Historical Market Report Notice:
This report reflects Denver housing market data for March 2020. For the latest market analysis, inventory updates, and pricing trends, please visit our Current Denver Market Report here.
How the March 2020 Denver Market Compares to Today (March 2026)
Looking back at March 2020, the Denver market was entering a period of unprecedented uncertainty due to the onset of COVID-19. Today, the landscape has evolved significantly, showing the resilience of Colorado property values.
- Price Growth: In March 2020, the average single-family home price was $567,382. As of early 2026, average prices for detached homes have risen to between $750,000 and $815,000, representing a substantial appreciation of over 35%.
- Inventory Changes: March 2020 saw inventory begin to fluctuate as sellers pulled listings due to lockdown measures. Current 2026 trends show a more stabilized, balanced market, though inventory remains the primary driver of competition in popular neighborhoods.
- Mortgage Rates: We have moved from the historic lows of the 2020-2021 era (near 3%) to a “new normal” in 2026. While rates are higher than pandemic lows, buyer demand remains steady as the Denver economy continues to grow.
Explore More Denver Real Estate Resources
- Current Trends: View the Latest Denver Housing Market Trends
- Expert Guidance: Connect with an Experienced Denver Real Estate Agent
- Neighborhood Research: Explore our Denver Neighborhood Guides for areas like the Highlands, RiNo, and Wash Park.
Historical News for March 2020: What’s Happening in Denver
‘This is just unprecedented’: Colorado unemployment applications skyrocket amid COVID-19 outbreak
“New numbers from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment show a dramatic increase in people who have filed for assistance in the last few days as state and health officials shuttered businesses in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.”
– Denver Business Journal
In the News: What’s Happening Nationally
Virtual, robot and solo home touring soar as social distancing hits the housing market amid coronavirus fear
“While homebuyer demand has plummeted, there are still some out there who may need to move, and either purchase or rent a home. So, much like all interaction in the age of COVID-19, home touring is moving online, using robots and going solo.
Zillow, a home listing site, said it saw a 191% increase in the creation of 3D home tours in the first weeks of March compared with the average number created in February. Even before the coronavirus, listings including a 3D Home tour were saved by users 50% more, and those homes sold on average 10% faster.”
FHA rolls out new mortgage relief options amid coronavirus outbreak
“With a record number of people suddenly unemployed due to the impact of the coronavirus on the nation, the government is taking steps to allow some borrowers to pause their mortgage payments for six months or longer.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Thursday that the Federal Housing Administration is rolling out a ‘tailored set of mortgage payment relief options’ for FHA mortgage borrowers who are being affected by the coronavirus.
One of those payment relief options gives borrowers the ability to defer their mortgage payments for at least six months and as many as 12 months.”
Dollar strengthens, set for best week since the financial crisis
“The U.S. dollar is up about 3.5% against a basket of currencies through a week when investors have liquidated everything from stocks to bonds to gold and commodities. At its three-year peak of nearly 103 hit overnight, the dollar was up more than 5%, its biggest weekly gain since October 2008.”
– CNBC
Another financial crisis is brewing in the mortgage market
“Homeowners are protected by the FHFA directives. Mortgage servicers—the companies that collect payments from borrowers and disbursed the payment to investors in mortgage bonds—are still on the hook to pay investors, even if borrowers stop making payments. The company that handles payments can vary: it is either the bank or lender that issued the mortgage, or a separate company that specializes in servicing mortgages. Among those banks are the biggest in the country—Citi, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo.”
– Curbed
Can the spring housing market be saved?
“So, what is COVID-19 going to do to the housing market’s spring selling season? That’s the March through June period when more than half of all U.S. home sales typically occur, as families with kids try to move before the start of the new school year in September.
Look for the peak of the housing market’s annual cycle to be delayed, not canceled, according to Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors.”
