Is It Finally a Buyer's Market in Colorado Springs? What's Really Happening in 2026

For the better part of a decade, buying a home in Colorado Springs meant moving fast, waiving everything, and hoping your offer wasn't one of fifteen. If you've been waiting on the sidelines for the market to breathe, 2026 is the year it finally exhaled. The question buyers keep asking me is simple: is it actually a buyer's market in Colorado Springs now? The honest answer is — we're moving that direction, and for the first time in years, you have leverage worth using.

Here's what's really happening. Inventory has climbed. There are noticeably more homes for sale across El Paso County than there were a year ago, and that single fact changes everything about how you shop. When you have more than 3,000 active listings to choose from instead of a handful, you're no longer competing against the market — the market is competing for you. More choices means more room to negotiate on price, repairs, closing costs, and timeline.

Homes are also sitting longer. The average time to sell has stretched out compared to last year, which means the pressure has flipped. A house that lingers on the market is a house whose seller is getting more realistic by the week. That's your opening. The frantic "decide in an hour or lose it" energy of 2021 and 2022 is gone, replaced by something far healthier for a buyer: time to think, time to inspect, and time to walk if the numbers don't work.

What about prices? This is where folks get nervous, so let me be straight with you. Prices haven't crashed, and they aren't going to. The Colorado Springs median has held steady right around the half-million mark, with single-family homes settling in the high-$400,000s. What's changed isn't the price tag — it's the power dynamic behind it. Stable prices plus rising inventory plus longer market times equals a balanced market tilting toward buyers. You're paying roughly what you'd have paid last year, but you're getting far better terms and far less stress doing it.

For our military and veteran buyers, this shift lands at an especially good time. If you're PCS-ing to Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, or Schriever this summer, you're walking into a market that finally gives you room to move on your timeline instead of the market's. And your VA loan is a genuine advantage here — zero down payment, no monthly mortgage insurance, and competitive terms that stretch your buying power further than almost any other program out there. One thing a lot of buyers don't realize: your Basic Allowance for Housing is tax-free, and it can count as qualifying income on a VA loan. That can meaningfully change what you're approved for, so it's worth running the real numbers with a lender who knows the military side before you assume anything about your budget.

There's also been real movement on how veterans pay their agents. After the national commission settlement reshaped the industry, the VA updated its guidance so veteran buyers can now pay buyer-agent fees directly when needed — and sellers can still cover that cost at closing, which remains the most common arrangement and doesn't count against the VA's seller-concession cap. The practical takeaway: don't let commission confusion scare you off. A veteran agent who navigates this every day will structure your offer so you stay competitive without leaving money on the table.

So what do you actually do with a buyer's market? You get pre-approved before you fall in love with a house, so your offer carries weight. You shop neighborhoods strategically — communities like Fountain, Security-Widefield, and the southern parts of the city keep commutes to Fort Carson short, while areas closer to Peterson open up different options. You make offers that ask for things: a price adjustment, a repair credit, help with closing costs. In this market, asking isn't aggressive — it's smart. And you lean on someone who knows the Springs cold, because a balanced market rewards strategy over speed.

This is the market we've been telling clients to wait for. If you've got orders in hand, a lease ending, or you've just been patient, the window is open. Let's talk about what your move looks like — no pressure, just a real conversation about your timeline, your budget, and the neighborhoods that fit your life. Reach out anytime at clintjordan.com.

(And because this is home for us: every local closing we do funds a free CrossFit Bonnie & Clyde membership for a veteran at Mount Carmel Veteran Center here in Colorado Springs who can't afford it. When you buy with us, a veteran in our community gets a place to land. That's the Hero Health Project, and it's been our quiet promise since 2017.)

Author Clint Jordan

Sources 

• Colorado Springs Gazette — Colorado Springs real estate in 2026: Four key areas — https://gazette.com/2026/02/04/colorado-springs-real-estate-in-2026-four-key-areas-filled-with-ups-and-downs-depending-on-your-perspective/
• Great Colorado Homes — Colorado Springs Housing Market Statistics — https://greatcoloradohomes.com/colorado-springs-real-estate-market-statistics
• The Johnson Team — 2026 Colorado Springs Housing Market Forecast — https://johnsonteamworks.com/blog/2026-colorado-springs-housing-market-forecast
• Veterans United — What VA Buyers Need to Know About the NAR Commission Settlement — https://www.veteransunited.com/education/nar-commission-settlement/
• VA Loan Network — 2026 VA Loan Updates for First-Time Homebuyers — https://valoannetwork.com/2025-va-home-loan-program-updates-for-first-time-homebuyers/