The housing market in Mesa County isn’t cooling off exactly—but it’s definitely pausing to catch its breath. New data from Bray Real Estate shows May 2025 ended with median home prices flat year-over-year, but inventory’s swelling and monthly sales ticked down ever so slightly.
It’s not a dramatic shift, but more like a gentle tap on the brakes after a long run of full-throttle movement. While buyers aren’t rushing the gates like they did during the frenzy of 2021-2022, they’re still out there. The market just looks… calmer.
Prices stay put, but not everyone’s complaining
For once, homebuyers and sellers might be feeling the same thing—cautious relief. The median sale price in Mesa County for May stayed above the $400,000 mark, right where it was in May 2024.
That’s not insignificant. In a climate where mortgage rates remain stubbornly high and inflation still nips at wallets, price stability isn’t just welcome—it’s something of a surprise.
For buyers, it means less sticker shock. For sellers, it’s a sign their equity isn’t eroding. And for real estate agents? Well, it gives them something concrete to talk about.
One sentence, short and sweet: The market didn’t budge much on price.
Active listings jump, giving buyers breathing room
Now here’s where things get interesting. Inventory—long the bane of the desperate home shopper—is up.
In May 2025, active listings climbed above 600, which is a full 33% higher than the same time last year. That’s a meaningful shift, not a blip.
More listings mean more choices. It also means buyers are getting a bit more negotiating power than they’ve had in recent years.
• Last year: under 460 listings
• This May: over 600
• Year-over-year increase: +33%
That’s a pretty solid bump.
And the impact? Homes aren’t flying off the shelves as fast, but they’re still moving. It’s just not cutthroat anymore.
May sales dip slightly but stay on track overall
Here’s where context matters. Sales in May 2025 came in at 286 homes, down just a hair from 288 in May 2024. That’s less of a drop and more of a shuffle.
Yes, technically it’s a 1% dip. But no one’s sounding alarm bells. In fact, if you zoom out, the market’s actually selling more homes this year.
So far in 2025, over 1,100 homes have sold in Mesa County. That’s ahead of where things stood at this point last year.
One-sentence paragraph? Here you go: Sales aren’t booming, but they’re holding steady.
Let’s look at it another way.
| Metric | May 2024 | May 2025 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Home Sales | 288 | 286 | -1% |
| Active Listings | ~450 | 600+ | +33% |
| Median Sale Price | $400,000+ | $400,000+ | 0% |
| Year-to-Date Sales Volume | $X | $500M+ | + |
(The exact 2024 YTD volume isn’t stated, but we know 2025 has passed $500 million.)
Volume passes $500 million: what that means on the ground
Crossing the half-billion mark this early in the year is no small feat. It points to a market that’s still got juice—even if it’s no longer red-hot.
Agents say that while the urgency has cooled, the volume is being driven by a steady stream of middle and upper-tier homes changing hands.
People are still moving. Retirees downsizing. Young families upgrading. Out-of-staters relocating. The pace isn’t frantic, but it’s consistent.
And crucially, it’s not all cash anymore. Financing is back in play. Lenders are working harder. Buyers are shopping rates. Sellers are accepting contingencies.
Feels a bit like… 2018.
What’s behind the market’s quiet shift?
A few things are fueling this subtle reshaping of the Mesa housing scene.
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Higher mortgage rates. Still hovering around 7%, and that’s making people pause.
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Post-pandemic correction. After two years of wild growth, some equilibrium was inevitable.
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Seller return. More folks feel confident enough to list now. And with equity up, they’re testing the waters.
Add it all up and you’ve got a market that’s neither booming nor busting.
Instead, it’s doing that rarest of things in real estate—it’s balancing itself.
Buyers aren’t panicking. Sellers aren’t backing out. Deals are still getting done, but they’re a little more civil, a little less stressful, and a lot more realistic.
What agents are watching next
Local agents say the next few months will be telling. Will inventory keep growing into the summer? Or will it level out? Will mortgage rates finally dip below 7% and release pent-up demand?
“I wouldn’t say it’s cooling,” said one agent from Fruita, “but you can definitely feel the tone shift. People are asking more questions. They’re thinking longer. They’re weighing options.”
Which, frankly, is what a healthy housing market should look like.
If nothing else, it feels like Grand Junction is taking a breath after a long sprint—and no one’s complaining about the break.
