Highlands Ranch Listings Are Down 24% While Westminster's Are Up 31%: Is It Still a Seller's Market Where I Live in Denver?
Short answer: it depends on your city. The Denver metro as a whole is now a balanced, buyer-friendly market, but it's split in two. In tight suburbs like Highlands Ranch, Erie and Centennial, there are fewer homes for sale than a year ago, so well-priced homes still sell fast. In cities like Westminster, Parker, Englewood and Littleton, there are far more listings than last year, so sellers have to win on price and condition from day one.
By Simon Dzienis, Colorado Realtor, Simon & Ewelina Team | Your Castle Realty
I'm Simon Dzienis, a Denver Realtor based in Littleton, with more than 20 years in Colorado real estate. My team partner Ewelina Kurka and I list homes from Castle Rock and Parker up through Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Lakewood, Westminster and the rest of the Denver metro. Sellers keep asking me, "Is it still a seller's market?" The honest answer this fall is: look at your own city, not the headlines.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Simon Dzienis and Ewelina Kurka are Realtors (licensed Colorado real estate agents), not attorneys.
What do the latest Denver numbers say?
Here's the metro picture from the most recent data:
Sales are down. The Denver Metro Association of Realtors (DMAR) reported 2,849 closed sales in September 2026, down 21.39% from a year earlier and the lowest September since 2008 (via ColoradoBiz, Oct. 5, 2026).
Prices are flat. The median closed price for all home types from January through September 2026 was $595,000, and $650,000 for single-family homes, both flat with 2025 (REcolorado data analyzed by The New Door Group, Oct. 17, 2026).
Fewer buyers are touring. Showings were down 22.1% from a year earlier for the week ending October 16, the widest gap since May 2023, with about 0.81 showings per active listing (The New Door Group).
New contracts are down. 596 new contracts that week, 21.2% fewer than a year ago (The New Door Group).
Rates are high. Freddie Mac's survey put the 30-year fixed at 7.40% for the week of October 15, 2026.
Overall, the metro had about 4.77 months of supply across all home types (The New Door Group). A common rule of thumb is that under about 4 months favors sellers, 4 to 6 months is balanced, and over 6 months favors buyers. By that measure, the metro is balanced, with single-family homes at about 4.0 months and condos at about 9.4 months.
Which Denver suburbs have the fewest homes for sale?
For the week ending October 10, 2026, compared with a year earlier, The New Door Group's city tracking (REcolorado data) showed active listings:
Highlands Ranch: down 23.9%
Erie: down 21.3%
Commerce City: down 14.0%
Centennial: down 9.3%
In these cities, buyers have fewer choices than last year. In the six tightest cities, the share of listings with a price cut has dropped by an average of 3.8 points since early August.
Which Denver suburbs have the most homes for sale?
The same tracking showed active listings up in:
Westminster: up 30.9%
Parker: up 23.0%
Englewood: up 15.9%
Littleton: up 15.4%
Denver and Brighton: up 8.0% each
In the six cities with the biggest supply gains, the share of listings with a price cut rose an average of 6.5 points since early August. That's where sellers feel the slowdown most.
Wait, why are closings down more in the tight cities?
This surprises people. Over the last eight weeks, closings fell about 35% in the six tightest cities and about 14% in the six highest-supply cities (The New Door Group). In tight cities, fewer owners are listing, so there are simply fewer homes to sell. That doesn't mean buyers don't want to be there. It means the homes that do come up have less competition.
Is it a seller's market in Highlands Ranch?
It's closer to one than most of the metro. With listings down almost a quarter from last year, a well-priced, well-prepared home in Highlands Ranch has fewer rivals. But it's not 2021. Buyers are still paying 7.4% rates, and they still compare every listing carefully. What I'd tell a Highlands Ranch seller:
Don't test a high price. Less competition is an advantage only if buyers see your home as a good value.
Expect requests. 63.9% of single-family closings in the metro this year included a seller concession (The New Door Group, REcolorado data). Plan for it.
Launch strong. Your first week gets the most attention.
What if I'm selling in Westminster, Parker, Englewood or Littleton?
