WORDS I LIKE — Positioning matters more than timing
You’ve probably seen the headlines.
Denver home values are falling.
People are leaving.
Someone on Instagram called it the next Austin.
Here’s what those posts don’t tell you.
Here’s the part most people miss.
The Denver metro has over 10,400 active listings on the ResiClub/Realtor.com Denver-Aurora metro count — the most in recent months. (DMAR's broader 11-county figure, which includes Boulder, comes in at 11,539.) The median sale price in April was $605,000, virtually unchanged from a year ago. Sellers are negotiating on concessions, price, and rate buydowns. That's not a crash. That's a market that has found its balance.
According to DMAR, homes are still selling at 99.44% of list price and closing in a median of 14 days. The market isn’t frozen. But compare Denver's near-flat prices to Austin, where home values have dropped over 6% in the past year, according to Zillow, ranking Austin among the four worst-performing major markets in the country. The "next Austin" narrative doesn't survive contact with actual data.
Denver's 10-year appreciation has averaged roughly 6% annually, based on Zillow Home Value Index data through April 2026. Colorado's overall population crossed 6 million in 2025. Domestic out-migration has picked up, but the state's total population is still growing, supported primarily by births, with international arrivals now declining sharply due to federal immigration policy. The fundamentals are intact. The frenzy is gone.
Buyers have more choices, more time, and real negotiating leverage — on price, concessions, and rate buydowns. Sellers who price correctly and offer the right incentives are still closing.
Fear drives bad decisions in both directions. Pausing a purchase because of a social media reel is just as costly as overpaying in a frenzy. The question isn’t whether the market is perfect — it’s whether your move makes sense for your situation.
THIS WEEK'S TAKEAWAY
The market has shifted in your favor. Buyers who understand that are the ones who’ll look back in five years knowing they got it right.
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📍 Mile High Housing Brief
I’ve started sharing a short snapshot of what’s happening in the Denver housing market — inventory trends, pricing shifts, and what they may mean for buyers and homeowners.
Here’s what the latest signal looks like in Denver:
PS
If you’ve been watching Denver and wondering if now is the time — reply with “ready” and we’ll take a look at what the numbers say for your situation.
No spam. No sales pitches. Just clarity.
— Neil Christiansen, Certified Mortgage Advisor
