Should You Upgrade in 2026?

Homeowners, we understand the struggle you’re facing. You’ve been waiting for rates to drop. But it’s time for a property that’s larger, smaller, or in a different location. But with our market undergoing so much change over the past few years, there’s a sense of confusion and uncertainty about making a move. In 2020-2022, your next-door neighbor went under contract 48 hours after listing for $50,000 over the asking price. But since then, home values have been flat for most of the Front Range. Many homes can take over a month to receive an offer, sometimes below the asking price.

So did you miss your chance for a successful sale? Absolutely not. Your strategy can shift with the market.

Let’s talk about your next-door neighbor.

In 2026, receiving $50,000 over the asking price for your home is not a realistic expectation. Those 2020-2022 conditions, influenced by a global pandemic crisis, were exceptionally uncommon. The 2-3% interest rates that fueled the frenzy are unlikely to recur in our lifetime. Now we’re rooting for rates to get back down to the 5s, but this year they’re likely to stay more within the 6% range.

But imagine if our market still had the extreme momentum of 2020-2022. If you could even now obtain $50,000 or $75,000 above the asking price, it would make the entire Front Range real estate market incredibly challenging.

The brakes were pumped on home values. 

Because if prices continued year-over-year to skyrocket by double-digits, could you have afforded your next home?  Properties were rapidly becoming unaffordable. For 2025 (and what we anticipate for 2026), most of our communities had normal increases in home values. Smaller, single digits, like what we saw every year from 2012-2019 (ask your RE/MAX Alliance agent for a Comparative Market Analysis of your property’s value over the last few years). 

With buyers coming to terms with rates hovering in the 6s, demand will remain strong. So we do not anticipate homes to lose appreciation. A survey of over 100 market trend experts estimated that for 2026, there could be a 4.5% increase in home values (Pulsenomics.com). If your property experienced a dip in the last couple of years, hang tight. The tide is turning.

We’re back to normal listing strategies. 

There are a number of solutions to boost your asking price: home improvements, staging, offering a 3/2/1 Buydown, and more. While going under contract the first weekend of showings is less likely this year, your RE/MAX Alliance Agent will help you apply tactics to get you an excellent offer as soon as possible (perhaps multiple bids). We know the inconvenience of keeping your home show-ready can be.

But as a buyer, you’ll also have more time to make decisions. You will have more negotiating power. Combined with the cost-reducing products lenders and sellers offer, you could avoid paying a 6% interest rate. So you may end up closer to as successful a sale as your neighbor. And even better, you’re selling when it’s the right time for YOU. That is ALWAYS the best time to get moving.

Sources: National Association of REALTORS®, Realtor.com, Megan Aller at First American Title