Colorado lawmakers recently voted down House Bill 1036, a proposal that would have allowed counties and municipalities to ask voters to impose a tax on homes that sit vacant for extended periods of time. While the bill did not advance, the discussion surrounding it underscores a defining issue for mountain communities like Breckenridge: housing supply, affordability, and long-term sustainability.
But policy conversations alone don’t tell the full story. To understand what this means locally, we need to look at two things simultaneously: how Breckenridge is already addressing housing challenges, and what the single-family market is actually doing right now. Together, they reveal a resilient and highly structured local market.
The Vacancy Tax Debate — Why It Surfaced
House Bill 1036 would have allowed local governments to refer a vacancy tax to voters. If approved, it would apply to residential properties not used as primary residences and left largely unoccupied throughout the year.
In many Colorado mountain communities, more than 60% of homes are not primary residences. That contrasts sharply with Front Range urban counties, where vacancy rates average closer to 4%. This imbalance affects housing availability for local workers, rental inventory, business staffing stability, and overall community sustainability.
Supporters argued a vacancy tax could generate dedicated funding for workforce housing and potentially encourage underused homes to enter the long-term rental pool. Opponents argued the policy could increase ownership costs, deter investment, and create unintended consequences in supply-constrained markets. The bill ultimately failed — but the broader housing conversation is far from over.
Breckenridge Is Not Waiting for State Solutions
Unlike many resort towns, Breckenridge has already implemented one of the most aggressive workforce housing strategies in Colorado.
About 1,700 of the estimated 2,300 resident-occupied homes in Breckenridge are deed-restricted for the local workforce. More than 400 new deed-restricted units have already been built, and in the next four years the town expects to add 300 more — a significant increase considering Breckenridge has only about 5,000 full-time residents.
The town uses a land bank to purchase property for future development and operates a program that purchases open-market units and converts them into deed-restricted housing for local workers.
Despite these proactive measures, Breckenridge still estimates it needs approximately 1,200 additional housing units to meet workforce demand. High real estate values and elevated construction costs mean that even newly built affordable housing does not always feel affordable relative to local incomes. That tension between what residents earn and what it takes to buy or rent locally remains a central focus in our housing market.
January 2026 Single-Family Market Update: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know
Median Sales Price increased 20.5% year-over-year — from $1,825,000 in January 2025 to $2,199,000 in January 2026.
Sold listings declined 46.2%, from 13 sales to 7 sales. Lower volume does not automatically signal weaker demand. In resort markets, it often reflects limited premium inventory and selective buyer behavior.
Days on Market dropped 43%, falling from 123 days to 70 days. Homes that were priced appropriately and positioned well sold substantially faster.
Inventory rose slightly from 84 to 86 homes, and Months Supply of Inventory sits at 5.4 months — indicating a balanced market rather than one heavily favoring buyers or sellers.
What This Means for Sellers
The combination of rising median prices, faster absorption, and balanced inventory suggests that well-positioned single-family homes continue to command attention. However, today’s buyers are more analytical. Overpricing leads to stagnation. Precision matters.
What This Means for Buyers
The median single-family price now exceeds $2.1 million. Quality inventory moves quickly when priced appropriately. Supply remains balanced, creating opportunity for strategic negotiation but not deep discounting on prime properties.
The Bigger Picture
Breckenridge real estate operates at the intersection of lifestyle demand, long-term investment value, and proactive local housing policy. The defeat of the vacancy tax bill reinforces that Breckenridge continues managing housing locally through deed restrictions, land banking, and workforce programs rather than statewide taxation tools.
The January 2026 data shows a resilient market: prices are up, days on market are down, and inventory is balanced. In a resort community with limited buildable land and strong national appeal, those fundamentals matter.
Posted by Jan Leopold February 12, 2026