Selling a home you've owned 15 years or more in Colorado

A lot, in most cases. Prices along the Front Range rose sharply over the last 15 years, and many homes bought for a few hundred thousand dollars now sell in seven figures.

In Denver, 1,527 of 6,219 single-family sales in the last 12 months closed at $1 million or more (24.6%, about 1 in 4), against a $685K median for every single-family sale. 6,546 of the 35,864 single-family homes that sold in the last 12 months across the 32 Front Range cities we track closed at $1 million or more: 18.3%, about 1 sale in every 5. Updated November 5, 2026 from the MLS.

• Start with a real value, not an online estimate. Automated estimates miss condition, updates, views and lot quality, and long-held homes vary most on exactly those things.
• Subtract what you owe and the cost to sell. Commission, title, closing costs and any repairs come out of the sale price before you see the equity.
• Then look at the gain. Equity and taxable gain are different numbers. The next section explains why.

• Up to $250,000 single, $500,000 married filing jointly. That's the federal exclusion on the sale of a main home you owned and lived in for at least 2 of the last 5 years. Age doesn't matter.
• Gain is not the same as profit on paper. Gain is the sale price, minus selling costs, minus your adjusted basis. Basis is what you paid plus capital improvements: additions, a new roof, a remodeled kitchen, finished basement.
• Receipts lower the tax. After 15 years, improvement receipts are the most valuable paperwork you own. Every documented improvement raises your basis and shrinks the taxable gain.
• Colorado follows the federal number. Colorado income tax starts from federal taxable income, so gain excluded federally is generally not taxed by Colorado.

Our capital gains guide has a worked example with a 1998 purchase.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Tax rules change and every situation is different; your CPA or tax attorney runs your numbers before you sign a listing agreement.

• Know your deadlines first. The 2-of-5-year rule, the 2-year window after a spouse's death and any move-in date for your next home set the real calendar.
• Read the market for your price band. 6,546 single-family homes over $1 million sold in Colorado's Front Range in the last 12 months at a $1.35M median price, with a median sale-to-list ratio of 98.1%. 2,185 are for sale now, about 4 months of supply. Condos and townhomes over $800,000: 592 sold at a $1M median.
• Spring brings more buyers and more competition. Many Front Range sellers list from March to June. A well-prepared home can stand out in late winter, before the rush.
• Plan the next home at the same time. Selling and buying on one timeline avoids two moves. Our downsizing guide covers buy-first and sell-first plans.

• Fix what an inspector will find. Furnace and water heater age, roof age after Colorado hail, radon, the sewer line and older electrical panels come up on almost every long-held home. A pre-listing inspection lets you choose the fix or the credit.
• Update for buyers, not for you. Paint, lighting, flooring and landscaping return the most. A full kitchen remodel right before listing rarely pays for itself.
• Price against the homes buyers will see. Buyers compare your home to updated and newer homes at the same price. A Smart Pricing Report shows those homes, the recent sales and the listings that expired, then gives three list prices.
• Plan for the private details. Some long-time owners prefer fewer showings and less exposure. Ask about private and off-market options and the MLS rules that apply.

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