one-unit home in Montezuma County.Source: HUD: 2026 FHA limits by county
- Home values, past yearUp 0.6%FHFA’s index for Montezuma County, 2024 to 2025.Source: FHFA, via FRED
- USDA areaEligibleEligible on USDA’s map, in and around town. USDA decides on a full application.Source: USDA: property eligibility
Home values in Montezuma County
Checked weekly from public data; last checked November 8, 2026. County trends, not the value of any one home.
- Past yearup 0.6%2024 to 2025
- Past five yearsup 54.3%2020 to 2025
- Past ten yearsup 101.2%2015 to 2025
Show the figures
| Year | Index |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 100.0 |
| 2001 | 103.4 |
| 2002 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 108.8 |
| 2004 | 116.0 |
| 2005 | 133.7 |
| 2006 | 149.3 |
| 2007 | 159.5 |
| 2008 | 162.3 |
| 2009 | 156.3 |
| 2010 | 148.1 |
| 2011 | 137.9 |
| 2012 | 134.2 |
| 2013 | 133.5 |
| 2014 | 139.5 |
| 2015 | 140.4 |
| 2016 | 151.4 |
| 2017 | 153.0 |
| 2018 | 164.6 |
| 2019 | 174.9 |
| 2020 | 183.1 |
| 2021 | 207.5 |
| 2022 | 248.5 |
| 2023 | 270.6 |
| 2024 | 280.7 |
| 2025 | 282.5 |
Sources: FHFA house price index for Montezuma County, via FRED. Rates this week are on our rates page.
Loans and limits in Montezuma County
Limits are for one-unit homes and change every January.
6 itemsConforming loan limit
$832,750 for 2026. A conventional loan above it is a jumbo loan.
Conforming loan limit
$832,750 for 2026. A conventional loan above it is a jumbo loan.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac buy conventional loans up to the county's limit. Montezuma County's 2026 one-unit limit is $832,750; loans for two- to four-unit homes have higher limits. Above the limit, a loan is jumbo, with its own rules and usually more down.
VA has no loan limit for buyers with full entitlement. FHFA sets the next year's limits each November.
- One unit
- $832,750
- Year
- 2026
FHA loan limit
$541,287 for 2026 on a one-unit home.
FHA loan limit
$541,287 for 2026 on a one-unit home.
HUD sets FHA's limit by county. Montezuma County's 2026 one-unit limit is $541,287, the national floor. The limit is on the base loan before FHA's upfront premium is added.
- One unit
- $541,287
- Year
- 2026
Source: HUD: 2026 FHA limits by county
USDA eligible area
Eligible on USDA’s map, in and around town. We check the exact address and USDA’s household income limit.
USDA eligible area
Eligible on USDA’s map, in and around town. We check the exact address and USDA’s household income limit.
The towns on these pages sit inside USDA's eligible areas, and we check the exact address on USDA's map. USDA then caps household income by county and household size. It counts qualifying income of the adults in the household, not only the borrowers, with some exclusions and adjustments; the income used to qualify for the payment is a separate figure. We check both for you before you make an offer.
Source: USDA: property eligibility
- GuideUSDA loan dashboardEvery USDA rule on one page: no down payment, the fees, income limits, wells and septic.
- Loan guideDown payment assistanceUsually a loan secured by a second lien, sometimes a grant. We compare options with and without it.
- Loan guideJumbo loansFor loans above $832,750 in Montezuma County.
Homes in and around Cortez
Homes in town, homes on a few acres with a well or rural water tap, septic and a shop, and irrigated land with water shares. Manufactured homes on their own land are common too.
6 itemsWells and water
USDA and many lenders require a recent water test; we tell you whether yours does.
Wells and water
USDA and many lenders require a recent water test; we tell you whether yours does.
A well needs a permit from the Colorado Division of Water Resources, and the permit says how the water may be used. Ask the seller for the permit, the well log and any pump or water test records.
Shared wells need a recorded agreement. After closing, file the change of owner form with the Division of Water Resources so the well's record is in your name.
