Arianna Morris - The Agency

10/21/2026

Denver's newest park is opening in University Hills North. 🌳

Join Denver Parks and Recreation and Council President Diana Romero Campbell tomorrow, Thursday, October 22 at 4:00 PM for the ribbon cutting at Bethesda Park, 4301 E. Iliff Ave.

What's new:
- Accessible playground
- Shaded picnic tables and gathering areas
- Half-court basketball
- Pollinator hotels and native landscaping

Bethesda Park was funded by the Rise Denver GO Bond.

Parking is limited, so walk or roll if you can. All are welcome!

10/16/2026

Mortgage rates have slowed things down this fall, but they’re also creating opportunities we haven’t seen in years.

Here’s what’s happening right now:
• More homes are hitting the market, and sellers are increasingly willing to negotiate
• Newly built homes are now selling for less per square foot than existing homes, with some builders offering rate buydowns
• The average mortgaged homeowner now has approximately $310,000 in equity
• U.S. homeowners with mortgages are sitting on a record $17.9 trillion in home equity

Today’s market isn’t simply a buyer’s market or a seller’s market. It’s a market where strategy matters.

I broke down what this means for buyers, sellers, and homeowners in this month’s update. Plus:

• My fall picks around Denver, including a can’t-miss festival happening this month, a cozy Italian dinner spot in RiNo, and a LoHi pastry case worth the drive
• A move-in-ready Virginia Village ranch with refinished hardwoods and a remodeled kitchen
• A one-of-a-kind architectural home in the Santa Fe hills with its own interior stream

Read the full post here:

Higher rates have cooled demand but opened new doors. Three trends buyers, sellers, and homeowners should watch this fall.

10/10/2026

Lost kitty in University Hills. Please share. 🐈‍⬛

I came across this flyer and wanted to help spread the word. This is Valentino, a 3-year-old fluffy black cat with bright yellow eyes. He was last seen the night of October 6 near 3032 South Flamingo Way, Denver, CO.

If you spot him, please call 409-392-6576.

He is very loved and missed. Let's help him find his way home.

10/07/2026

🍂 Denver's LeafDrop is back! 🍂

Drop off leaves & pumpkins to be turned into compost!

Weekdays now thru Nov 25, 8am-2pm:
• Cherry Creek Transfer Station – 7301 E Jewell Ave
• Denver Parks & Rec – 3685 Havana St
• Central Platte Campus – 1271 W Bayaud Ave

Weekends Nov 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 10am-2pm:
• Cherry Creek, Bruce Randolph HS, Kennedy HS, Sloan's Lake NW Lot, Veterans Park, Archuleta Elementary

Paper bags only. Free 5-pack of bags at Ace Hardware with coupon: beasmartash.org/trees-matter/denver-leafdrop/

Have a green compost cart? Put leaves/pumpkins right in it!

More: denvergov.org/leafdrop

09/29/2026

If you’re selling your home in Denver, understanding seller concessions is key to evaluating your bottom line.

A seller concession is a credit toward the buyer’s eligible closing costs. The sale price stays the same, but your net proceeds are reduced by the credit. A price reduction works differently: it lowers the sale price itself. In this market, sellers may need to consider both.

In August, 60.8% of Denver Metro closings included a seller concession. For homes that went under contract within seven days, 55% included a concession, and the median amount given to the buyer through concessions and/or price reductions was $2,950. For homes that took 90 days or more to go under contract, the median amount given to the buyer through price reductions and concessions was $65,000.

A price reduction doesn’t necessarily mean you avoid a concession, either. Of the sellers who reduced their price, 62.7% still paid a concession, with a median concession of $10,000.

That’s why pricing thoughtfully from the start matters. In August, 71.9% of homes that went under contract within their first seven days closed at or above their original list price. Across the full month, only 30.8% did. Sellers who never reduced their price went under contract in a median of 9 days and closed at 100% of their original list price. Sellers who reduced took a median of 63 days and closed at 93.2%.

This isn’t meant to be discouraging. Of the 842 homes that went under contract within seven days, 45% did so without a concession. The numbers show why the first week is such an important opportunity to reach buyers and why a thoughtful pricing plan can help protect your bottom line.

If you’re considering selling, let’s talk about pricing and marketing your home for this market.

09/23/2026

Big News!!!

Call Your Mother Is Officially Open On Hampden!

https://www.callyourmotherdeli.com/happy-canyon-co-call-your-mother-deli

09/22/2026

If you own a condo, now is a good time to be engaged in your HOA meetings. New Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lending standards are raising the reserve funding benchmark for many condo associations from 10% to 15% of annual assessment income beginning in 2027. Reserves are the funds set aside for major shared repairs, such as roofs, elevators, exterior systems, and parking structures.

