August 2025 Your Castle Real Estate Newsletter

Two Sides of the Same Coin: Why July’s Market Feels So Split

July’s Denver real estate market is a study in contrasts. Inventory and days on market continue to edge upward, buyer activity has cooled, and yet prices are holding steady. It’s a reminder that there’s no single “market”—outcomes vary widely depending on price point, location, property type, and motivation. Someone upsizing for a growing household approaches the process very differently from a rate-watcher waiting for the perfect drop. Real estate remains hyperlocal, and each move tells its own story.

At the end of July, active listings reached 13,995—slightly below the long-term July average of 15,379. That’s a significant climb from the record-low 4,056 listings in 2021, but still nowhere near the 31,989 peak in 2006. Historically, inventory grows about 5.6 percent from June to July, but this year, it slipped by a fractional 0.09 percent, suggesting the seasonal high point may have already passed. In the attached market, conditions have tipped toward buyers with an average of 5.08 months of inventory across all price points. Withing that segment, Condos are facing a tougher road, with insurance and regulatory hurdles making sales more challenging.

Homes are also taking longer to sell. The median days in MLS rose to 20 for detached properties and 39 for attached, up roughly 25 percent from June. On average, detached listings spent 36 days on market, while attached homes averaged 54. This slower pace reflects a buyer pool that has more choices, more time to compare, and higher expectations for condition and value.

Prices, meanwhile, have remained relatively stable. Detached homes closed in July at an average of $782,224, with a median of $650,000. Attached properties averaged $425,192, with a median of $390,000. Year-over-year price changes in the detached segment have been minimal, while attached homes saw slightly larger declines—just over 6 percent on the median and just under 7 percent on the average. Denver did lead the nation in June price reductions, with 37 percent of sellers lowering their list price, but even so, these shifts point more toward balance than a downturn.

Seasonal patterns are also at play. Summer often brings a dip in activity as vacations, outdoor recreation, and school breaks compete for attention. For buyers, this creates a unique opening: more inventory, less competition, and stable pricing give room for thoughtful decisions. For sellers, the challenge is making a strong first impression from day one. In today’s market, that means addressing condition issues, staging strategically, and pricing with both the competition and buyer expectations in mind.

Thinking Inside the Box: Buena Vista’s Big Bet on Tiny Shipping Container Living

It’s hard not to be curious about shipping container homes—they’re part practical innovation, part architectural curiosity. In Colorado, they’ve moved from Pinterest boards to prime real estate. And now, Buena Vista is home to the state’s largest community built entirely from shipping containers: BV Basecamp. Sitting on land owned by first-time developer and investor Jerry Champlin, this cleverly designed development is putting a fresh spin on mountain-town living, catching the eye of everyone from weekend adventurers to full-time locals

Champlin saw the writing on the wall during the pandemic. Like many small mountain towns, Buena Vista became a haven for remote workers—people who wanted hiking trails instead of traffic jams, and mountain views instead of cubicle walls. But as the population grew, so did home prices. “What was being built was crazy expensive,” said Champlin. Affordable options were disappearing, and long-time residents were feeling the squeeze.

Champlin’s solution? Think inside the box—literally. After an initial tiny-home proposal fell flat with the local zoning and planning board, he pivoted to shipping containers as the perfect building block. The result is a sleek, modern community with fully furnished units that make the most of every square foot. The largest unit, which combines two shipping containers, is 640 square feet and rents for $2,650 a month—an appealing alternative in a town where traditional rentals can be scarce and costly. The units feature European-style bathrooms where the toilet is inside the shower—a space-saving detail that’s common abroad, but still a conversation starter here in the U.S.

BV Basecamp isn’t just about the units themselves—it’s about creating a sense of place. Located right in Buena Vista, the property gives renters easy access to hiking, rafting, hot springs, and the kind of small-town charm that has made this corner of Colorado a hot spot for both visitors and new residents. Sweeping views and smart layouts bring the outdoors in, while communal spaces give neighbors a chance to actually know each other—something that can feel rare in more traditional apartment complexes.

While shipping container living won’t be for everyone, BV Basecamp shows how creative thinking can open doors (and build walls) in new ways. By reimagining what a home can be, Champlin has managed to tackle a big problem in a small package—making room for more people to live where they love, without losing the character of the town they came for.

For Sellers:

Precision and adaptability are essential. While sales are down only 7.76 percent from last year and close-price-to-list-price ratios remain steady, the longer days on market mean buyers are moving at a more deliberate pace. Homes that are move-in ready and well-presented still sell faster. Sellers should prepare for a slower showing schedule, keep emotions in check, and have a clear plan for price adjustments if needed.

For Buyers:

This is a market where preparation pays off. The combination of higher inventory, fewer bidding wars, and steady pricing offers a chance to secure the right home without feeling rushed. While a rate cut later this year is possible, buyers who are ready now can benefit from less competition and more negotiating power—especially on homes that have been sitting on the market for a while.