September 23, 2026. Condos and Houses Are Playing Different Games. Condos are taking about 30 days longer to sell than houses right now. Here is what that means for you.

Same city, same month, two very different markets. The numbers are below.

When somebody asks me how the Denver market is doing, my honest answer lately is "which one?"

I pulled the August numbers straight from the MLS, and at first glance the overall metro looks flat. Prices barely moved, inventory barely moved. But once you split it into houses and condos, it's two completely different stories. Houses are holding up fine. Condos and townhomes are sitting.

August, side by side

So why are condos sitting?

A few things are stacking up at once. HOA dues keep climbing, and so does the insurance behind them. Those costs go right into a buyer's monthly payment, and with the 30 year fixed back around 7% after last week's Fed hike, every extra hundred bucks a month knocks people out.

The other piece is who's buying. DMAR pointed out the average first time buyer is now around 40 years old. A lot of those folks have saved long enough to skip the condo and go straight to a house. That used to be the condo market's biggest customer.

It gets more extreme higher up. Condos priced between 750K and 1M are sitting at about 10 months of supply, the most of any segment DMAR tracks.

If you own a condo or townhome

Your neighbor's sale from 2022 is not your price. Buyers have options right now and they are shopping the whole building, not just your unit. Coming from construction, the first thing I look at is the building itself: the roof, the boiler, the reserve study, any special assessments on the horizon. If those check out, say so loudly in the listing. If they don't, price for it up front instead of chasing the market down.

If you're buying

This is the best leverage condo buyers have had in years. Sellers are more open to credits toward your rate, repairs, or closing costs. Just read the HOA documents before you get attached. A cheap unit in a building with thin reserves can get expensive fast. I go through those docs line by line with my buyers.

If you own a house

You're in better shape than the headlines suggest. Prices held, inventory is actually lower than last year, and well priced homes are still selling. The ones that sit are the ones priced for spring 2022.

The short version: "the Denver market" doesn't really exist right now. Your property type, price point, and even your specific building matter more than any metro average.

Want to know which side of this your place falls on? I'll pull the real numbers for your home, not a Zestimate.

What's My Home Worth?

Quick question for you: do you own a condo or townhome right now, or are you thinking about buying one? Just hit reply and tell me which. I read every one.