This matters because reserve funding is one factor lenders consider when determining whether a building remains warrantable. A warrantable condo is part of a project that meets the financial, insurance, maintenance, and documentation requirements for conventional financing. If a building becomes nonwarrantable, future buyers will have fewer financing options, which can seriously affect the unit’s marketability and resale value.

Being present at HOA meetings and understanding what it will take for your association to remain in a position where the building is warrantable is incredibly important before you are ready to sell. Find out whether your building is currently warrantable, what the reserve study recommends, and whether upcoming repairs, funding changes, or special assessments could affect financing. Understanding this early gives you more time to address potential issues before listing your unit.

Follow to keep up to date with the Denver real estate market

09/11/2026

The latest numbers reflect Denver’s traditional fall cooling. Viewed in the context of the full year, the Denver Metro market remains steady overall, but the trends are far from uniform across the market.

In August, active listings were essentially flat. Closed homes fell, while the median close price remained relatively steady. Median days in MLS increased to 27, up from 21 in July.

The broad statistics suggest a steady market that has remained largely the same over the past couple of years. The true takeaway I want you to have is that the market is much more nuanced than those headline numbers suggest. I’m seeing very different conditions from client to client, property type to property type, neighborhood to neighborhood, and price point to price point.

If you are thinking about making a move, let’s set up a time to chat. We can talk through these nuances and look at how they apply to your specific situation.

One of the most significant factors is the difference between attached and detached homes. Looking at DMAR’s August report, attached homes were sitting a median of 45 days in MLS, compared with 24 days for detached homes. Attached median prices also fell 4.87% year over year, while detached median prices remained essentially flat.

From what I’m seeing on the ground, I have also noticed a pickup in activity over the past couple of weeks as we have moved beyond the start of the school year. It will be interesting to watch whether this increase in showing activity continues now that we have moved past Labor Day weekend.

08/11/2026

It’s August, which means it’s newsletter time! Click to read why Denver’s market is catching its breath, plus explore a few investment opportunities worth watching. https://active.social/social-share/ynvd0

07/16/2026

Selling With Solar

I've been hearing more homeowners tell me they've been told that solar panels will increase their home's value. Before deciding to purchase panels, it's

important to understand that solar is more nuanced.

If you want solar for lower utility bills, greater energy independence, or to reduce your environmental impact, it can be a fantastic investment. Just don't assume it will automatically add value when it's time to sell.

Buyers aren't just evaluating your home. They're also evaluating any financial obligations that come with it. The best way to ensure solar doesn't negatively affect your sale is to understand your solar agreement before you list your home, gather all of the relevant documentation upfront, and provide it to buyers. The more transparent you are, the smoother the transaction is likely to be.

Let's take a brief look at the three most common types of solar agreements and how each one can affect the sale of your home.

Owned Panels

How it works:

You own the panels and receive all of the electricity they produce. You are also responsible for their maintenance. Many homeowners finance their solar system with a loan secured by the panels.

How it affects your sale:

If there is still a solar loan in place, most Conventional, FHA, VA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac financing generally requires that it be paid off before closing because the lien cannot remain ahead of the new mortgage. As a result, many buyers expect the seller to pay off the solar loan before the sale is completed.

Leased Panels

How it works:

The solar company owns the panels, and you make monthly lease payments to use them. Think of it as similar to leasing a vehicle.

How it affects your sale:

Because you don’t own the panels, they generally are not considered part of the home’s value during the appraisal process. A buyer must be willing to assume the lease if permitted by the solar company, or in some cases the seller may choose to buy out the remaining lease. This is not to be confused with paying for owned solar panels. If the seller pays off the lease, they will still go back to the solar company at the end of the lease.

Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)

How it works:

With a PPA, you don’t own the panels. Instead, you agree to purchase the electricity they generate at a predetermined price per kilowatt-hour, usually with scheduled annual increases. Those increases are often designed to be lower than the historical increase in utility rates.

How it affects your sale:

A PPA is an energy contract, not ownership of the solar system. Like a lease, a buyer must understand and agree to the contract terms. Before signing a PPA, read the agreement carefully so you understand future pricing and annual escalations.

Solar can absolutely be a great investment in your lifestyle. Just don’t make the decision solely on its ability to increase your home’s value.

Understanding the agreement before you sign can save you a lot of surprises later.