This week, U.S. News and World report again released its popular ‘best places to live’ ranking, and once again, Colorado got snubbed in a big way. Just two short years ago Colorado Springs ranked as the 3rd-best place to live in the United States in the same report...
Crested Butte, CO it the latest to propose a vacancy tax with one major shift, nightly rentals would be covered by the new tax along with second homeowners. Who knew that Colorado ski towns would be taking economic lessons from Portland Oregon,one of the worst...
In my blog last week, Should Colorado double the income tax rate, I asked the question if Colorado should increase the tax rate on higher earners. I was very surprised with the results of the survey. My base case was that this survey would be a blowout one...
Instead of cutting bloat from the Colorado Government there is a new proposal to help the state spend even more by doubling the state income tax rate on “wealthy taxpayers”. The theory is who doesn’t want free money; someone else is going to pay. What...
Colorado property insurance costs have roughly doubled since 2020 placing Colorado in the top spot of insurance increases in the entire country. What is the top factor driving Colorado insurance rates much higher than the national average (it is not...
Colorado is losing businesses and jobs at an alarming rate. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce has been sounding an alarm for years about excessive regulation and last year more people moved out of Colorado than into the state. Not only are people leaving but...
In my blog last week, One CO town proposes to tax employers for hiring workers, I asked the question was are proposed linkage fees a good idea. I was very surprised with the results of the survey. My base case was that there would be an even split, but the...
Reading the headline, it sounds absolutely crazy to propose taxing businesses for creating jobs, but is this really a crazy idea? Is every job worth the same in Colorado? For example if someone builds a large hotel in Steamboat creating 15 jobs, should the developer...
In a stinging defeat Lakewood Colorado voters easily defeated by a 2 to 1 margin proposed zoning changes that would have allowed duplexes and triplexes anywhere in the city. The special election vote strikes a blow against those who have been pushing for more density...
In Steamboat Springs, Condo inventory was up 70% in the Fall, while single family inventory was up almost 50%. The above information looks very ominous but should it? What is the primary driver behind the “surge” in inventory? What does this mean for values and...
Home values in Denver are falling faster than any other major metro area tracked by a key index, earning the Mile High City a dubious distinction as the weakest housing market in the nation. From the chart above it looks like Denver is in a free fall compared...
Colorado ski resorts have continued holding strong in the face of higher interest rates. Why are interest rates not the best metric for Colorado ski real estate? Which ski towns are performing better than others? What two factors are driving the difference in ski...
I’m amazed that there hasn’t been a bigger emphasis on the financial cliffs that most major cities will soon face. Most cities are heavily funded by property taxes and most importantly commercial property taxes. How will cities fund their budgets that...
Condos were once the hottest real estate in Denver and throughout the front range and now suddenly the tides have turned. Days on the market have jumped, prices are down, and sellers are now in a panic to dump properties. Is now a good time to...
It seems like anytime there is even a hint of snow or the slightest breeze, I70 gets shut down for hours turning an 1.5 hour drive from Denver into a 5 hour adventure! What does this mean for ski real estate? Will ski traffic lead to lower real estate...
Colorado is having a tough year. Snowfall was down nearly 60% over the holidays, resulting in only about 11% of skiable terrain being opened in December and skier visits are down 20%. Vail resorts, the largest ski operator, is getting hit hard as seen in the stock...
The legislature is back at it again, thinking that they are going to solve the housing crisis by even more regulations and expense on property owners. The new proposal (HB 26-1106) will essentially ban evictions in many towns and quadruple the cost of evictions...
In my blog last week Colorado pushes to legalize prostitution, I asked the question what are your predictions for real estate prices if Colorado votes to legalize prostitution. I was very surprised with the results of the survey. My base case was little...
I was asked a question by one of my readers, what will legalized prostitution mean for Colorado real estate prices? If you haven’t seen it, there is a new senate bill to legalize prostitution in Colorado by promoting “commercial sexual activity”’; the proposal goes...
2025 was the year for housing in the Colorado legislature; the underlying theme is that more regulation of everything will somehow bring costs down. Unfortunately the opposite is occurring with many lower priced rentals drastically increasing prices to comply with...
Colorado has continued pushing for statewide zoning in the last several legislative sessions. The new proposal, House Bill 26-114 would radically alter every community in Colorado. The new bill mandates 2k foot min lot sizes statewide (no exceptions for any cities)....
As part of an ordinance passed by Denver City Council in 2019 to get the city’s lowest earners to a better wage and then link annual pay raises to the Consumer Price Index starting in 2023, Denver’s min wage has jumped 70% in the last 6 years. This has put Denver in...
In my blog last week Low snow year impact on Colorado ski real estate prices, I asked the question what are your predictions for ski real estate prices. I was a bit surprised. My base case is no change in pricing, but the survey results were radically...
In the legislature, it appears the biggest struggle for Coloradans is “$20 beer at a Nuggets game, the $10 water at the airport or the $80 Tylenol at the emergency room,” state Rep. Yara Zokaie, a Fort Collins Democrat, said during a news conference at the state...
