Denver Rents Falling—Analysts Credit New Supply

Denver just joined Seattle in an exclusive club: high demand cities with flattening or falling rents.

1 minute read

January 27, 2016, 7:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"Metro Denver apartment rents leveled off and vacancies rose sharply between the third and fourth quarters after a surge in new supply left more landlords scrambling to fill their units," reports Aldo Svaldi.

That information comes via the Apartment Association of Metro Denver, which included a statement about the "natural forces" of supply and demand when announcing the news.

Svaldi shares more details about the slight market correction:

The drop in median rents wasn't huge — a $7 decline from $1,252 a month in the third quarter to $1,245 in the fourth. The average rent held steady at $1,292 a month.

But in a sign more downward pressure on rents could be coming in the months ahead, the area's apartment vacancy rate surged to 6.8 percent from 5 percent in the third quarter.

The article goes into a lot more detail about submarkets and the implications of the trend for the future of the real estate market in the Denver area.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016 in The Denver Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

Close-up of older woman's hands resting on white modern heating radiator mounted on wall indoors.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program

The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.

15 minutes ago - The New York Times

View of rotating restaurant tower in downtown San Antonio, Texas through older brick high-rise buildings.

San Antonio Remains Affordable as City Grows

The city’s active efforts to keep housing costs down through housing reforms and coordinated efforts among city agencies and developers have kept it one of the most affordable in the nation despite its rapid population growth.

1 hour ago - Governing

Close-up on U.S. Forest Service plaque.

What Forest Service Cuts Mean for Cities

U.S. Forest Service employees work on projects that have impacts far beyond remote, rural wilderness areas.

2 hours ago - Greater Greater Washington