We have turned the corner into fall in Colorado Springs. The aspens are peaking along the Front Range, the city's Oktoberfest weekend is here, and the first full week of October brings the Colorado Springs Marathon and the start of Arts Month. This end-of-September update covers the events not to miss, the community news that is changing neighborhoods right now, and the freshest market numbers I have for you as we close out the month.

If you have been reading my updates through the summer and into September, you know how much can move in a single week in this market. Let's get you current.

Market Snapshot: The Most Current Numbers

As I noted in my earlier fall updates, September closing data typically does not report until early October, so the most current published figures right now come from the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors' August snapshot. The read across sources is consistent: this is a balanced market that has shifted in buyers' favor through the year.

Median sale price: ~$449,000 in PPAR's August snapshot, while listing medians run closer to $495,000 to $500,000. The spread between sale and list prices reflects a market where buyers have room to negotiate. Redfin's median runs near $460,000, so the range is tight.
Median days on market: ~42 to 43 days, up from roughly a year ago. Homes still move for the right price and presentation, but buyers no longer feel the same pressure to decide on the spot.
Inventory is up significantly versus a year ago, climbing more than 25% year over year through early 2026 before pausing over the summer. More supply is the single clearest signal that this market favors patient, prepared buyers.
Months of supply: roughly 3.5 to 4.1, up from about 2.7 a year earlier. That is textbook balanced territory leaning toward buyers. About 14% of homes still sell above asking, so demand remains real for the right property.

The through-line for sellers has not changed: roughly half of active listings carry a price adjustment at some point, so pricing it right from day one is everything. For a full neighborhood by neighborhood breakdown, visit my complete market report page.

Events: The Last Weekend of September & Into October

This is one of the best stretches of the year in the Pikes Peak region. Here is the lineup:

Oktoberfest Weekend (September 25-27)

Colorado Springs Oktoberfest. Friday through Sunday, September 25-27 at the Western Museum of Mining & Industry, 225 N. Gate Blvd. Colorado's hometown Oktoberfest returns with live German music, beer and wine, family activities, and the crowd favorite Dachshund Dash. Free to attend and one of the biggest weekends of the season.
Goat Patch Brewing Oktoberfest. Saturday, September 26 at the Lincoln Center: stein-holding, a wiener toss, a dog costume contest, and live music. A fun, low-key way to celebrate close to home.
Falcon Harvest Festival. Sunday, September 27, a family fall festival on the east side with hayrides, food, and autumn fun for the kids.

Into October

Arts Month kicks off October 1. The Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region celebrates the arts all month with 250+ events citywide, themed "Arts in the Unexpected" this year. It opens with the "Stronger Together" artist mixer and open house on Sunday, October 4. A wonderful reason to explore downtown and Old Colorado City.
Colorado Springs Marathon. Saturday, October 3, the 13th annual race starting downtown on Tejon Street and finishing in the urban core. A great spectator weekend.
Switchbacks FC home matches. The Colorado Springs Switchbacks play at Weidner Field on October 2-3, with Oakland Roots SC visiting to close out the home run.
BuffaloGrass Music Festival. October 2-4 at Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, with bluegrass, good food, and mountain vibes.
Rock Ledge Ranch Harvest Festival. Sunday, October 4, family-friendly fall fun at the historic site.
UCCS Fall Festival. Early October on the university campus, a lively community gathering.
Cripple Creek Fall Festival. The first weekend of October, a short scenic drive up the mountain for a classic Colorado fall outing.
Pumpkin season is underway. Long Neck Pumpkin Farm runs through October 26, and the Miners' Pumpkin Patch returns to the Western Museum on Saturdays in October. Both are favorites with local families.
Garden of the Gods Motorless Morning. The first Sunday of the month, October 4, from 5 a.m. to noon, when the park is open to walkers and cyclists only. A serene way to start the day.

One to Watch: Emma Crawford Coffin Races

The Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Festival are traditionally a highlight of late October in nearby Manitou Springs. A May 2026 Gazette report noted the event's future was in question over security concerns, so my advice is to confirm plans before you travel. If it goes ahead on October 24 it is one of Colorado's most delightfully quirky traditions, and the short drive from the Springs is worth it.

