With little real progress on property tax relief by the legislature (above is the legislative fix), there is an initiative now on the November ballot to radically alter how property taxes work in Colorado. The new initiative would cap property taxes with a...
Colorado Hard Money Blog
Biggest mistake for property owners in wildfires
With three wildfires burning in the front range as I write this and thousands evacuated, it is crucial to know the number one mistake that is made in a wildfire disaster. Do you know what the significance of the picture of the government facility above? Being a...
Summit County sued for caps on nightly rentals, who won the lawsuit?
A federal judge had effectively frozen a legal battle over Summit County’s short-term rental regulations — at least temporarily — after county officials filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by area homeowners. One of the claims of homeowners is that the new...
Why are Silverthorne and Granby real estate prices falling? What Colorado towns are next?
Almost every mountain town continues to appreciate or stay at historic highs, but two Colorado mountain towns are bucking the trend. What is happening in Silverthorne and Granby? Why are these two towns underperforming not only mountain towns but others throughout...
Does a faulty outlet make a property uninhabitable, in Colorado it now does.
Every time I open the news, I’m amazed at what is happening in the Colorado legislature. As a rental property owner, I cringe as it is becoming next to impossible to cost effectively operate a rental property. The new law is titled “safe housing”. Who doesn’t want...
60% Surge in Denver Eviction Filings – Here’s Why
In April, Denver County recorded the largest number of eviction filings in one single month. There were 1,665 eviction filings, compared to 1,038 in April 2023 and 576 in April 2022. Why the sudden huge jump in eviction filings? Is this a trend or just a...
Breckenridge’s Struggles: Underperforming Among Ski Towns
When looking at the chart above it is clear that Breckenridge is substantially underperforming other ski towns in Colorado. Why has Breckenridge peaked and fallen while other ski towns hit a blip and powered higher? What does this mean for ski real estate in...
New Colorado Bill Shakes Up Local Land Use Rules
After stunning defeats last year, the Colorado governor and legislature have broken apart the large bill into smaller parts that have each passed. Two new land use bills passed that take away local government control and hand it to the state of Colorado. The new...
Will ski real estate prices move higher later this year?
It is crazy to talk about prices moving higher in Colorado’s high country while rates are staying double their lows. Why is ski real estate poised to head higher despite everything else going on in the economy? What is the key driver to watch for ski real estate? ...
New Colorado property tax bill; will you actually save money
In the waning hours of the legislative session, a grand tax bill reduction was introduced to supposedly offset the 40-50% increases in the last tax cycle. The headlines are everywhere “Bipartisan bill would bring long-term property tax relief for Colorado homeowners”....
Colorado grants itself the right of refusal on properties (passed)
Can the state of Colorado grant itself a first right of refusal on your property? They just did! This new law allows state and local governments the first right of refusal on most multifamily property and requires notice to the government of any intent to sell prior...
Will nightly rentals be taxed as commercial properties in Colorado? Did it pass?
Property taxes on short-term rental properties in Colorado would more than triple under a bill drafted by state lawmakers that comes as communities from Durango to Denver grapple with surging numbers of vacation rentals. What is in the new proposal? How will this...
What housing bills passed and failed in Colorado Legislature?
It has been quite the session with a ton of bills that have huge ramifications for property owners throughout Colorado. The proposals ranged from increasing taxes on nightly rentals, evictions protections, habitability, right of first refusal and various others. The...
Big election loss in Steamboat: huge changes in ski town real estate
Steamboat voters reject a 24 million dollar donation for a new affordable housing project that was slated to be the largest in the state. Why did Steamboat walk away from the project? Why is this rejection important for other mountain communities and what does...
New housing bill passes that drastically alters property owners’ rights & STRs
Once again, as the legislature returns, the first order of business is housing and a recent bill “just cause for eviction” just passed that will rock the real estate industry. The recent proposal seems innocuous: “just cause for eviction” and yet hidden in the depths...
New affordable housing rule, CO has first right of refusal on your property
There is yet another proposal in the statehouse on affordable housing. This new bill would allow governments the first right of refusal on basically any multifamily property and require notice to the government of any intent to sell prior to listing with huge fines...
Colorado insurance premiums up 30%, State farm leaves California, 12% drop in values, is CO next?
Just like in California, Colorado recently passed a bill to create a statewide insurance plan to write insurance policies in high risk areas. Why are most major insurers now leaving California? What does this mean for the future of property insurance in Colorado?...
Will Colorado ski town buyers pay realtors 70k upfront?
The recent settlement by the national association of realtors will have an outsize impact on Colorado ski towns. Will prospective buyers pony up 70k to pay their buyers agent based on the median home price in Summit County? What does the recent settlement mean for...
Colorado will turn off wells in one part of state; billions “taken” from property owners
It is amazing that Colorado continues to pursue a growth strategy throughout the state with the knowledge that we are basically out of water. The issue of water is coming to a head in one part of the state. Colorado is legally required to stop irrigating...
New bill in Colorado legislature drastically increases HOA fees
The Colorado legislature is out of control with their housing bills. The newest bill: “Real Property owner unit association collections” will drastically increase HOA fees for every property owner and likely could bankrupt many homeowner associations. What is in this...
Colorado tenant rights radically altered, landlords beware
Every time I open the news, I’m amazed at what is happening in the Colorado legislature. As a rental property owner, I cringe as it is becoming next to impossible to cost effectively operate a rental property. The new bill is titled “safe housing”. Who...
New Colorado short term rental bill to define “commercial” use differently
The original Colorado short term rental bill is still moving through the legislature but now there is a competing bill to also classify short term rentals as commercial properties but with a big twist from the first bill. The new bill proposes to try to tax...
New Colorado housing bill drastically alters property owners’ rights & STRs
Once again, as the legislature returns, the first order of business is housing. Unfortunately, there is now a pervasive agreement that only the legislature can fix the housing crisis we are experiencing in Colorado and the number one tool is more legislation. The...
Own a vacant building in Lakewood, the city will send you a bill
New vacant building tax immediately implemented Lakewood, CO just implemented the first vacant building tax I have seen in Colorado. It seems a bit counterintuitive to put more taxes on a property owner that is already struggling with vacancy. Why did Lakewood...