In case you missed it, yours truly, was featured in a recent Denver Post Article: Coloradans carry heavy debt loads, and it isn’t financially healthy. What do increased debt burdens mean for real estate prices in Colorado? Does the debt burden preclude a 2008 repeat?
Here is what Weinberg had to say in the Denver Post
First, if you missed it or haven’t read it, here is a link to the full article. It is well written and provides some interesting stats on Colorado’s debt.
Colorado home prices rose 128% between 2013 and 2023, while metro Denver prices rose 138%, according to a federal index that tracks home values. Price gains have tempered since then, but the rate of appreciation has far outstripped incomes, which are slowly catching up.
Colorado has one of the lowest rates of homeowners owning their properties free and clear, and one of the highest mortgage debt-to-income ratios in the country after California.
“With the high level of debt that Coloradans are carrying, this will limit the upside potential in real estate,” Glen Weinberg, managing partner of Denver-based Fairview Commercial Lending, predicts in a blog post. “The increased debt burden will make it substantially harder for many to qualify for a new mortgage as either a first-time homebuyer or move-up buyer.”
Weinberg doesn’t think debt burdens will result in a 2008-style crash, but a price decline of 15% and a “frozen” market aren’t out of the question, especially in metro Denver. Buyers who paid up to get into a home after 2021 could face a difficult time exiting without a loss.
More information about the debt burden in Colorado
Colorado is 2nd in the country behind California which means big risks for real estate. Here is a more in depth blog that I wrote on this topic. If you enjoyed this topic and/or want to receive my blog in your email every week either email me or sign up for my weekly Colorado newsletter on my site. I never spam or sell info, the goal is to provide honest insights on Colorado real estate.
Additional Reading/Resources
https://www.denverpost.com/2026/02/02/colorado-debt-burdens-excessive/?
https://coloradohardmoney.com/what-does-colorados-debt-mean-for-real-estate-prices/
