Published November 1, 2026 in Market Update

Mortgage rates stayed high while Crested Butte inventory stayed thin

Freddie Mac put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.24% on October 29, 2026. That is the number every buyer is working with right now. Yet in ZIP 81224, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 55 pending sales in the three months ending August 31, 2026, up 17% from a year before. Buyers are still showing up, even with borrowing costs this high.

That pending sales number matters for homeowners. It says demand did not dry up. It also says buyers are working harder to find the right home at the right price.

Crested Butte (81224): homes are selling faster

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows the median days on market in 81224 dropped to 26 days in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is 13 days shorter than the same period a year ago. Homes sold there rose 32% year over year, to 33 closings. Sales volume picked up even as the median sale price dipped 6.5% to $1,450,000.

The price dip is a real admission. Not every seller got what they hoped for. But homes are moving faster, and supply fell 2.7 months year over year. That combination tells a clearer story than the price number alone.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator also counted 77 homes for sale in 81224, down 4.9% from a year ago. Fewer choices for buyers can help a well-priced listing stand out. The sale-to-list ratio held at 95.5%, up 0.4 points from last year.

Only 3% of homes in 81224 sold above list price, down 9 points from a year ago. That tells buyers there is room to negotiate. It tells sellers to price carefully from the start.

Mount Crested Butte (81225): more supply, more patience needed

ZIP 81225 tells a different story. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 85 median days on market there in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is more than three times longer than 81224. Months of supply sat at 17.5, which is a lot of waiting for sellers.

One bright spot: the Real Estate Data Aggregator found that 35.3% of homes in 81225 went under contract within two weeks of listing. That is actually higher than in 81224. It means the right home at the right price can still move quickly, even in a slower ZIP code.

Gunnison (81230): prices up, but fewer homes changing hands

In ZIP 81230, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 37 homes sold in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is down 32.7% from a year ago. The median sale price rose 6.7% to $667,245. Fewer sales, higher prices: buyers are being selective.

Homes in 81230 are taking 16 days longer to sell than they did a year ago. Supply rose 9.8% and pending sales fell 25.5%. That said, 34.2% of homes went under contract within two weeks, up 2.8 points. The fastest-moving homes are still moving fast.

Lake City (81235): a small market with a surprising number

ZIP 81235 is a small market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted only 6 homes sold in the three months ending August 31, 2026. With small numbers, one sale can move every figure. Keep that in mind.

Half of the homes that sold in 81235 sold above list price, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. The sale-to-list ratio was 98%. Again, six sales is a thin sample. But it does suggest that the homes that found buyers found serious ones.

How this market compares with the country

Nationally, Realtor.com put the median days on market at 64 days for the week ending October 24, 2026. Crested Butte's 81224 came in at 26 days. That gap is real. The national median listing price was $414,000, also per Realtor.com. The Crested Butte market sits well above that.

The National Association of Realtors reported existing-home sales nationally at 3.99 million units in September 2026, with prices up 1.3% year over year. Locally, 81230 prices rose 6.7% while 81224 prices dipped 6.5%. This market is not moving in one direction.

One street can read very differently from the whole ZIP code. The numbers above cover large areas. Your home's position in this market depends on its price, condition and exact location.