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Articles Brett Gilbert, real estate agent at milehimodern
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Everything Brett has written on buying and selling a home in Denver and Boulder, newest first.
Appraisal gaps explained: what happens when the appraisal comes in low
An appraisal gap is the difference between your contract price and a lower appraised value. Your lender bases the loan on the lower of the two, so the gap comes out of your pocket unless something changes. In Colorado you can renegotiate, pay the difference, ask for a reconsideration of value, or terminate under the contract's appraisal provision, as long as you act by the Appraisal Objection Deadline.
Before you list: move out, paint, stage, then photograph
Fix what a buyer's inspector will flag, then paint, deep clean, and clear out. Stage the rooms that need it, and photograph last, once the home looks the way you want buyers to see it. Big renovations don't often pay back at sale. A home that's already in good shape can go from signing to live in about 10 days. A vacant home that needs paint and staging takes about three weeks.
Should I buy a home in Denver now or wait?
If you've found a home you'd stay in for five years or more and the payment fits your budget, now is a good time to buy in Denver. Buyers have more choice and less competition than in years: 4.76 months of inventory in September 2026 and the fewest September sales since 2008. Rates are higher, at 7.40%, and nobody knows which way they go next.
The buyer agreement you sign before touring homes in Colorado
Since August 2024, agents who are Realtors need a signed agreement with a buyer before touring homes together, under a national legal settlement. Colorado added its own rule in August 2026: an agent needs your signature before working for you. The agreement says what your agent is paid and how long it lasts, and the pay is negotiable.
Closing costs in Colorado: what buyers pay, and what sellers can cover
Plan on closing costs of roughly 1.5% to 3% of the price, on top of your down payment. On a $650,000 home with 10% down, that's about $8,000 to $20,000, and about half of it is prepaid insurance, interest, and taxes. In Colorado the seller usually pays for the owner's title policy, and there's no state transfer tax. The seller can also agree to pay part of your costs, up to a limit set by your loan.
Denver and Boulder housing market: October 2026 update
Denver metro home sales fell 21.39% from a year earlier in September 2026, to 2,849, the fewest for any September since 2008, with 13,567 homes for sale at month's end. Prices held steady: the detached median for 2026 so far is $650,000, the same as each of the past two years, while the condo and townhome median fell 6.28% to $365,500. The 30-year mortgage rate was 7.40% on October 15, up from 6.27% a year earlier.
Rent or buy in Denver? The math on one Arvada home
Renting is cheaper month to month. At October 2026 rates, owning a $650,000 three-bedroom home in Arvada costs about $5,500 a month, and renting a similar one costs about $3,000. Over time buying usually comes out ahead: if prices rise 2% a year, a buyer is about $54,000 ahead of a renter after seven years. The renter who wins is the one who invests the full monthly difference, every month, for years.
What you'll net when you sell: the costs between the sale price and your check
Your check is the sale price minus your loan payoff, commission, any credit you agree to give the buyer, title and closing costs, and a property tax credit to the buyer, because Colorado taxes are paid a year behind. In our example, a $650,000 sale with a $400,000 loan and a $10,000 credit to the buyer leaves about $233,400 before commission. Each 1% of commission on that price is another $6,500, and commission is set in your listing agreement and is negotiable.
How accurate is the Zestimate in Denver?
For a Denver-area home that isn't listed for sale, Zillow's own numbers put the typical Zestimate miss at 5.23% of the eventual sale price, about $34,000 on a $650,000 home, and about one in four misses by more than 10%. Once a home is listed, the miss drops to 1.33%, mostly because the estimate can see the list price. Use it as a rough range and get a market analysis before you set a price.
Selling a home: similar listings, homes that sit, and buying your next one
Against a near-identical listing, price by putting a dollar figure on each difference. A home that sits usually has a price or presentation problem, and Brett reviews both at two weeks. Whether to sell or buy first depends on the cash you can reach and how competitive the market is for your next home.
Colorado first-time homebuyer programs, explained
CHFA makes home loans with down payment help statewide, as a grant or a second loan capped at $25,000. Denver's metroDPA and the City of Boulder run their own programs. Each has income limits and rules, and a participating lender confirms what you qualify for.
Do you need 20% down to buy a home in Denver?
No. Many loans allow 3% to 5% down, FHA loans allow 3.5%, and CHFA and metroDPA offer down payment help to buyers who qualify. Putting less down means a higher monthly payment and, usually, mortgage insurance.
How much money you need to buy a home in Denver or Boulder
Plan for the down payment plus closing costs of roughly 1.5% to 3% of the price, and keep some savings after closing. On a $500,000 home with 5% down, that's $25,000 down and about $7,500 to $15,000 in closing costs.
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