Not in the way most people mean it. Prices in El Paso County are holding: the October 2026 median sale price was $450,000, exactly where it was in October 2025. What has slowed is the pace. New contracts were down 14%, active listings were up 9%, months of inventory rose from 3.8 to 4.6, and about 7 out of 10 sales included seller concessions. Homes are still selling at steady prices. It just takes a little longer and a little more negotiating to get there.
Here's what the October numbers show, what changed for the year, and what it means if you're listing, buying, or advising clients this winter.
The short answer
- Prices are flat, not falling. Median $450,000 in October, same as last year. Year to date, the median is down 1.1% to $465,000.
- Fewer buyers are writing contracts. 922 new contracts in October vs. 1,073 a year ago (down 14.1%). September was down by the same amount.
- More homes to choose from. 3,823 active listings at the end of October vs. 3,508 last year, and 4.6 months of inventory vs. 3.8.
- Sellers are paying more to close. 69.3% of October sales had seller concessions, and the average concession was $14,490 (up from $11,402).
October 2026 vs. October 2025
Closed residential sales in El Paso County (single family, townhouse, condo and patio home).
| October | 2026 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed sales | 733 | 782 | -6.3% |
| Median sale price | $450,000 | $450,000 | Flat |
| Average sale price | $523,909 | $504,744 | +3.8% |
| Median price per sq ft | $209 | $218 | -3.9% |
| Median / average days on market | 40 / 58 | 39 / 54 | +1 / +4 days |
| Sold in 7 days or less | 15.0% | 19.2% | -4.2 pts |
| On market 60+ days | 37.0% | 34.4% | +2.6 pts |
| Sales with seller concessions | 69.3% | 66.2% | +3.1 pts |
| Median / average concession (when paid) | $10,000 / $14,490 | $9,501 / $11,402 | +5.3% / +27.1% |
| $1M+ sales | 40 | 28 | +42.9% |
The average price jumped 3.8%, but don't read too much into it. There were 40 sales over $1M this October vs. 28 last year, and those pull the average up. Take out the $1M+ sales and the average moved less than 1% ($474,566 vs. $471,567). The median is the better read here, and it didn't move.
Why are new contracts down if prices are flat?
Closed sales tell you what went under contract 30 to 45 days ago. New contracts and inventory tell you where the next couple of months are heading, and that's where the shift shows up.
| Leading indicator | Oct 2026 | Oct 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New contracts written | 922 | 1,073 | -14.1% |
| Average new contracts per day | 29.7 | 34.6 | -14.1% |
| Active listings (last week of Oct) | 3,823 | 3,508 | +9.0% |
| Months of inventory | 4.6 | 3.8 | +0.8 |
| Showings per listing (October)* | 2.0 | 2.2 | -9.1% |
| Showings per listing (Jan to Oct avg)* | 2.71 | 2.52 | +7.5% |
Showings tell a two-part story. For the full year, showings per listing are running ahead of 2025, so spring buyer demand was real. Since late summer it has faded. The buyers who are still out there need about the same number of showings before they write an offer (a median of 4 in both years). There are just fewer of them.
One more pattern from my daily contract tracking: weekends have gone quiet. October Saturdays averaged 14 new contracts vs. 26 last year. Mondays are still the busiest day, at 42 new contracts per day this October.
How does 2026 compare to 2025 for the full year?
| January to October | 2026 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed sales | 8,950 | 9,162 | -2.3% |
| Sales volume | $4.79B | $4.94B | -3.1% |
| Median sale price | $465,000 | $470,000 | -1.1% |
| Average sale price | $535,360 | $539,699 | -0.8% |
| Median days on market | 29 | 27 | +2 days |
| Sales with seller concessions | 65.6% | 63.8% | +1.8 pts |
| $1M+ sales | 473 | 476 | -0.6% |
That's a small move for a full year. 2026 actually out-closed 2025 from March through June, then fell behind starting in July. The bigger change isn't price. It's how deals are getting done: more concessions, a couple extra days on market, and slightly lower price per square foot.
