Denver Market Update: June 2026

Denver metro prices down 2% YoY — move-up buyers have real negotiating room right now

Market Trends

Denver metro list prices are down nearly 2% from a year ago, and homes are sitting on the market longer — if you're shopping in the $700,000–$1,000,000 range, you have more leverage than you did this time last year.

The metro-wide median list price is $589,000 in May 2026, down from $600,000 a year prior. Single-family homes are taking longer to sell, too: median days on market is 43 days, up 13% year-over-year from 38 days in May 2025. Buyers are negotiating below list price on average — the metro-wide sale-to-list ratio sits at 0.995, meaning sellers are accepting slightly less than asking. Meanwhile, closed sales are up 7% year-over-year, which tells you demand is still there — it's just not chasing overpriced listings.

Here's what that combination means for you:

• Metro median list price: $589,000 in May 2026, down ~2% YoY — prices have softened from last year's levels
• Days on market: 43 days metro-wide, up from 38 days a year ago — homes are sitting longer, giving you time to think
• Sale-to-list ratio: 0.995 — buyers are negotiating below list on average; above-list bidding wars are not the norm right now
• Closed sales: up 7% YoY — demand is active, but it's price-sensitive

If you're leaving a sub-$500,000 starter and shopping the $700,000–$1,000,000 range, this is the market to negotiate in. Homes priced close to current comps are moving. Homes priced off 2024 peaks are sitting.

Interest Rates and Mortgage Impact

Rates have climbed nearly half a percentage point over the past three months — that's the signal that matters most heading into summer.

The 30-year fixed stands at 6.48% as of June 4, 2026, up from 6.0% on March 5 — a 0.48 percentage point increase over three months. The one-month move is smaller: rates rose from 6.37% on May 7 to 6.48% today, adding $51 per month to the principal and interest payment on a $750,000 home with 5% down (from $4,443 to $4,494). That $51/month shift adds $18,360 in total interest over the life of the loan.

The year-over-year picture is more encouraging: today's $4,494/month payment is $175/month lower than the $4,669 buyers faced at last June's 6.85% rate on the same loan. You're still in a better position than a year ago — but the three-month trend is moving against you. If you're close to ready, locking sooner rather than later is the straightforward play.

Homebuyer Tip

Verify school-district boundaries before you fall in love with a house.

When you're shopping in the $700,000–$1,000,000 range, school district access is often the deciding factor — and boundaries don't always follow neighborhood lines.

1. Look up the exact address on the Denver Public Schools SchoolChoice boundary map (or Douglas County's equivalent) before scheduling a showing — not after you're under contract.

2. Cross-check the listed school against the boundary map yourself; listing agents sometimes cite the nearest school, not the assigned one.

3. If the boundary matters to your decision, ask your agent to pull recent sales on both sides of the line — the price differential is often measurable and worth knowing before you negotiate.

The right school assignment can be worth tens of thousands of dollars in resale value. Confirm it early so it's a factor in your offer, not a surprise after closing.

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If you're tracking the Denver single-family market through summer, I publish this Market Update every month. Subscribe at denverpropertyadvisors.com and you'll get next month's edition the day it's out.

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Paul McCoy, Realtor | Fathom Realty | License #: FA.100105533 | (319) 325-0668 | pmccoy626@gmail.com

Paul McCoy is a licensed real estate professional in Colorado. Equal Housing Opportunity.