Denver County
Homes for sale in Denver
Denver is a consolidated city and county, so one government handles what is split between a city and a county elsewhere in the metro: the assessor, the treasurer, zoning and permits all sit in one place. The housing runs from Victorian brick and early bungalows to postwar ranches, condominium buildings and new townhome rows, and the questions worth asking change with the era and the type of building.
One government, so the records are in one place
Because Denver is both a city and a county, a Denver address has one assessor, one treasurer and one set of zoning and permit records. That makes the homework simpler than in the suburbs, where a single address can involve a city, a county and several separate districts.
The permit history is worth pulling on any older house. A finished basement, an addition or a converted garage should appear in the city’s permit records. One that does not is a question for the seller before your inspection objection deadline, not after closing.
Denver Public Schools serves the whole City and County of Denver. How a particular address maps to schools is set by the district rather than by a listing, and the district’s own tools are the place to confirm it. For a broader introduction to the city, see the Denver area guide.
Historic districts and landmark rules
Denver has many designated historic districts and individually landmarked buildings. Inside one, exterior changes such as additions, window replacement and demolition generally go through design review with the city before a permit is issued.
That is not a reason to pass on a designated property. It is a reason to find out before you offer whether the house is inside a district, and to read the design guidelines if your plans include a second story, a new garage or replacing original windows.
Designation is public record and searchable by address. A listing may not mention it.
What the era of the house tells you to check
Denver’s older neighborhoods carry houses from the late 1800s and early 1900s: brick Victorians, bungalows and the boxy two-story Denver Square. Postwar decades added ranch houses across much of the city, and recent decades added condominium buildings and attached townhomes, in many places on lots that once held a single house.
Each era has its own inspection list. On older houses the sewer line to the street is the one most worth a camera, because clay and cast-iron lines and mature street trees do not mix, and the line is usually the owner’s responsibility. Original wiring, older foundations and unpermitted basement finishes are the other usual questions. Much of what applies to the city’s 1960s and 1970s houses is in the guide to buying a 1970s house.
On newer attached homes the questions move to the association: its budget, its reserves and its rules. The Cherry Creek page covers that in more detail.
The Denver County market right now
Live figures from the MLS, not an estimate. They move as listings do.
Homes for sale in Denver
Residential listings across the City and County of Denver.
Common questions
Is Denver a city or a county?
Both. Denver is a consolidated city and county, so one government runs the assessor, the treasurer, zoning and permits for every Denver address. Some newer large developments inside the city, such as Central Park, also sit in metropolitan districts that add their own levy to the property tax bill.
Which school district serves a Denver address?
Denver Public Schools serves the entire City and County of Denver. The specific schools an address maps to are set by the district and can change, so confirm them with the district’s own tools rather than relying on the school fields in a listing.
Can I rent out a Denver home as a short-term rental?
Denver requires a license for short-term rentals, and the license is limited to the host’s primary residence. A property you do not live in generally cannot be licensed for short stays, and a condominium or homeowners association can restrict rentals on its own. Check the current rules with the city before a purchase depends on that income.
How do I find out whether a Denver house is in a historic district?
Designation is public record and searchable by address through the city. If the house is in a historic district or is individually landmarked, exterior changes such as additions, window replacement and demolition generally need design review before a permit is issued. Find out before you offer if your plans involve any of those.
From the blog
Looking in Denver County?
Ask Belinda the specific questions: the association documents, the metro district on the tax bill, and whether that basement was ever permitted.