🍂 September in Northern Colorado
Community Events
Community Events
September is here in Northern Colorado, and while summer definitely hasn’t packed its bags just yet, you can finally feel a little bit of fall sneaking into those early mornings.
The kids are back in school, routines are settling back into place, football is returning, and before long we'll be trading those 90-degree afternoons for cool evenings, changing leaves, pumpkin patches, and everything that makes fall in Colorado such a great time of year.
For my family, this September is especially meaningful. My oldest daughter is starting kindergarten at Loveland Classical Schools, which means we're entering a brand-new chapter not only for her, but for our whole family.
And, of course, September also brings an interesting shift in our Northern Colorado real estate market.
So grab some coffee, enjoy one of these cooler mornings, and let's talk about what's happening around NoCo. ☕🏡
This school year is a big one in our house!
My daughter is beginning kindergarten at Loveland Classical Schools in Loveland, and I'm genuinely excited about becoming involved in this new community of students, teachers, and parents.
One of the things that really stands out to me about Loveland Classical is that education there goes beyond simply learning facts and passing tests.
Loveland Classical Schools is a tuition-free K-12 public charter school serving more than 1,000 students from across Northern Colorado. Its classical education model is built around three pillars: Great Works, Great Teaching, and Great Character.
The school's mission focuses on developing young people with virtuous character, critical-thinking skills, a passion for learning, and a desire to become exceptional stewards of their communities.
That emphasis on character, hard work, personal responsibility, critical thinking, and community involvement is something I really appreciate.
The school itself actually grew out of a group of parents who wanted something different for their children. It opened in 2011 and has since grown into a K-12 school with two campuses and recognition as a School of Distinction within Thompson School District.
As a parent, I'm looking forward to doing more than simply dropping my daughter off at school every morning. I plan to be involved, volunteer when I can, get to know other parents, and become part of this new community.
Real estate has taught me something that applies here too: strong communities don't just happen. People build them.
I'm excited to see where this next chapter takes our family.
Northern Colorado continues to move toward something we haven't experienced much over the last several years:
Balance.
We're not seeing the frantic market of a few years ago where buyers felt like they had to make a decision within hours. At the same time, we're certainly not seeing good homes suddenly become impossible to sell.
Instead, buyers have more choices, sellers have more competition, and strategy matters on both sides of the transaction.
Recent IRES MLS data reported for Larimer County showed approximately 2,117 homes for sale, up 1.7% year over year, while closed sales were up 17.7%. The average sales price was around $550,000, roughly 0.9% higher than the previous year.
Weld County had approximately 1,767 homes for sale, an increase of 7.1% year over year, with an average sales price around $489,990.
Those numbers tell an important story: buyers generally have more options, but people are absolutely still buying homes.
If you've been sitting on the sidelines waiting for buyers to regain some leverage, this market deserves another look.
One of the biggest advantages right now is choice.
More inventory means buyers can compare homes rather than feeling pressured to grab the first property that checks most of their boxes.
Depending on the home, price point, location, and competition, there may also be opportunities to negotiate things such as:
• Seller concessions toward closing costs
• Interest-rate buydowns
• Inspection items and repairs
• Home warranties
• Price reductions
• More favorable contract terms
That doesn't mean every seller will agree to everything. Great homes that are priced correctly can still attract attention quickly.
But overall, buyers have something that was extremely scarce a few years ago:
Breathing room.
If interest rates have been the main thing keeping you from buying, it's worth looking at the entire financial picture rather than focusing only on the advertised rate. A negotiated seller concession or rate buydown can sometimes make a significant difference.
The question shouldn't simply be, "Is this the perfect market to buy?"
There really isn't one.
A better question is:
"Can we make today's market work to my advantage?"
That's where having a good strategy matters.
Sellers have advantages in this market too, but the playbook has changed.
The days of putting almost anything on the MLS Friday afternoon and expecting a pile of offers by Sunday night are largely behind us.
Today's buyers have options.
That means pricing, presentation, condition, marketing, and negotiation matter again.
And I actually think that's healthy.
If you're considering selling, the biggest mistake you can make right now is pricing your home based on what your neighbor sold for during a completely different market six months or a year ago.
I want to know what's happened in your neighborhood recently.
What's active?
What's pending?
What actually sold?
How long did it take?
Did sellers make price reductions?
What condition were those homes in?
What does your house offer that the competition doesn't?
The sellers who understand those questions and position their homes correctly can still do extremely well.
Professional photography, video, strategic online marketing, proper preparation, strong presentation, and intelligent pricing aren't just nice extras anymore.
They're part of winning in today's market.
And remember: Northern Colorado isn't one giant housing market. A $450,000 home in Greeley can behave completely differently from a $650,000 home in Fort Collins, a property in Loveland, or an acreage home outside Johnstown.
Your strategy should be built around your home, your neighborhood, your price point, and your goals.
September is also when Northern Colorado's calendar starts filling up with some great community events.
Here are a few worth putting on the calendar:
🎈 Windsor Harvest Festival | September 5-7
The 104th annual Windsor Harvest Festival returns Labor Day weekend with vendors, food, entertainment, family activities, and the huge Harvest Festival Parade on Monday morning.
🍂 Johnstown Fall Fest | September 12 | 1:00-5:00 PM
Downtown Johnstown's Fall Fest is one I'm especially excited about. More than 4,000 people are expected to come together downtown for local vendors, live music, a beer garden, food, and plenty of family-friendly activities. If you're in Johnstown, Milliken, or anywhere nearby, this is a great local event to support.
🍯 Loveland Honey Festival | September 13 | 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
Head over to Fairgrounds Park for honey vendors, a Busy Bee Kid Zone, an observation hive, bee-themed products, and more. It also coincides with the Loveland Farmers Market.
🎃 Loveland Farmers Market | Sundays through September 27
If you haven't made it out this year, there's still time. Local produce, food, artisan products, and that unmistakable early-fall Colorado atmosphere make it an easy Sunday morning outing.
🍺 Loveland Oktoberfest | September 25-26
September finishes strong with Oktoberfest in Loveland, another sign that fall has officially arrived in Northern Colorado.
There is something about this time of year around here that's hard to beat. Cool mornings, warm afternoons, school activities, football, local festivals, farmers markets, and eventually those first hints of fall color in the foothills. 🍂
The beginning of a new school year always feels a little bit like a reset.
New routines. New teachers. New friendships. New goals.
For my family, it's the beginning of our journey with Loveland Classical Schools and a new community that I'm excited to become involved with.
For some of you, this fall might also be the beginning of a new chapter involving home.
Maybe you've been thinking about buying but aren't sure what you can afford in today's market.
Maybe you're wondering what your current home is actually worth.
Maybe you've been considering selling and buying something larger, downsizing, investing, or relocating somewhere else in Northern Colorado.
You don't have to be ready to sign a contract to call me.
Sometimes the best first step is simply having a conversation, looking at the numbers, and figuring out what your options actually are.
If you're thinking about making a move anywhere in Loveland, Fort Collins, Windsor, Johnstown, Milliken, Greeley, or the surrounding Northern Colorado communities, I'd love the opportunity to sit down with you and build a plan.
And if you're not moving anytime soon, I'll see you around town. Hopefully with a cup of coffee in hand and a jacket we don't actually need by 11:00 in the morning. 🍁☕😄
Devin Loftis | REALTOR®
The Station Real Estate Company
📞 970-888-4342
📧 [email protected]
🌐 BuyNoCoHomes.com
📱 Instagram: @devinloftis_realestate
📘 Facebook: Devin Loftis, Agent at The Station Real Estate Co.
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