As published in DMAR Market Trends, July 2025

When pricing a new listing, active days in MLS are now a stronger indicator of market activity than sold data.

Demand for affordable housing, particularly build-to-rent and entry-level multifamily, continues to outpace interest for single-family homes.

As inventory increases, some agents are teaming up to host neighborhood open house events, allowing buyers to tour multiple homes on one day, often with prizes as incentives to boost turnout.

According to PitchBook, Colorado companies raised $1.7 billion in venture capital in Q2 2025, up sharply from $645 million in Q1. This increase brings the first-half total to $2.3 billion, a 7% increase year-over-year. Notable deals included $260 million for satellite startup True Anomaly and $186 million for clean steel firm Electra. While national VC activity declined, Colorado outperformed, with firms like Denver Ventures launching new funds.

Metro Denver is projected to add 5,042 tech jobs in 2025, ranking sixth nationally for tech job growth. The sector now contributes 13% to the region’s economy, ninth highest among US metros, and supports 159,099 total tech jobs statewide.

Denver’s meetings and conventions sector is projected to generate over $980 million in economic impact in 2025, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

A 2024 report by the Global Business Travel Association ranked Colorado seventh in the nation for business traveler spending, with travelers contributing over $7 billion to the economy.

Colorado Public Radio reports Colorado experienced a decade-long decline in net migration, with 40,000 fewer people moving to the area compared to previous decades.

Statewide building permits in 2025 are down just 0.6% year-to-date through May. Single-family permits declined 10.8%, while multifamily permits rose 19.3%, signaling a continued shift toward higher-density housing.

ENT Credit Union ranks as the fastest growing among Colorado-based credit union calculated on total residential real estate loan volume.

Nearly two years after Denver voters rejected a mixed-use development at the former Park Hill Golf Course site, Mayor Mike Johnston has proposed spending $70 million in public debt to start building a major regional park there.

The Denver Metro apartment vacancy rate decreased to 6.4% in Q2 2025.

Denver led the nation in price reductions for June, with 37% of sellers lowering their asking price.

Denver ranked 6th among second-tier cities where college graduates are landing jobs.

Denver continues to battle stubborn inflation, ranking 7th in the nation for Consumer Price Index.

According to JW Surety Bonds, Denver ranks as the 3rd most desired city to buy a house and 1st for Millennials.

From 2019 to 2025, Denver ranked 124th out of 300 U.S. cities for housing affordability.

Costar filed a lawsuit against Zillow, alleging copyright infringement over its use of more than 46,000 Costar-owned photos.

Nationwide, spring pending sales hit a 13-year low. Even strong marketing and strategic pricing aren’t enough to offset consumer sentiment about the future.

In 2019, 48.1% of online home shoppers searched outside their current metro area. By Q2, that number increased to 58.9%, possibly due to affordability challenges.

The U.S. office vacancy rate hit a record high of 20.6% in Q2 2025, marking the sixth post-pandemic peak. First-half leasing activity totaled 138 million square feet, down 14.8% from the pre-pandemic average and 13.8% from last year.

MORTGAGE NEWS

At today’s home prices, buyers need to earn approximately $127,000 annually to afford the average monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home, up from $79,000 in 2021. Of the nation’s 46 million renters, only about six million meet that income hurdle.

A new obstacle to homeownership is emerging as credit scores decline following the end of a pause on reporting student loan delinquencies. The delinquency rate jumped to 8% in Q1, up from just 1%, disqualifying an estimated 2.4 million borrowers who previously would have qualified for a mortgage.