With inventories of both condos and single-family homes falling to much lower levels over the past year, market analyst Jack O’Connor, broker/owner of The Denver 100 Real Estate, is making some significant predictions about the year ahead.

Jack O’Connor.

“We’re going to see price increases of from four-to-six percent in the market for homes at $250,000 and under,” O’Connor told readers when he released a 2012 Denver Residential Real Estate Annual Report, including a set of “2012 Predictions for Denver Real Estate.” more »

Denver’s Villa Park neighborhood, south of Lakewood Gulch from Federal to Sheridan, is seeing two arrivals this new year, one high-tech, the other low-tech but just as hard to get approved.

Builder Mark Druva (left), architect Mike Kephart and Councilman Paul Lopez check progress of an ADU taking shape near the new Knox Court Light Rail Station.

Right across Sanchez Park from the new FasTracks station on the route from downtown to Golden, builder Mark Druva is trimming an ADU – accessory dwelling unit — a detached cottage behind a house, that can be home for grandma, or a college kid, or renter. more »

You never count chickens before they hatch, but when Mayor Hancock and his team climbed off a plane from California early this month after a state-led trip that included the governor, the Chamber’s Tom Clark and others, they were feeling pumped about what’s ahead for Denver, business-wise.

Economic Development Director Paul Washington in Civic Center Park. “Anytime there’s a crane in downtown Denver is a good thing,” he said.

“The broader business community views Denver with tremendous excitement,” said Paul Washington, the mayor’s new Economic Development director. “They see us having a strong tech base and a strong cadre of young people with tech backgrounds.” more »

Ninety minutes west of town, Granby Ranch and SolVista ski area are tracking the best ski-visitor year they’ve ever seen, on pace to beat last year’s record. “Families that live here are up here every weekend,” says Jennifer Colley, sales director.

Builder Ken Ash and Sales Rep Jennifer Colley show the trail layout for the two homes at Granby Ranch; and have ski passes for families that tour.

“People tell me ‘We know our neighbors here; we don’t necessarily know our neighbors in Denver.’” Colley will show you two resort homes that could put you in that mix…at prices that sound more like townhomes than single-family. more »