If you bought a home in Colorado and feel good about it, you’re not alone. Still, it might surprise you to learn that this feeling is less common in the Mountain West.
Across the country, a record 56% of American homeowners now say they have no regrets about buying their home, according to . Thatap a big jump from just 27% a year ago.
But in the Mountain region, which includes Colorado, only 54% of homeowners say they have no regrets. This is one of the lowest satisfaction rates in the country, about 10 percentage points behind the South and Mid-Atlantic.
High prices and financial strain
The median home price in Colorado is about $604,300, well above the national average.
Buyers need to earn over $121,000 a year to afford a home comfortably. More than half of renters and a quarter of homeowners in Colorado spend over 30% of their income on housing, making them cost-burdened.
Nationally, the top homeowner regret in 2025 was that “maintenance and upkeep require more effort than I planned for,” with unexpected repairs and overall cost as close runners-up.
That frustration rings especially true in Colorado, where insurance premiums have been climbing thanks to escalating wildfire and weather risks, a concern the Hippo report identifies as a major pressure point across the Mountain region.
Colorado homeowners were among the least likely in the nation to have purchased supplemental insurance riders (53%), even as wildfires, severe storms, and flooding continue to pose real threats.
Hidden expenses and condo issues
Many buyers are drawn in by a beautiful kitchen or a nicely staged living room, but later find out the roof is old, the HVAC system needs work, or HOA fees are rising, according to a .
Across the country, 82% of buyers have some regrets, often about hidden maintenance costs.
This is especially true for Colorado condos. Rising HOA fees, often driven by higher insurance costs, have made condos less affordable and led to a drop in condo sales in the Denver metro area last year.
In 2025, Colorado’s housing market shifted. There are now more homes for sale and fewer bidding wars. Prices have dropped, and buyers have more room to negotiate than before.
Smart strategies for Colorado buyers
The advice from current homeowners, according to Hippo’s report, is consistent: budget proactively, don’t skip preventive maintenance, and build an emergency fund specifically for home repairs. Only 32% of homeowners nationally have one.
In Colorado, with its extreme weather swings, aging homes, and rising insurance landscape, that advice carries extra weight.
The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this postap preparation.
