As published in DMAR Market Trends, August 2026

Something unexpected may be happening in the market: buyers are returning, and appropriately priced homes are seeing increased showing activity and more offers. Could the momentum typically seen in the spring market have simply shifted later in the year?

The average first-time homebuyer is now around 40 years old, and that shift has real implications for the condo and townhome market. Younger buyers who historically fueled entry-level attached-home sales are increasingly being priced out, while older first-time buyers may have the income and savings to bypass the traditional starter home and move directly into a detached property.

First-time buyers are struggling to find any resemblance of the “American Dream” of homeownership when the monthly payment on an entry-level home can consume more than 50% of their monthly income. It’s a tough reality and an important reminder that affordability isn’t just impacting how much buyers can spend; it’s fundamentally changing who is buying, what they’re buying and when they’re able to enter the market.

Amazon has spent $24 million on land in Aurora for a planned nearly 1.2-million-square-foot distribution center that will include distribution, warehousing and office space, according to a letter of introduction submitted to the city.

Xcel expects new data centers to require about two gigawatts of electricity by 2031, roughly 40 times the amount used by Steamboat Springs. Transmission infrastructure alone could cost more than $1 billion, prompting demands that residents be protected from those costs.

Data centers could generate investment and some high-paying jobs, but they could also increase electricity rates, strain infrastructure and affect the desirability of nearby communities through noise, pollution and water use.

Waymo opened its fully autonomous ride-hailing service to the Denver public on September 1, ending a year of testing and putting driverless taxis on the city’s streets for paying customers.

August storms brought the possibility of golf-ball-sized hail, winds reaching 70 mph and heavy rainfall across eastern Colorado. Denver also experienced significant rain during the month. Repeated hail losses can lead to more roof claims, higher insurance premiums and stricter underwriting, increasing the importance of roof age and impact-resistant materials when purchasing a home.

After nearly 15 years of planning, Denver’s Golden Triangle neighborhood is set to gain a new 0.4-acre park, bringing much-needed green space to one of the city’s densest and fastest-growing areas. The park will also help create a stronger pedestrian connection between Civic Center and Acoma Street in a district that currently has the least park space per resident in Denver.

A Boulder mobile home community that has a letter of intent for its purchase has residents pleading with the county to let them form a cooperative and purchase the park themselves. An investor has offered $42.5 million to purchase the property.

Flexential, a company building a data center in Parker, received a $19 million tax break from the Douglas County Commissioners for its new facility, located north of E-470 off Chambers Road. The project is expected to create 16 new jobs in the community.

Cash home purchases are beginning to decline as the housing market continues to shift. Cash buyers accounted for 41.7% of U.S. home sales in Q1 2026, down slightly from 42.4% a year earlier. While the national change was modest, 23 U.S. cities experienced double-digit year-over-year declines in cash purchases, with most of those markets being small to midsized metros.

VA transactions are seeing increasing reports of processing delays, even when requested information is provided promptly. In some cases, the delays can appear unnecessarily prolonged, creating avoidable closing issues. VA buyers and sellers should factor the potential for extended processing times and delayed closings into their transaction timelines.

“Cottage Door” is Valspar’s 2027 Color of the Year, a balanced, muted blue-gray shade described as “gentle and comforting” and intended to invite people to “embrace slow living and stay present.”