The latest annual study from SmartAsset identified the best cities in the U.S. to sell a home. Aurora, Colorado took first place in the nation, followed by Thornton at #4, Arvada #12, and Denver #20. The study evaluated 255 U.S. cities and ranked them by change in median home value, average days on market, percentage of homes sold at a loss, and other metrics.
Aurora took top honors as the best sellers’ market in the nation. Median home value here increased 61.7 percent in the five-year period from 2014 to 2019, the 14th-highest jump for this metric. Homes average just 53 days on the market, good for 46th place nationwide.
Thornton ranked #5 with its homes staying on the market for just 41 days, the 12th-shortest selling time in the study. Median home value has risen 53 percent in the five-year period from 2014 to 2019, ranking 22nd-best for this metric. Just 12.06 percent of Thornton homes were sold at a loss during the same five-year period, good for 49th place for this metric overall.
Arvada landed in a three-way tie with Chandler, AZ and Miami Gardens, FL. Arvada saw a 56.7 percent increase in median home value during the five years studied, with just over 17 percent of homes selling at a loss during that time. Homes stay on the market for just 50 days on average.
Denver rounds out the top 20 with a 51.7 percent rise in median home value from 2014 to 2019. Fewer than 18 percent of homes sold for a loss during that period, and average days on market was 67.
Western cities continue to dominate real estate metrics nationwide. For the fourth consecutive year, every city in SmartAsset’s top 10 was located in a western state.