Sellers in the city of Boulder rushed the market in January, hoping to catch buyers ready to make a deal right out of the gate post-holidays. New single-family listings jumped from 23 in December to 122 in January and increased by 32.6% year-over-year.
A definitive look at how buyers responded remains to be seen. Sold listings for January, primarily homes that went under contract in December and closed last month, decreased significantly month-over-month and by 11.4% compared to January of 2024. Typical activity over the holidays.
What can be seen is that after the median home price eased over the holidays last year, coming in at $1,148,500 for December, it rebounded to $1,284,300 in January, indicating strong buyer activity. However, the median price was still 11.1% below January 2024, and on average, homes sold at just 96% of the list price.
So, there was enough activity to bring prices out of hibernation, but perhaps not enough to keep up with the influx of new January inventory. And buyers still have room to negotiate, especially on properties that have been sitting on the market for a while. Keep in mind that the price data does not reflect rate buydowns and other concessions that have also become more common now.
As for average days on market, the time needed to sell a home remains high in the city of Boulder, just over three months currently. In this area though, the numbers eased by 12.3% compared to 2024 as more buyers have acclimated to higher mortgage rates and come off the sidelines.
At the close of January, 191 properties remained on the market across the city compared to 137 in December. That's also an increase of 7.3% year-over-year. Boulder's supply of inventory climbed slightly to 2.8 months after hitting a low of just 2 months in December. However, it still remains well below a 2024 peak of 5.2 months.
If new listings continue to increase, sales and inventory will be the numbers to watch in the coming months. Depending on which direction they go, the market could get busy even before the official spring season when activity typically takes off.
As for townhomes and condos, new listings more than tripled from 23 in December to 75 in January and by 56.3% year-over-year. Sales also decreased month-over-month but came in 18.5% higher than January 2024. Days on market climbed again to 99 as selling these properties remains a challenge and inventory is now 52.7% higher compared to the prior year.
Unlike detached homes, and perhaps due to these challenges, the median price in this segment decreased from $565,000 to $473,500 month-over-month but came in 8.4% above the prior year.
The Boulder County Real Estate Market
Countywide, there were some similarities. New listings of single-family homes more than doubled from 113 in December to 291 in January. Sales decreased month-over-month and increased by just 1.3% year-over-year.
January's median price of $797,450 came in below December's $850,000 but posted a healthy, 4.7% gain over the prior year. Even the attached market saw prices increase by 6.7% compared to the first month of 2024.
With so many new listings, active listings still available at the close of January increased from 486 in December to 563 in January–also 14.2% above the prior year. Months of inventory stand at 2.2 and flat YoY. If next month's closed sales show that new listings and inventory were absorbed (or not), it may indicate which way the Boulder County market is headed in 2025.
In Louisville and Lafayette, new listings more than doubled and prices increased month-over-month. Louisville's median price increased significantly from $948,000 in December to $1,337,000 in January, though it came in 1.0% below 2024. And while the month closed with just 1.3 months of inventory in Lafayette (and 58.1% below 2024), Louisville came in 46.7% higher YoY.
Over in Erie, new listings remained steady while prices increased both month-over-month and by 6.3% year-over-year. And across Broomfield County, new listings and the median home price remained flat year-over-year. Sales decreased and so did days on market, perhaps showing that some buyers are no longer waiting around.
Looking ahead, mortgage rates are likely to continue driving the market and the Fed held the benchmark interest rate steady last month instead of implementing a predicted reduction. So, it remains a waiting game as to whether or not the market will do much except remain relatively similar to 2024. If you're a buyer, the question is—do you want to continue putting off owning now?
For help with that decision, reach out to an experienced real estate agent. They can assess the market and provide a smart strategy, as well as negotiate for your best interests. A proven professional will have the market insight, professional connections, and resources to help you achieve your buying or selling goals no matter what comes next.
Choose your real estate agent wisely and make sure you have a proven advocate by your side!
5 Reasons to Sell With a PorchLight Agent
In today's market, a real estate professional with in-depth knowledge of your local market makes a world of difference when it comes to how quickly you sell and how much you sell for, all while ensuring the entire process is simple—even fun—from start to finish.
Why settle for a brokerage or agent that doesn’t provide the comprehensive services you and your home deserve? PorchLight has thoughtfully invested in building and perfecting the systems and services our agents need to help sellers achieve their goals.
Every agent is backed by a team of professionals who can provide a suite of fully integrated services to maximize the appeal of your home, net the greatest profit, and sell in the least amount of time.
1. Accurate Home Pricing
The first step in selling a home is pricing it. Getting it just right takes analyzing data and understanding the nuances of each unique neighborhood. From the comps and local schools, to factors such as a busy street or a new retail development being built, every detail affects property value. Your PorchLight agent will find that sweet spot—the best possible price that secures a sale in the shortest amount of time.
2. Comprehensive Listing Services
The PorchLight difference includes a team of experts who will coordinate, manage, and provide the services needed to ensure your home is 100% ready to hit the market, attract buyers, and ensure an expedient sale. That includes cleaning, staging, generating accurate floor plans, capturing gorgeous photos and videos, as well as strategically placing signs on your property and for open houses.
3. Rock-Solid Marketing
We provide a blend of proven digital channels, lead generation, and professionally designed materials from PorchLight’s in-house marketing team. From custom brochures and flyers to social media promotions, email/digital campaigns, broker networking, and third-party syndication, we create a powerful presence that leads to more views, more calls, more showings and ultimately, a faster sale.
4. Collaborative Open Houses
Most brokerages rely solely on the listing agent to host open houses. That means fewer people through the door and potentially, lost opportunities to get an offer. With PorchLight’s proprietary Open House Program, all of our agents work together as a team to maximize the number of listings that are held open each week. And when an open house is scheduled for your home, an educated, friendly agent will be there to host buyers.
5. High-Level Representation
Skilled in keeping deals together through to closing, your PorchLight agent will be a dedicated advocate and guide. They will educate you on the process, negotiate on behalf of your best interests, prepare you to make empowered decisions, and navigate any obstacles that could impact your timeline or bottom line. They will work tirelessly and proactively to keep your transaction moving forward, enabling you to achieve your goals.
Bottom line? With PorchLight, your agent's sole focus is to close for top dollar with the least amount of stress. Get in touch to learn more.
