Southern Colorado’s housing market is firecracker hot this summer, even as home prices continue to rise at a much faster pace then the rest of the country. The average home price in El Paso County now tops $326,000, a 10.6% jump from average price last June. The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) reports the Springs leads the Rocky Mountain area for home sales, hitting the 6th spot for Hottest Housing Market, above Denver. A record 1,743 homes sold in Colorado Springs in June, up 5.6% from last June. Home buyers had more properties to choose from, as rose 16.8% from May. But homes in the most affordable price ranges are still selling within days, not weeks, and above asking price. The average home is on the market 24 days, with the average in some areas as low as 7 days. June 2017 Sales Charts
The inventory crunch is across the U.S. NAR says this is the first time that 1 in 3 homes is selling in under 30 days nationally. The demand for affordable homes is building among first-time home buyers and baby boomers. NAR economist Javier Vivas says millions of older and younger Americans are snapping up starter homes and urban dwellings like never before.
Denver’s lack of affordable homes has been pushing metro-area home buyers south to Colorado Springs for years, but the city’s job growth and surging economy are also bringing new residents here in droves. A majority of the 12,000 + available job openings are for high-paying positions in nursing, software engineering and systems engineering, with a median salary of over $67,000.
Despite a nearly 30 percent increase in new single-family and townhome/condominium listings from January to February 2017, Colorado’s housing market continues to battle record low inventory, according to the latest statewide housing report from the Colorado Association of REALTORS® (CAR).
