Mountain Dreamers hosts bilingual homeownership workshop in Edwards

The Western Slope housing market isn’t just expensive — it’s opaque. For the Hispanic community, that opacity has been a wall. Mountain Dreamers tore down a section of it last Wednesday.

The organization hosted a "Pathway to Homeownership" session at the CMC facility in Edwards. Dozens showed up. The crowd was predominantly Hispanic. The presentation was bilingual. The goal was simple: explain how to buy a house when the rules feel rigged against you.

Peter Bakken, CEO of Mountain Dreamers, opened the night. The association has defended Hispanic rights in the valley since 2019. It’s based in Summit County. This wasn’t a press release reading. It was a practical workshop.

The event started at 6 p.m., preceded by dinner. Representatives from real estate agents, lenders, banks, the county, and nonprofits took the stage. Each had five minutes. The audience asked questions. A consecutive interpreter ensured no one was left behind.

Cinthia Flores kicked off the official portion. “We come to give you the information you need on how to buy a house,” she said. “The steps you need to take. And most importantly, we are here to give you real answers in your own language.”

Karen Guillermety, a Keller Williams real estate agent, laid out the financial reality. “The purpose of the night is for you to understand the buying process, what to expect financially; credit, down payment, and pre-approval,” she said. “Leave here with a clear action plan.”

The biggest myth? You can’t buy a home without legal status.

Cinthia Valderrama, another real estate agent and co-coordinator, dismantled that idea. So did Guillermety. You can buy a house with an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) just as easily as with a Social Security number.

Daen Manriquez from Top Flite, a major state lender, offered a specific tool. “We have an exclusive program for people with ITIN where we can help with a 3.5% down payment,” Manriquez said. “You don’t need established credit.”

The program helps those who need to build credit from scratch. And Manriquez addressed another fear: checking your credit score hurts it. “A soft credit report won’t affect your score,” he said.

This matters. In a valley where wages lag behind home prices, every percentage point of down payment and every point of credit score counts. Mountain Dreamers isn’t just talking about rights anymore. They’re talking about equity.

The session didn’t promise miracles. It promised clarity. And in Edwards, clarity is the first step toward ownership.