Brace yourselves – – new property tax assessments will be mailed the first week of May. Every two years the Denver County Assessor’s Office sends out their new valuation notices to property owners. Once again, we expect assessments will be higher than two years ago for most apartment owners in Central Denver.
After six years of steady growth, in 2018 the Central Denver apartment market flattened out. Nearly 1,000 units were sold in 34 transactions, and the average price per unit was $182,938, a slight decrease from 2017’s average of $185,316.
As market influences, our clients often ask us, “where is the market heading?” That question stems from a concern that the next recession will occur soon. The Denver apartment market’s expansion phase has lasted for 7 years resulting in amazing appreciation for multifamily owners.
In April 2016, our clients purchased a Capitol Hill building by putting 25% down, and financing 75% of the purchase price with a loan at 3.55% annual interest, fixed for 5 years. Oh those were the days!
Encouraging news was published in late July within the Apartment Association of Metro Denver’s 2nd Quarter Vacancy & Rent Report. Drilling down further to the figures reported for buildings with less than 50 units (essentially removing the new construction) provides a clearer picture of how existing buildings are performing.
Thoughts of where the market is heading are increasingly on our clients’ minds. Is the Denver rental market about peak? Without a clear answer, it’s helpful to look at the factors that determine the direction of the market.