November 2025 Market Snapshot: A Tale of Two Markets (HGTV-Ready vs. Everything Else) — Denver + Boulder

As we close out another year in Colorado Front Range real estate, here’s what I’m seeing across Denver Metro and Boulder County—and why the next few weeks present some very real opportunities, whether you’re buying or selling.

Let’s talk turkey (get it?).

In mid-November, interest rates dipped to around (or just under) 6.0% — and the market responded.

But here’s the key insight:
Not all homes are experiencing the same market.

Some are flying off the shelf. Others are sitting and quietly turning into great deals. The difference isn’t luck — it’s preparation + strategy.

Rates Near 6% in Mid-November: What Changed

When rates dip to around 6.25% or below (and especially near 6.0%), buyer demand tends to pick up. Not because buyers suddenly became different people, but because affordability and confidence shift at the same time.

That’s when the best homes start feeling scarce again.

(Optional rate baseline if you want it: https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms)

What This Tells Us (Plain English)

Prices are holding in many pockets (and some are even climbing), while a lot of areas are softening. Inventory is higher than last year (and the year before, and so on), and homes are taking longer to sell—unless they’re dialed-in.

That’s the theme of this market: the gap between the best and the rest is wide—and getting wider.

Think of it like a lab experiment. If you control the variables, you get predictable results. If you don’t, you get noise.

Right now, HGTV-ready homes are the “controlled experiment”: clean presentation, clear story, strategic pricing, strong marketing. Buyers understand what they’re looking at, they trust it, and they move.

Unprepared homes are the opposite: too many variables. Buyers see risk, uncertainty, and future work—so they hesitate, negotiate harder, or wait for price cuts.

Same market. Totally different outcomes.

Two Listings, Same Month: Rock Creek vs. Barnum Park

In June, I listed two very different properties.

One was a large single-family home in Rock Creek (Superior)—an established, family-focused, master-planned community that’s exceptionally desirable. It was the first time that the home had been on the market since my seller bought it a little over two years prior.

The other was a small half-duplex in Barnum Park, right on the transitional edge of central Denver. It had been a rental for years, and it had already failed to sell the previous summer after sitting for four months.

Here’s the crazy part: the Rock Creek seller bought the home two years earlier for $800,000 and spent almost $40,000 finishing the basement… but didn’t want to do the small cosmetic work that would make the home feel consistent and updated.

We’re talking about the stuff buyers absolutely notice:

• Mismatched hardware (doors, hinges, cabinets)
• Dated light fixtures and plumbing fixtures
• Original “golden oak” trim and doors that hadn’t been painted
• Carpet in the primary bath

I got a contractor’s bid to knock out the recommended cosmetic repairs and updates. Total: just over $5,000 all-in.

The $5,000 prep decision that cost $75,000

Meanwhile, the Barnum Park sellers did the opposite. They spent three full days working on the property while my team coordinated contractors to:

• Make repairs
• Touch-up paint and trim
• Replace dirty/damaged hardware, fixtures, and tile
• Fix anything broken or worn
• Xeriscape the front yard (which had been a field of dead weeds)

Result?

The half-duplex in Denver went under contract with a full-price offer after the third weekend on the market.

The Rock Creek seller kept refusing the prep, even though the feedback from potential buyers was the same after every showing: “it needs too much updating,” or “feels unmaintained,” or “they didn’t like the finishes.” All different versions of the same story.

Inventory rose. More motivated sellers started taking lower offers just to be the next sale in the neighborhood. Each new comp came in lower than the last, and listings started dropping their prices like flies.

After chasing the market down for five months and three price reductions totaling $75,000, we finally got it under contract and closed at $825,000.

Had we sold it in the first month—like the duplex—$875,000 would have been the lowest price he would’ve had to take.

And that doesn’t even include the holding costs over those five months: $25,000+.

That’s the market lesson in one sentence: you don’t “save” money by skipping prep—you usually just pay for it later (with interest).

