Market insights. April 6, 2026 As published in DMAR Market Trends, March 2026 More homes are being sold out of necessity rather than desire, with a growing number of sellers being older homeowners who require additional support throughout the moving process. Many agents are reporting an increase in conversations with sellers who aren't necessarily in a rush but want to better understand the best time to sell this year. In guiding these discussions, agents are relying heavily on 2025 data, as the market so far is tracking very similarly to last year. Water is becoming a real market story here. Denver Water declared Stage 1 drought conditions on March 25, and is seeking a 20% reduction in total use and imposed mandatory outdoor watering restrictions. This impacts landscaping, HOA common areas, operating costs and the broader cost-of-living conversation. Denver Summit FC acquired land at Santa Fe Yards for a future stadium. The development will be Colorado's first stadium and entertainment district designed specifically for women's professional sports. In March, Governor Polis signed the HOME Act, allowing schools, universities and nonprofits to build housing regardless of local zoning, boosting supply while also sparking debates over local control. The Denver Broncos plan to buy the Burnham Yard site for approximately $46 million - less than the state originally paid - as a key step toward building a new stadium and large mixed-use development in Denver. A new Colorado bill (HB-1308) would allow Front Range homeowners to split their lots and sell portions - such as an ADU or vacant land - with limited local government involvement. It builds on prior legislation that made it easier to add ADUs, now giving owners the option to sell those units separately or create space for new homes. The measure has passed the House and is part of a broad-er effort to increase housing supply in urban areas. Metro Denver continues to struggle with a huge surplus of office space, especially downtown, where the vacancy rate is approaching 40% and some buildings are selling for steep discounts. State planners are studying up to five potential sites for a new "West Metro" train station in Arvada that could connect to Colorado's proposed mountain rail line, with results expected after an eight-month evaluation. A developer has pulled a controversial annexation request in Castle Pines for the Crowsnest project as the city continues to examine growth. According to Census data, Denver-area residents are shifting from Denver and Arapahoe counties toward Weld, Douglas (Parker/Highlands Ranch) and Larimer counties, or leaving Colorado entirely. Together, Denver and Arapahoe counties lost almost 18,000 residents to domestic migration as people traded urban living for the suburbs. A consistent national picture for early 2026: cautious buyer re-engagement and improving affordability, with expectations of steady - rather than explosive - growth in purchases through the year. Sales are ticking up seasonally but remain historically subdued, while prices are stable to modest. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have introduced updates to condominium project standards and property insurance requirements for one- to four-unit properties and project developments. These changes include stricter condo reserve expec-tations, which may make some units harder to finance and could increase HOA dues, as well as adjustments intended to reduce costs, such as allowing ACV roof coverage for condo buildings while maintaining RCV for the rest of the property, along with revisions to deductibles and limited reviews. The U.S. economy has remained remarkably resilient amid tariff shocks, the rapid rise of Al, sluggish job growth, reduced population gains tied to immigration policy, weak consumer sentiment and a prolonged government shutdown. Even against this backdrop, real GDP continues to grow at roughly two percent annually. However, new headwinds are emerging, including rising oil prices and inflation, softening conditions in private equity and debt markets, and the increasing likelihood of delayed or absent rate cuts. Fix-and-flip investors are struggling to find inventory as competition has increased significantly. MORTGAGE NEWS After dipping below 6% earlier in 2026, mortgage rates have reversed course, creating renewed affordability pressure just as the spring market gains momentum. While buyer activity had started to rebound during the earlier rate decline, rising borrowing costs are beginning to temper demand and reduce refinancing activity. Looking ahead, forecasts remain cautiously optimistic. Many projections still call for rates to ease later in 2026, potentially falling back toward the high 5% range, though that outlook is highly dependent on inflation cooling and broader economic stability. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Denver's sports venues are driving the city's next wave of development. By Naked Denver Staff | March 11, 2026 The State of the Stadiums Denver's major sports venues are increasingly becoming the center of mixed use districts designed to stay active far beyond game days. That shift was the focus of a panel moderated by Thomas Gounley at BusinessDen's State of the Stadiums event, where representatives from the Colorado Rockies, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Denver Summit FC and the Denver Broncos, along with real estate attorney Nicole Ament of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, discussed how stadium districts are evolving across the city. From the completed McGregor Square development next to Coors Field to long term plans at Ball Arena, Santa Fe Yards and Burnham Yard, panelists said the future of stadiums is tied to housing, retail, entertainment and public spaces that activate sites year round. "It's hard to even get stadiums approved without