Then you're in the buyer-friendly half of the market, and the details matter more:
Price to the real comps on day one. In September, homes with no price changes typically sold within about a week at about 99.45% of list price, while homes that needed cuts took about 47 days and sold near 92% of their original price (Re/Max's Landin Smith, via The Denver Gazette, Oct. 6, 2026).
Fix the cosmetic stuff first. Paint, carpet, lighting and curb appeal cost less than a price cut.
Know your concession plan. Decide in advance what you'd offer for a rate buydown or closing costs.
Make every showing count. With fewer than one showing per listing per week metro-wide, we're present in person at every showing, no lockbox, so buyers get answers on the spot. See Lockbox vs. Agent-Present Showings.
If your home already sat and expired, you're not alone: the metro had 371 expired listings in the week ending October 10, up 14.9% from a year earlier (The New Door Group). Read Should I Take My Home Off the Market for the Holidays? before you decide what to do next.
What does this mean if I'm selling in one city and buying in another?
This split can work in your favor. If you sell in a tight city like Highlands Ranch or Centennial and buy in a higher-inventory city like Parker, Westminster or Littleton, you may sell into less competition and buy with more choices and more room to negotiate. It also works for buyers looking at house hacking, buying a home with a rental unit or extra rooms and renting part of it, since higher-inventory cities give you more options. Timing two moves at once takes planning, so talk with your lender early.
Is the Denver market going to crash?
Nobody can promise where prices go. What the data shows today is a slow, balanced market with flat median prices, not a collapse: single-family prices are flat for the year and inventory is up 4.1% from last year, not doubling (The New Door Group). Condos are the softest part of the market. If you own a condo, read how rising insurance affects selling and talk with us about your building.
How Simon and Ewelina help Denver-area sellers
Simon Dzienis and Ewelina Kurka are Denver Realtors with Your Castle Realty, based in Littleton. We:
Pull your city's actual numbers, not just metro averages, before we suggest a price.
Attend every showing in person with no lockbox.
Work in English and Polish.
Help homeowners who owe more than their home is worth with short sales and pre-foreclosure options.
Help buyers too, including move-up buyers and house hackers.
We were pioneers of 72SOLD in Colorado in 2020. We can't promise a result, but we'll give you an honest read on your market.
Frequently asked questions
Is Denver a buyer's or seller's market in October 2026?
The metro is roughly balanced, with about 4.8 months of supply overall (The New Door Group, Oct. 17, 2026). Single-family homes are close to balanced; condos favor buyers.
Is Highlands Ranch still a seller's market?
It's one of the tightest suburbs right now, with active listings down 23.9% from last year. Well-priced homes there face less competition than in most of the metro.
Why are there so many homes for sale in Westminster?
Active listings in Westminster were up 30.9% from a year earlier as of October 10, 2026, the biggest jump among tracked cities. More owners listing plus fewer buyers at 7.4% rates means more homes on the market.
Should I wait until spring to sell?
It depends on your timeline and your city. In tight cities, fall can mean less competition. In high-supply cities, pricing and condition matter more than the season.
Is this financial advice?
No. This is general market information. Simon and Ewelina are Realtors, not attorneys or financial advisors. For tax questions, talk to a CPA.
Talk to a Denver Realtor about your city
Want to know what's happening on your street, not just the metro? Call or text me for a free, confidential look at your home's market.
Simon Dzienis, Colorado Realtor: 720-936-7873
Simon & Ewelina Team | Your Castle Realty · Littleton, Colorado
5280HomeSold.com · SoldInOneWeekend.com
Related: Does the Election Slow Down the Housing Market? · Colorado Property Taxes Jumped Up to 40% · 5280HomeSold.com
Sources: The New Door Group, Denver Metro Area Weekly Market Update, Oct. 17, 2026 (REcolorado data and firm analysis); DMAR September 2026 Market Trends report via ColoradoBiz, Oct. 5, 2026; The Denver Gazette, Oct. 6, 2026; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of Oct. 15, 2026. General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Simon Dzienis and Ewelina Kurka are Realtors (licensed Colorado real estate agents), not attorneys.
