Colorado home sales fell 15.1% in September 2026, and in the Denver metro 80% of the homes that sold came with a price cut, a seller concession or both. That is the headline of the Colorado Association of REALTORS September market report, released October 13, 2026. If you are buying or selling in Aurora, Centennial, Denver or Highlands Ranch, buyers hold the negotiating power this fall. Here is what the numbers say and the move to make.
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-15.1% Colorado closed sales 6,526 homes sold in September 2026 | 80% Metro sales with a cut or concession Only 1 in 5 sold without either |
$565,000 Denver metro median price Down 1.7% from September 2025 | 68 vs 9 Median days on market Price-cut homes vs homes priced right |
What the September 2026 report says
The Colorado Association of REALTORS reports 6,526 closed sales statewide in September, down 15.1% from a year ago, with pending contracts down 10.9%. The statewide median price slipped 1.6% to $540,000. Active inventory fell 2.7% to 34,824 homes, so this slowdown comes from fewer buyers, not a flood of listings.
The seven-county Denver metro fell harder. Closed sales dropped 18.7% to 3,660 and pending contracts fell 12.7%. Active inventory was down 10.4% from last September and new listings were down 1.3%. The metro median price was $565,000, down 1.7%, and the year-to-date median held at $579,900.
| September 2026 | Colorado | Denver metro (7 counties) |
|---|---|---|
| Closed sales | 6,526 (down 15.1%) | 3,660 (down 18.7%) |
| Pending contracts | Down 10.9% | Down 12.7% |
| Median price | $540,000 (down 1.6%) | $565,000 (down 1.7%) |
| Single-family median | $575,000 (down 0.9%) | $610,000 (down 1.3%) |
| Condo and townhome median | $395,000 (down 7.1%) | $375,000 (down 6.2%) |
| Active inventory | 34,824 (down 2.7%) | Down 10.4% |
The real story is what sellers gave up to close. Denver County-area REALTOR Cooper Thayer told the Colorado Association of REALTORS that 49% of metro homes sold in September had a price reduction, up from 37% in June. 64% included seller concessions. Homes that cut their price sat a median of 68 days, while homes priced right from day one sold in 9 days. Reduced listings closed a net 8.3% below their original asking price, compared with 1.7% for homes that never cut.
Aurora and Centennial moved the most. Aurora REALTOR Sunny Banka reports prices down 3% to 5% from a year ago, with the September median $25,000 below August. In ZIP code 80015 the median fell from $582,000 in August to $515,000 in September, and in 80111 it fell from $1.53 million to $1.1 million. Homes that sold there averaged 35 days on market.
How this affects you
Buyers. 4 out of 5 metro sellers gave something to close in September. A 3% seller concession on a $515,000 Aurora home is $15,450 you put toward closing costs or a rate buydown. Ask for it in your first offer: see seller concessions for Colorado buyers and get pre-approved through Colorado home financing so the seller takes you seriously.
Sellers. On a $565,000 list price, the 8.3% gap is $46,895 and the 1.7% gap is $9,605. The difference between those two numbers is the cost of starting too high. Get a free home value report built on September sales, not spring sales, and price to the buyers in the market today.
Homeowners. The metro median is down 1.7%, not crashing, and inventory is lower than last year. Your equity is intact. If you plan to move up, the soft market works in your favor on the buy side: read how to sell and buy at the same time in Colorado.
The Colorado market. Condos and townhomes carry the weakest numbers: $375,000 metro median, down 6.2%, with 6.4 months of supply and 67 days on market. Single-family homes sit at 4 months of supply. Mortgage News Daily rates climbed from 6.9% to 7.6% during September, Thayer notes, so October and November closings carry that rate jump.
What to watch out for
- Days on market tell the story. A home listed 60+ days has a seller ready to talk. Ask your agent for the price history before you offer.
- Concession caps. Loan programs cap seller concessions as a percent of price. Check your cap with our lender partner before you write the number into the contract.
- HOA dues on condos. A lower condo price with a $450 HOA payment costs more each month than a higher price with no HOA. Compare the full payment.
- Chasing the market down. Sellers who cut in small steps sit longest. One correct price beats three small cuts.
- Waiting on rates. If rates drop, more buyers return and concessions shrink. Read why lenders expect 7.5% through 2027.
Homes for sale today in the south and east metro
Active listings on kennarealestate.com, October 13, 2026
| Area | Homes for sale | Average list price | Average days on market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora (all) | 1,908 | $469,362 | 82 |
| Aurora 80015 | 220 | $519,946 | 67 |
| Aurora 80013 | 222 | $432,258 | 71 |
| Aurora 80016 | 282 | $850,868 | 77 |
| Centennial | 268 | $679,856 | 68 |
| Centennial 80111 | 99 | $1,096,692 | 81 |
| Denver | 3,915 | $683,745 | 83 |
| Highlands Ranch | 214 | $717,994 | 69 |
| Littleton | 850 | $779,108 | 78 |
| Parker | 592 | $862,863 | 78 |
| Lone Tree | 75 | $1,021,679 | 76 |
| Castle Rock | 563 | $1,011,207 | 86 |
Active listings on kennarealestate.com on October 13, 2026. Aurora has 723 condos and townhomes for sale averaging $288,255 and 93 days on market, and Denver has 1,891 averaging $495,749 and 97 days. Those sellers are the most open to concessions. Start with Aurora homes under $400K and Denver homes under $400K. For the month-by-month numbers, see our Denver real estate statistics and Aurora real estate statistics.
What a home costs each month at 7.40%
The September Aurora 80015 median of $515,000 with 5% down is $3,387 a month in principal and interest at 7.40%, the Freddie Mac 30-year average for October 8, 2026. The metro median of $565,000 is $3,716. Property tax, insurance, HOA dues and mortgage insurance come on top. Check today's number on Colorado mortgage rates and run your own on the Colorado mortgage calculator.
| Home price | 3.5% down (FHA) | 5% down | 20% down |
|---|---|---|---|
| $375,000 (metro condo median) | $2,506 | $2,467 | $2,077 |
| $515,000 (80015 median) | $3,441 | $3,387 | $2,853 |
| $565,000 (metro median) | $3,775 | $3,716 | $3,130 |
| $610,000 (metro single-family) | $4,076 | $4,012 | $3,379 |
Principal and interest only, 30-year fixed at 7.40%. Cash is the hurdle? Look at CHFA down payment assistance, the $1,000 cash-to-close program, assumable mortgage homes and your closing costs in Colorado. More on this fall's market: Colorado leads the nation in price cuts, Denver sales hit a 2008 low and the Centennial real estate statistics.















