DMAR Real Estate Market Trends Report | October 2026

Across the Denver Metro area, 2,748 homes closed in October, down 8.58 percent month-over-month and 23.54 percent year-over-year, marking the fewest October closings since 2010. The expected decline follows September's increase in mortgage rates. Pending sales also fell month-over-month and year-over-year against a backdrop of election uncertainty, elevated borrowing costs and persistent affordability challenges. Buyers and sellers continue to navigate a market where hesitation can be just as influential as opportunity.

Active inventory, though slightly down from September, still hovers around 13,000 properties and is 3.87 percent higher than last October. For buyers, more choices haven't necessarily translated into more confidence. Seller activity is pulling back, which is typical with the market's seasonality. However, new listings were down 16.70 percent month-over-month and 9.02 percent year-over-year. Pricing held steady amid the hesitation, but not in the same way across the market. Detached homes sold at a median of $645,000, up 1.57 percent from September and just 0.64 percent below last October, closing at 98.55 percent of list in a median of 26 days, four days faster than a year ago. The year-to-date median of $650,000 is unchanged from both 2025 and 2024.

Attached homes tell a different story. The median price of $375,000 is up 2.74 percent from September, but 3.25 percent below last October, and these homes closed at 97.69 percent of list, down from 98.17 percent a year ago, after a median of 48 days, up 17.07 percent from last year. The year-to-date attached median of $382,500 is down 3.16 percent from 2025.

With more than seven months of supply, condo and townhome buyers have real room to negotiate, which brings us to the question: if prices are not dropping, where is the benefit to the buyer? In October, 65 percent of homes that sold involved a seller concession, and the average amount was $12,557. That makes concessions a routine part of the negotiation rather than an exception. A seller credit that covers closing costs or pays for a rate buydown can be worth more to a buyer than the same dollars off the price, and it records a higher sale price in the data. This is where understanding the nuances of market data becomes essential. Statistics provide valuable insight into market conditions, but individual numbers rarely tell the whole story. The value of data isn't simply knowing the numbers. It is understanding how they relate to one another, recognizing what they don't tell us and applying that perspective to the decisions buyers and sellers face.

“Fear continued to influence decisions in the Denver Metro real estate market throughout October,” said Amanda Snitker, Chair of the DMAR Market Trends Committee and Metro Denver Realtor®. “Sellers fear leaving money on the table, while buyers worry about overpaying or missing a better deal. With homes closing at 98.36 percent of list price and concessions increasingly part of the conversation, both sides are questioning who holds the upper hand. Fear thrives where information is scarce, but market data, strategic pricing and clear, professional communication can replace uncertainty with confidence.”

Added Snitker, “Fear often comes from uncertainty, and no amount of data can predict exactly what the market will do next. But informed decisions don't require perfect predictions. Realtors® bring together market knowledge, thoughtful negotiation and professional communication to help buyers and sellers navigate those decisions with confidence. The goal isn't to eliminate every risk or guarantee the outcome. It's to replace fear of the unknown with a clearer understanding of the choices available. The greatest risk in today's market may not be making the wrong move, but allowing uncertainty to prevent the right one.”
DMAR’s monthly report also includes statistics and analyses in its supplemental markets that include properties sold for $1 million or greater, properties sold between $750,000 and $999,999 and properties sold between $500,000 and $749,999.

In the $1 million+ market, the data tell a clear story. On the surface, the year-to-date numbers look stable. Closed sales priced at $1 million and above are flat compared with last year at 4,878 versus 4,890, while total sales volume has edged up to $8.0 billion. Median days on market improved to 16 days, and sellers are still getting 98.27 percent of list price. Price-per-square-foot ticked up modestly to $381, a 0.53 percent increase from 2025. 

From a distance, it can look manageable. Look more closely at the year-over-year numbers and the picture changes. Closings dropped 24.05 percent year-over-year and sales volume fell 26.04 percent to $656 million. Pending sales are down too. Homes are moving faster than last October, at a median of 17 days versus 34 in October 2025, but fewer of them are actually selling. That mix of faster movement and fewer deals is where unprepared buyers and sellers can get hurt.

Detached homes are carrying the segment, while attached properties like luxury condos and townhomes are showing some signs of softness. Price-per-square-foot is down 9.72 percent year-over-year, and days on market are rising. While attached properties represent a smaller share of the overall $1 million market, these trends offer a closer look at how different property types are performing within the luxury segment. 

“These are the kinds of details that don't show up in a quick online search or a casual conversation with a friend who sold a house a few years ago,” said Greg Cox, DMAR Market Trends Committee member and Metro Denver Realtor®. “This is why working with a professional Realtor® matters. The data can look contradictory depending on which piece you focus on. A buyer who only sees the better days-on-market numbers might overpay or miss that October's sharp drop in closed sales is signaling a shift in leverage. A seller who only notices that close-to-list ratios are still high might price too aggressively and sit, especially on an attached property where conditions have clearly softened.”

Added Cox, “Going it alone in a market that can shift from stable year-to-date numbers to 24 percent fewer closings in a single month can be risky. Missed opportunities, overpaying or homes that linger while carrying costs pile up are all potential consequences. The data make the case better than any sales pitch. The details matter, and they change quickly.”

Highlights from October’s closed transactions include the sale of the highest-priced detached home, which was at 6917 Timbers Drive in Evergreen and sold for $7,224,000. The highest attached sale was located at 250 Columbine Street #701 and sold for $10,250,000.

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