The Tale of Two Markets: HGTV-Ready vs. Everything Else

After 20+ years and 850+ transactions, I can tell you this with confidence:

Preparation has never mattered more.

Right now, we’re seeing two very different realities.

What’s selling fast (and why): The HGTV-Ready Homes

These are the properties that are:

• Well-maintained and updated
• Professionally staged
• Professionally cleaned
• Marketed with the right story (killer photos, video, and a narrative that makes buyers feel something)

These homes are still generating multiple offers and selling in days or weeks—not sitting on the market for months on end—even in a “slower” market.

What’s sitting (and why it can be a buyer opportunity): The Unprepared Homes

These are the homes that:

• Hit the market without an effective prep plan
• Have dated finishes or deferred maintenance
• Create a poor tour experience for buyers
• Make the competition look better

And here’s the part buyers should pay attention to:

These homes can create AMAZING opportunities.

A lot of them have been sitting since summer, racking up days on market, price reductions, and (eventually) seller fatigue. The longer they sit, the more leverage shifts to the buyer.

What This Means for Sellers in Denver + Boulder

If You’re Selling

If you need (or want) to sell right now, preparation isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the difference between getting picked or passed over by buyers.

When your home is truly show-ready, you don’t just get “a better experience.” You get better outcomes:

• Higher sale price
• Faster to contract (and faster to close)
• Cleaner terms (less negotiating, fewer concessions)

In my experience, the science is clear:

Preparation = Profit.

This isn’t a “throw money at it” situation. It’s a precision situation.

You don’t need a $40,000 project. Sometimes you just need the right $5,000.

We build a prep plan that targets what actually moves the needle in your micro-market:

• Fix what creates doubt
• Upgrade what creates desire
• Skip what won’t move the needle

That’s how you separate “full-price in three weekends” from “five months and three price cuts.”

What This Means for Buyers in Denver + Boulder

If You’re Buying

Right now, there’s a huge sweet spot for buyers:

• Lots of motivated sellers with homes that have been sitting
• More options on the market
• Less buyer competition
• Negotiation leverage that likely won’t last

And here’s the rate piece that matters:

When rates dip to around 6.25% or below (and especially at 6.0% or below), buyer demand tends to pick up. More buyers re-enter the marketplace, and the best homes start feeling scarce again.

So if rates stay near this range, expect:

• More competition on the best homes
• Fewer “easy” deals
• A faster market heading into early 2026

The Science of Selling in This Market

I’m a science guy by training, and that’s how I approach real estate: test, measure, refine.

When sellers fully commit to preparation and strategic marketing, the patterns are hard to ignore. The data consistently shows:

• 7–15% higher sale prices (no exaggeration)
• 65–80% faster time to close
• More multiple-offer scenarios, even in slower markets
• Fewer concessions and smoother transactions

The formula is proven. The results are measurable.

And in this market, you either pay for preparation up front… or you pay a lot more later.

Want a Smart Plan for Pricing + Prep + Launch?

Whether you’re:

• Selling in the next 0–6 months and want a prep plan that actually moves the needle
• Buying and want help finding the real opportunities (and avoiding the landmines)
• Just trying to get clarity on what your home would sell for today—or what a move/investment could look like
  
  

Let’s talk. No pressure. Just a smart, data-driven conversation.

Selling (or relisting) in the next 90 days?
Book a quick strategy call: https://calendly.com/stugalvis/20-minute-home-selling-strategy-consult-compli-clone
—or— text SELL to (720) 441-4815 and I’ll send you my simple plan for pricing + prep + launch (so you’re the shiny penny, not the average home getting ignored).

Buying and trying to win the shiny penny?
Book a quick strategy call: https://calendly.com/stugalvis/20-minute-home-buying-strategy-consult-complim-clone
—or— text BUY to (720) 441-4815 and I’ll send you my simple plan to win the right home without getting emotional, overpaying, or donating your future equity.