Denver’s 2026 Market Feels Weird Right Now… Here’s Why
Denver’s April 2026 real estate market update shows a third straight year of flat prices, with rents pulling back to late 2021 levels. The full panel — covering lending, brokerage, property management and Colorado Springs — breaks down the DMAR data, co-living operator exits and two personal portfolio moves. This is where the Colorado market stands right now.

The Denver housing market April 2026 update shows a familiar story. Prices have been flat for three straight years. Rents have softened back to levels not seen since late 2021. So where does that actually leave Colorado investors right now?

Chris Lopez brings the full panel together for this monthly update. Jenny Bayless covers the Colorado Springs market as both a broker and active investor. Jeff White of Envision Advisors tracks Denver’s small multifamily market closely. Brandon Scholten manages over 1,000 units at Keyrenter Denver and owns rentals himself. Troy Howell of Nova Home Loans rounds out the group with a lender’s perspective across Colorado.

The panel works through the DMAR April report together. Denver’s median closed price sits at $605,000 this month, essentially unchanged from $604,000 in April 2025 and $602,000 in April 2024. In inflation-adjusted terms the market is down. Detached single family is holding, up about 1% year over year. The average condo price is down nearly 5% year over year. In the Springs, the median sits at $480,000 with sales up 8.5% month over month and month supply at 3.

Rentals get a close look too. Concessions are up. Rents have pulled back to near Q4 2021 levels. The panel then turns to co-living and room-by-room rentals. Operators who bought into the model three to four years ago are now trying to exit. Co-living property managers typically last 6 to 12 months. PadSplit requires roughly a $30,000 retrofit, furnished rooms and ongoing maintenance responsibility — and the exit problem may be just as significant as the operational one.

In This Episode We Cover:

  • Why the Denver housing market’s April 2026 data shows prices flat for a third straight year
  • How rents have pulled back to late 2021 levels and what landlords are doing about it
  • Why co-living operators are looking for the exit and what the PadSplit model actually costs
  • Governor Polis’s push to cut Colorado’s average $4,200 homeowner’s insurance premium by $800
  • What 22,000 YourCastle transactions revealed about the NAR commission settlement
  • Jenny’s decision to sell and pay down debt, and Jeff’s 10th house hack in West Denver

If you invest in Colorado real estate or are watching the Denver housing market in April 2026, this episode covers the data and decisions that matter right now. Subscribe for monthly market updates every month.

Watch the Youtube Video

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome and Panel Introductions
01:31 Colorado Springs Market Data — Median $480K, Sales Up 8.5% 
03:10 Springs Condo Trends — Prices Starting to Recover
09:04 Rental Strategies in a Soft Market — Flat Renewals and Two-Year Leases
13:30 Denver Market Overview — 11,500 Active Listings
15:21 Three Years of Flat Prices — Detached Up 1%, Condos Down 5%
18:02 Condo Financing Challenges — FHA Hurdles and Fannie Mae Changes 28:30 Showing Data — About 5 Showings Per Property in Both Markets
25:52 Co-Living Reality — Why Operators Are Trying to Exit
29:08 PadSplit Breakdown — $30K Retrofit, Furnishing Costs and the Exit Problem
36:20 Medium-Term Rental Demand — Two Years of Data
38:20 Brighton Co-Housing — Gratitude Village and 35 Communities in Colorado
41:04 Colorado Insurance Bill — $4,200 Average Premium, $800 Reduction Target
46:25 NAR Commission Data — $70 Buyer-Side Difference on a $500K Purchase
56:08 Jenny Sells a Property and Pays Down Debt
59:40 Jeff Closes His 10th House Hack — Two Houses on One Lot in West Denver

Who is Keyrenter?

Keyrenter Property Management Denver provides rental solutions for homeowners and real estate investors in the metro area who are interested in transforming their properties into passive income. It offers various services, from property marketing and thorough applicant screening to tenant placement and 24/7 maintenance services. Keyrenter Denver’s team of experts can take the clients’ burden of managing their rental off their hands so they can get back to what matters to them.

Who is Nova Home Loans?

For over 40 years, we’ve been focused on helping homeowners find the perfect loan to fit their financial needs and personal goals. Working with NOVA is a personalized experience from initial application to final loan closing and beyond. We will be with you every step of the way toward successful homeownership. Start working with NOVA & Troy Howell today!

NOVA FINANCIAL & INVESTMENT CORPORATION, DBA NOVA HOME LOANS NMLS 3087/ EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY/8055 EAST TUFTS AVENUE, SUITE 101/DENVER, CO

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Authors
Chris Lopez
Chris Lopez is a Denver area real estate entrepreneur and investor, as well as the host of Bigger Pockets’ House Hackerz and the Denver Real Estate Investing Podcast.
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