We did not do too badly, especially compared to many other parts of the country. Here is a quick, easy read, recap.

The debt situation was a problem for residential and commercial markets. Lenders were being told by the government to lend more but federal regulators were telling lenders to keep higher cash margins.

Residential sales in higher price brackets were slow. The $8000 federal government’s first-time homebuyer tax credit did nothing but bring future sales forward. That combined with low interest rates created most home sales.

Colorado had a record 12,468 home foreclosure filings in the third quarter, according to the Colorado Division of Housing and more home foreclosures will occur in 2010 as adjustable-rate mortgages come due.

Sales of high-end homes at price points above $600,000 should be about the same or slightly improve in Denver for 2010.

In the commercial real estate arena, most tenants stayed put because of instability in the job market and the overall economy.

There were few sales of office buildings and strip centers with property values down and most brokers advised property owners not to sell unless absolutely mandatory.

2010 should be a challenge for commercial real estate as many loans come due this year.