a mixed-use component now." - Nicole Ament Coors Field and McGregor Square. McGregor Square stands as Denver's most established example of a mixed-use stadium district. Completed in 2021 across from Coors field, the development includes residential units, a hotel, office space, restaurants and an outdoor plaza that hosts events throughout the year. Brian Gaffney, SVP, general counsel and chief administrative officer for the Colorado Rockies, said the goal was simple: make the area active even when the Rockies are not playing. "We wanted it full not just on game days," Gaffney said. The project was driven in part by the team's long-term lease commitment. The rockies signed a 30-year extension at Coors Field in 20176, which helped motivate the development of McGregor square. The project required navigating a range of complexities, including a 99-year ground lease structure, condoizing the property and limiting parking to two levels below grade. The result is a district designed to keep fans, residents and visitors in the area year-round rather than only during baseball games. The team is also currently working to activate a surface parking lot directly across the street into a dynamic plaza for events before and after games. With Coors Field success in turning the land around the stadium into an active mixed-use district, it has served as a model that other ownership groups plan to draw on for inspiration. Kroenke Sports & Entertainment is now planning an even larger transformation around Ball Arena. The roughly 50-acre site west of downtown is currently dominated by surface parking lots. KSE plans to convert that land into a long-term mixed-use district built in phases over several decades. Matt Mahoney, SVP at KSE, said the development is organized around three primary zones. The first is an arena district focused on entertainment uses near the venue. The second is a park district centered on residential development with open space. The third is a transit-oriented district near the site's rail connections that could eventually include high-rise housing. Mahoney said the arena district will likely be the first phase and could take 5 to 10 years to develop. Phase 1 will also create a pedestrian bridge over Speer Blvd to connect Lower Downtown directly to the arena site, improving safety and access between the arena and surrounding neighborhoods. Other elements under consideration include a hotel and a smaller venue with approximately 5,000 seats designed to complement the arena. "We want people experiencing the district 24 hours a day" said Mahoney. Mahoney also noted that the 5,000-seat venue would allow for additional performance and events that can complement larger events in the main arena, in addition to a hotel that could be similar to the Rally Hotel and serve as self-expression of the team and Denver for visitors. Denver Summit FC is pursuing a similar district concept around its planned women's soccer stadium near Santa Fe Yards. Rob Cohen, the team's controlling owner, said the project represents the largest investment ever made in a women's professional sports franchise. Historically, women's teams often rented stadiums owned by men's teams, meaning much of the revenue flowed elsewhere. Cohen said the goal is to fundamentally change that model. "If you invest in women the same way you invest in men, you can get the same kind of results" said Cohen. The team evaluated hundreds of potential sites before selecting the Santa Fe Yards area. While the roughly 16-acre site is constrained, Cohen said its proximity to downtown and surrounding neighborhoods was a major advantage. The development is also intended to help reconnect neighborhoods separated by highways. The project will include a stadium designed to sit within a park-like setting and take advantage of mountain views. Transit access is a key component of the plan, and the development will focus heavily on retail and entertainment uses, with additional residential and hotel opportunities under consideration. The Denver Broncos are also exploring a major stadium district of their own. The team has identified Burnham Yard, a historic rail yard south of downtown, as its preferred site for a future stadium development. Tim Aragon, general counsel for the Broncos, said stadium decisions often occur around the 30 year mark as teams evaluate aging facilities and future needs. Burnham Yard stood out compared with other potential locations, including Lone Tree, because of its historic character and urban setting. The site includes a locomotive shop and turntable that could become part of the district's identity. "We're leaning into the railroad history of the site" Aragon said. The Broncos are evaluating a development program that could include 5 million to 7 million square feet of mixed use development surrounding the stadium. Office, retail, housing and open space are all being considered, though Aragon said the specific mix has not yet been finalized. The project could also involve joint ventures with development partners. Panelists said projects like Burnham Yard could also spark additional investment nearby. Ament noted that tools such as urban renewal plans and tax increment financing can help support surrounding development and infrastructure improvements. Looking ahead. Across all of the projects discussed, panelists agreed that the success of modern stadium districts will depend on how well they function without a game taking place. Looking ahead, they expect Denver's sports venues to become anchors for neighborhoods rather than isolated buildings surrounded by parking. By the next decade, several panelists predicted the city could be widely recognized as one of the country's leading sports destinations. To keep track of these projects and more major projects that will change Denver's urban fabric, visit its Major Project Portal here.