Community News: What Is New This Week

A few stories this week are genuinely shaping neighborhoods and buy or sell decisions:

Downtown is being talked about in rail terms. The Downtown Partnership's September 18 annual update put total investment in the one-square-mile downtown at more than $2.6 billion over the past decade, with annual visitation up sharply thanks to the City for Champions attractions. The Partnership is also backing Issue 7A, the "Colorado Connector" ballot measure that would bring passenger rail along the Front Range with a downtown Colorado Springs station planned next to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, within the 82-acre Park Union revitalization area. If it passes in November, it is a long-term win for transit-oriented neighborhoods.
New downtown storefront momentum. Easy's Record Store opened on Tejon Street on September 10, adding to the walkable energy of the urban core and reinforcing downtown as a place people want to live and visit.
More downtown housing is coming. Draper Commons is adding roughly 500 middle-class and affordable units downtown, including the 185-unit Bristow House phase. That is exactly the kind of "missing middle" supply the city has been debating.
The far east side keeps growing. A brand-new neighborhood called Bradley Heights, at Marksheffel and Bradley Roads, has emerged as a single-family homebuilding hotspot as growth continues to push east toward Falcon and Banning Lewis Ranch.
Retail is following the rooftops. A third Barnes & Noble is planned at First & Main on the east side, a strong sign of retail confidence in a corridor adding homes quickly.
Transit planning continues. A Downtown Transit Station Study is exploring a new multimodal hub, since the current station is at capacity. Any decision here will shape how convenient downtown living and commuting become.
Road and infrastructure work persists. The I-25 widening between Fillmore and Garden of the Gods continues, the 31st Street corridor improvements are in progress, and Ruxton Avenue improvements in Manitou Springs are now underway, coordinated with Colorado Springs Utilities' water-line work. The Hancock Expressway segment remains closed through October 3, so plan a little extra drive time on the east side.
Old Colorado City's future is on the calendar. The City Council's decision on whether to dissolve the Old Colorado City Downtown Development Authority was set for its September 22 meeting. A story worth watching for anyone interested in the west side.

What These Developments Mean for Your Neighborhood Search

Three of these stories land in areas buyers keep asking about:

Downtown (central). Between the passenger-rail ballot measure, the $2.6 billion downtown investment story, the new record store, and the Bristow House housing phase, downtown is the most dynamic urban story in the region. If you want walkable access to dining, arts, and entertainment with upside ahead, it is worth a serious look.
Bradley Heights / far east side. With a new homebuilding hotspot emerging at Marksheffel and Bradley Roads, plus retail like the planned Barnes & Noble at First & Main, the far east side is where new construction and long-term appreciation potential converge. Banning Lewis Ranch remains the defining megacommunity of the next decade.
Manitou Springs (west). With Ruxton Avenue improvements underway and the town's quirky fall traditions, Manitou continues to offer a distinctive, walkable lifestyle minutes from the Springs. If the coffin races run, October is a delightful time to visit.

What This Means for You

If you are buying: With months of supply around 3.5 to 4.1 and roughly half of listings carrying price adjustments, you have genuine negotiating room this fall. Motivated sellers, completed new builds, and owners who want to close before the holidays all work in your favor. The new ADU rules also mean more homes can offer flexible income or multigenerational potential. Get pre-approved, know your must-haves, and let's find your best home.

If you are selling: The fundamentals have not changed: price it right from day one and present your home well. With roughly half of listings carrying price reductions, buyers are disciplined, and the ~14% that still sell above asking prove demand exists for the right property. Motivated fall buyers tend to move faster when a home is priced accurately and marketed effectively. If you want to sell before the holidays, the conversation should start now. For a current estimate of what your home could bring, reach out and let's go through the data together.

If you are relocating or investing: The long-term story keeps strengthening. A downtown rail measure on the November ballot, $2.6 billion invested downtown over the past decade, a new homebuilding hotspot on the far east side, and continued annexations all point to a region investing heavily in itself. Neighborhoods that pair strong schools with infrastructure tend to reward patient owners over time. This fall is also a beautiful time to fly in for a visit: experience the energy, tour neighborhoods, and see for yourself why people move here.

Whether you are buying, selling, investing, or just curious about what is happening in Colorado Springs, I am here to help. Contact me today. Let's talk about your real estate goals. Thank you, talk to you soon!

End of September 2026: Colorado Springs Fall Events, Community News & Market Update