Which price ranges changed the most?
| Price band | Oct 2026 | Oct 2025 | Median DOM (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300K | 76 | 82 | 39 |
| $300K to $399K | 176 | 205 | 38 |
| $400K to $499K | 199 | 190 | 42 |
| $500K to $599K | 108 | 129 | 35 |
| $600K to $749K | 68 | 97 | 34 |
| $750K to $999K | 66 | 51 | 51 |
| $1M+ | 40 | 28 | 45 |
The middle of the market thinned out. Sales from $500K to $749K fell to 176 from 226, while $750K and up rose to 106 from 79. Under $500K was fairly steady (451 vs. 477).
How are cities doing year to date?
| City | Sales 2026 / 2025 | Median 2026 / 2025 | Median DOM 2026 / 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs | 7,199 / 7,446 | $449,900 / $459,442 | 28 / 26 |
| Peyton | 561 / 540 | $530,000 / $545,000 | 39 / 34 |
| Monument | 521 / 454 | $749,950 / $753,150 | 32 / 31 |
| Fountain | 393 / 428 | $414,000 / $399,000 | 27 / 28 |
| Manitou Springs | 69 / 70 | $660,000 / $585,000 | 32 / 14 |
| Calhan | 64 / 76 | $500,500 / $495,000 | 57 / 38 |
Fountain stands out, with the median up 3.8% to $414,000. Colorado Springs and Peyton are down about 2% to 3% on the median, and Monument is essentially flat.
How did October buyers pay?
Financing on October 2026 closings: Conventional 38%, VA 33%, Cash 17%, FHA 12%. Nearly 1 in 3 buyers used VA financing, which is a big reason concessions matter so much here. VA and FHA buyers often need help with closing costs, and sellers who plan for that from the start have an easier time.
Also worth noting: 53 October sales (7%) were listings that advertised an assumable loan. If a seller has an assumable VA or FHA loan at a low rate, that belongs in the listing remarks. It's a real selling point in a market where buyers have more choices.
What this means for sellers, buyers and agents
- Sellers and listing agents: Price it right on day one. With 4.6 months of inventory and fewer weekend contracts, the first two weeks on market matter more than ever. Talk through concessions before the first offer shows up, not after, and look at the net, not just the sale price.
- Buyers and buyer agents: There's room to negotiate. Concessions are showing up in about 7 of every 10 sales, and homes past 60 days on market are a growing share of what's selling.
- Everyone: Prices are not falling. The median is flat year over year. What changed is time on market and what it takes to get a deal closed. That's a more accurate (and more useful) message for a nervous seller than "the market is slowing."
For more detail, see the Statistics page and the monthly Market Reports. If you want these numbers for a specific neighborhood, price range or city before a listing appointment, reach out and I'll put it together.
Frequently asked questions
Are home prices dropping in Colorado Springs and El Paso County?
No. The October 2026 median sale price in El Paso County was $450,000, the same as October 2025. Year to date (January to October), the median is $465,000, down 1.1% from $470,000. That's essentially flat. In Colorado Springs specifically, the year-to-date median is $449,900 vs. $459,442 last year.
Is El Paso County a buyer's or seller's market right now?
It's moving toward balance. Months of inventory hit 4.6 at the end of October 2026, up from 3.8 a year earlier. Under about 4 months generally favors sellers, and around 5 to 6 months is closer to balanced. Lower price ranges are still tighter than the luxury end.
How common are seller concessions in El Paso County?
Very common. 69.3% of October 2026 sales included seller concessions, up from 66.2% in October 2025. When a concession was paid, the median was $10,000 and the average was $14,490. For the full year, 65.6% of sales had concessions.
How long are homes taking to sell in El Paso County?
The median days on market was 40 in October 2026 (39 a year earlier), and the average was 58 (54 a year earlier). Only 15% of October sales went under contract within a week, down from 19.2%, while 37% were on the market 60 days or more.
Where does this data come from?
Closed sales are Pikes Peak MLS residential sales (single family, townhouse, condo and patio home) in El Paso County, assigned to months by close date. October 2026 data was pulled November 4, 2026, so a few late-reported sales may be added. New contract counts, active listings and months of inventory come from daily and weekly MLS tracking; months of inventory equals active listings divided by the average monthly sales over the prior 90 days. Showing data (marked *) is from ShowingTime and reflects El Paso County listings that use ShowingTime, not every listing in the county. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.