Denver's been on top so long, it may not know how to be down. But in July, home prices grew 3.1 percent in metro Denver in July, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index. That's slightly below the 3.2 percent growth nationally.
Denver is usually well ahead of the national growth, staying strong even as many cities saw price growth slow.
That's in part because demand is falling, in spite of rock-bottom interest rates. The number of homes sold in August, both condos and single family homes, dropped almost 8 percent compared to 2018, according to the Denver Metro Association of Realtors.
Real estate agents have noticed the shift. There are fewer offers on homes than there were a few years ago. There are 9,350 active home listings in the Denver area, the most since 2013 — which means buyers have more power to negotiate.
“In the first half of 2018, home sellers were taking offers over the weekend and selecting the best one in the stack on Monday," said agent Jill Schafer, when DMAR released its numbers earlier in September. "This year, sellers are making price adjustments as they try and find the right price point to entice buyers to make an offer.”
Many real estate agents also say there are few affordable properties to buy, which reduces demand. The average August sales price in metro Denver was just more than $488,000.
You want to know what is really going on these days, especially in Colorado. We can help you keep up. The Lookout is a free, daily email newsletter with news and happenings from all over Colorado. Sign up here and we will see you in the morning!
It takes a good day’s drive to cover Colorado, but we’ll help you do it in a few minutes. Our newsletters bring you a closer look at the stories that affect you and the music that inspires you.
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. Listen now.