Source: Colorado Division of Water Resources: change of owner eForm
Flood and wildfire
Check the flood map and the wildfire risk for the address before you set your insurance budget.
Flood and wildfire
Check the flood map and the wildfire risk for the address before you set your insurance budget.
A standard homeowners policy does not cover flood. If the home is in a high-risk flood zone and the loan is federally backed, flood insurance is required; anywhere near a river or drainage it is worth pricing. A new National Flood Insurance Program policy usually has a 30-day wait, with exceptions, such as a policy bought when a loan requires it; private flood policies set their own terms. A lender can require flood insurance outside a high-risk zone too, and being outside one does not mean no risk.
Wildfire risk affects what insurance costs and which companies will write it. Price insurance early, before your inspection deadline.
Sources: FEMA Flood Map Service Center; USDA Forest Service: Wildfire Risk to Communities
- LessonBuying a home on acreageCan I get a home loan on a few acres?
- LessonWells, septic and waterWhat do lenders need on a home with a well or septic?
- LessonManufactured homesCan I finance a manufactured home?
- LessonInspections, and what to do with themWhich inspections do I need, and what do I do with them?
Who to call for utilities
Set these up before closing so the lights, water and heat are on the day you move in. Confirm each one for your address.
14 items- eea.coopEmpire Electric AssociationElectric co-op for Montezuma County and the area around it
- atmosenergy.comAtmos EnergyAtmos Energy serves Cortez and Montezuma County. Many rural homes use propane; ask the seller who fills the tank and whether it is owned or leased.
- cortezco.govCity of CortezWater inside city limits
- cortezsanitation.colorado.govCortez Sanitation DistrictSewer
- montezumawater.orgMontezuma Water CompanyRural water outside town
- mvic.infoMontezuma Valley Irrigation CompanyIrrigation water and shares
- doloreswater.comDolores Water Conservancy DistrictWater from McPhee Reservoir
- cortezco.govCity of Cortez: trash and recyclingWeekly trash collection inside city limits, from the city’s Refuse Division
Septic
Standard outside town sewer. Montezuma County has no extra step when a home sells.
Septic
Standard outside town sewer. Montezuma County has no extra step when a home sells.
Outside town sewer, most homes here have a septic system. It is a private utility and a normal part of a home here. Montezuma County's regulations (March 5, 2026) add no inspection or permit when a home sells.
Ask the seller for the permit and pumping records. Your home inspector can look at the system too.
Sources: Montezuma County: local septic regulations (March 2026), Appendix A; Montezuma County: local septic regulations (March 2026)
- clearnetworx.comClearnetworxFiber internet; check availability for your address
- hellotds.comTDSCable internet and TV
- centurylink.comCenturyLinkInternet and phone
- ftiwifi.comFTI WiFi (Farmers Telephone)Rural wireless internet
- broadbandmap.fcc.govInternet at your addressThe FCC’s map lists every provider that reports service at an address. Check it before you buy, especially outside town.
Cortez and Montezuma County
The offices you will deal with as an owner: taxes, permits, schools.
5 items- cortezco.govCity of CortezServices, permits and contacts.
- montezumacounty.govMontezuma CountyAssessor, treasurer, clerk and recorder, planning and building.
- montezumacounty.govMontezuma County Public Health: environmental healthSeptic permits and records.
- cortezco.govCity of Cortez: utilities and agenciesLine locates, and the utilities and agencies that serve Cortez.
- cde.state.co.usMontezuma-Cortez School District RE-1 (Colorado Department of Education)The district’s profile and contacts.
After the October 2026 flooding
Montezuma County is one of the counties in Colorado’s October 22, 2026 flood disaster emergency.
2 itemsRun your own numbers
Example numbers to start with; your Mortgage Plan uses yours.
4 items- CalculatorMortgage paymentYour full payment for each loan type, and where any payment goes.
- CalculatorAffordabilityA price range from your income and debts, against each loan type's guideline.
- CalculatorCash to closeDown payment, closing costs and prepaids, less credits.
- CalculatorDown payment by loan typeThe down payment, loan and cash to close on each loan type.