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After months of cautious movement, Denver’s luxury real estate market found its footing in October. Detached home sales in the $1 million-plus range jumped 17 percent from September, with total luxury sales volume exceeding $833 million. The surge suggests that buyers who had been waiting on the sidelines responded to the easing interest rates following the typical back-to-school slowdown, according to the latest report from Denver Metro Association of Realtors (DMAR).
“For months, the market has moved at a careful, measured pace. Yet in October, clarity began to emerge,” said Andrew Abrams, DMAR Market Trends Committee member and metro Denver realtor. “The $1 million-plus market tends to move in waves of confidence. When rates ease and consumer sentiment stabilizes, we often see the upper end of the market react quickly.”
From a 1907 craftsman bungalow in Potter Highlands Historic District to a pastoral nine-acre estate in Boulder County, these three properties capture the range of what’s drawing luxury buyers back into the market this November.
1044 Alps Hill Road, Central City
- Price: $999,000
- City: Central City
- Listing Agent: Jessica Anderson of The Agency Denver
This off-the-grid retreat sits at the base of Bald Mountain—far away from civilization and surrounded by national forest. But its solitude isn’t an issue thanks to a solar power system equipped with advanced battery storage (which makes this estate energy independent) and a well water system outfitted with reverse osmosis filtration. Built in 2021, the 2,300-square-foot residence features floor-to-ceiling windows that offer unobstructed views of the surrounding fourteeners. In the winter, radiant heat through the floors keeps this three-bedroom home toasty, along with a wood-burning stove in the living area. Although the metal cable railing on the exterior deck, charcoal siding, and black-and-white quartz countertops give this home a minimalist feel, the blue-green tile backsplash in the kitchen adds a touch of whimsy. Outside, a half-acre fenced area gives pets room to play, or opt to meander the many trails just steps outside your door. And when you’re in need of a little socialization, head just three miles south to Idaho Springs.
3655 Eliot St., Denver
- Price: $1.275 million
- Neighborhood: Highland (Potter Highlands Historic District)
- Listing Agent: Amy Berglund with milemimodern
A local family of artists has owned this 1907 Craftsman bungalow in Potter Highlands Historic District for two decades, so you can expect thoughtful, creative touches throughout the property. Decorative lions guard the wraparound porch, where columns support the eaves that hang over the deep porch. Inside, original built-ins flanking the living room fireplace and white walls create plenty of blank space to display books and art. Period windows punctuate the 2,976-square-foot layout, including in the west-facing kitchen, so you can expect ample afternoon sunlight while you prep dinner. The most charming feature of this Highland home is that the main-floor primary bedroom opens to gardens, complete with a koi pond designed by Denver School of the Arts students in 2020. The 0.23-acre lot carries ADU zoning and sits within walking distance of Highland Square’s shops and restaurants.
15789 N 83rd, Longmont
- Price: $2.995 million
- City: Longmont
- Listing Agent: Zach Zeldner with Compass
When you put your feet on the coffee table and your wife asks if you were raised in a barn, she probably wasn’t talking about this one. This Provence-inspired farmhouse, originally built in 2000, received a major makeover from a European antiques dealer, who layered in Old World details like hand-carved Catalan doors and a French arched iron window. The kitchen, however, is anything but archaic. Home chefs will enjoy a Gaggenau range and wall ovens, a Thermador refrigerator, and Sub Zero drawers. Upstairs, the primary suite boasts an epic view of Longs Peak. If the farmhouse doesn’t convince you to make an offer, the additional 3,600-square-foot barn with a guest apartment and workshop surely will. Although the solar array that powers the property is pretty cool, our favorite feature is the spiral staircase inside the faux grain silo.
